Senior Polymerization Engineer – R&D & Pilot Scale-Up

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

Benefits offered by this job

Competitive salary

Medical aid

Retirement benefits

International conferences

Job summary

Placements24 is seeking a dedicated Chemical Engineer to join a Pretoria-based R&D team focused on polymerization process development. You will lead hands-on lab work, pilot plant operations, and scale-up of novel polymer production techniques.

The role requires a PhD or MSc in Chemical Engineering with polymer specialization and at least 6 years of polymerization experience. Strong characterization and reactor modeling skills are essential.

Qualifications

• PhD or MSc in Chemical Engineering with polymer specialization.
• 6+ years in polymerization process development and optimization.
• Experience with free radical, anionic, cationic, and condensation polymerization.
• Proficiency in polymer characterization techniques (GPC, DSC, NMR, FTIR).
• Experience with process simulation and modeling software.
• Strong knowledge of polymer chemistry and reactor design.

Responsibilities

• Develop, test, and optimize novel polymerization processes.
• Conduct pilot-scale trials and support scale-up to production.
• Characterize polymer properties and analyze performance data.
• Perform simulations and modeling of kinetics and reactors.
• Collaborate with chemists and materials scientists on polymer targets.
• Ensure safety and environmental compliance for all activities.
• Prepare technical reports and research papers.

Skills

Polymerization

Process development

Process simulation

Data analysis

Technical reporting

Team collaboration

Education

PhD or MSc in Chemical Engineering

Tools

GPC

DSC

NMR

FTIR

Job description

Placements24 is seeking a dedicated Chemical Engineer to join a Pretoria-based R&D team focused on polymerization process development. You will lead hands-on lab work, pilot plant operations, and scale-up of novel polymer production techniques.

The role requires a PhD or MSc in Chemical Engineering with polymer specialization and at least 6 years of polymerization experience. Strong characterization and reactor modeling skills are essential.