Senior Polymer Chemist: Synthesis, Scale-Up & Innovation

Placements24; Gqeberha; On-site; ZAR 900,000 - 1,500,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Competitive salary

Health benefits

Retirement plan

Professional development

Advanced labs

Collaborative team

Job summary

Placements24 is seeking a Senior Polymer Chemist for its advanced materials research team in Port Elizabeth. You will lead synthesis, modification, and formulation of high-performance polymers for automotive, packaging, and medical devices.

You will drive lab-scale and pilot-scale projects, optimize polymerization processes, and translate discoveries into commercially viable products, while collaborating with cross-functional teams. The position requires a Ph.D.

Qualifications

• Ph.D. in Polymer Chemistry, Polymer Science, or a closely related field.
• Minimum of 6 years of industrial polymer R&D experience.
• Expertise in polymerization techniques, polymer characterization, and structure-property relationships.
• Experience with polymer processing and applications development is highly desirable.
• Excellent analytical, problem-solving, and communication skills.

Responsibilities

• Design and synthesize novel polymers and copolymers with specific thermal, mechanical, and chemical properties.
• Characterize polymer structure, morphology, and properties using techniques such as GPC, NMR, DSC, TGA, and mechanical testing.
• Develop and optimize polymerization processes, including emulsion, solution, and bulk polymerization methods.
• Formulate polymer blends and composites to achieve desired performance characteristics.
• Collaborate with cross-functional teams to translate laboratory findings into commercially viable products.

Skills

Polymerization techniques

Polymer characterization

Structure-property relationships

Analytical skills

Education

PhD in Polymer Chemistry/Polymer Science

Tools

GPC

NMR

DSC

TGA

Job description

Placements24 is seeking a Senior Polymer Chemist for its advanced materials research team in Port Elizabeth. You will lead synthesis, modification, and formulation of high-performance polymers for automotive, packaging, and medical devices.

You will drive lab-scale and pilot-scale projects, optimize polymerization processes, and translate discoveries into commercially viable products, while collaborating with cross-functional teams. The position requires a Ph.D.