Senior Polymer Materials Scientist (Hybrid)

Placements24; Mtubatuba Local Municipality; Hybrid; ZAR 1,200,000 - 2,000,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Competitive remuneration package

Health insurance

Hybrid work model

State-of-the-art facilities

Conference funding

Job summary

Placements24 in Richards Bay, KwaZulu-Natal, seeks a Senior Materials Scientist specializing in Polymer Engineering to lead polymer design, synthesis, and characterization. You will drive projects from concept to prototype, mentor junior staff, and collaborate with cross‑functional teams to translate research into scalable applications.

The role requires a PhD with 6+ years of post‑doc/industrial polymer experience, strong publication credentials, and hands‑on expertise in polymer synthesis,

Qualifications

• PhD and at least 6 years of post-doctoral or industrial polymer research.
• Proven expertise in polymer synthesis, characterization, and processing.
• Strong publication record and ability to guide junior researchers.

Responsibilities

• Design, synthesize, and modify novel polymer systems with specific performance characteristics.
• Characterize polymer materials using techniques such as GPC, DSC, TGA, FTIR, NMR, SEM/TEM.
• Investigate polymer processing methods like extrusion, injection molding, and 3D printing.
• Evaluate material performance through mechanical testing and thermal analysis.
• Develop structure-property relationships to guide material design and optimization.
• Collaborate with engineering and product teams to translate innovations into applications.
• Prepare technical reports and scientific publications.
• Mentor junior scientists and technicians; maintain a safe lab environment.

Skills

Polymer chemistry

Materials science

Characterization techniques

Structure-property relationships

Mentoring/leadership

Education

PhD in Materials Science / Polymer Science / Chemical Engineering

Job description

Placements24 in Richards Bay, KwaZulu-Natal, seeks a Senior Materials Scientist specializing in Polymer Engineering to lead polymer design, synthesis, and characterization. You will drive projects from concept to prototype, mentor junior staff, and collaborate with cross‑functional teams to translate research into scalable applications.

The role requires a PhD with 6+ years of post‑doc/industrial polymer experience, strong publication credentials, and hands‑on expertise in polymer synthesis,