Senior Polymers Scientist - Advanced Materials (Hybrid)

Placements24; Klerksdorp; Hybrid; ZAR 900,000 - 1,800,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Health insurance

Dental insurance

Vision insurance

Paid time off

Job summary

Placements24 is seeking a Senior Materials Scientist specializing in Advanced Polymers to join a global materials innovation team in Klerksdorp. You will design, synthesize, and characterize high-performance polymers and lead projects from concept to commercialization.

The role requires a Ph.D. with 6+ years in polymer synthesis and characterization, and expertise in GPC, DSC, TGA, NMR, FTIR, and rheology. You’ll mentor researchers and collaborate across disciplines in a hybrid work model.

Qualifications

• Ph.D. in Polymer Science, Materials Science, Chemistry, or a related field.
• A minimum of 6 years of relevant research experience with polymer synthesis and characterization.
• Proven expertise in a wide range of polymer characterization techniques.
• Deep understanding of structure–property relationships and polymer physics.

Responsibilities

• Lead R&D efforts in synthesis, characterization, and application of advanced polymeric materials.
• Design and execute experiments to develop polymers with tailored thermal, mechanical, and electrical properties.
• Utilize analytical techniques (GPC, DSC, TGA, NMR, FTIR, rheology) for material characterization.
• Investigate polymer processing techniques and their impact on performance.
• Collaborate with product development to ensure material suitability for target applications.
• Analyze data, generate reports, and present findings to technical and management stakeholders.
• Mentor junior scientists and technicians in experimental design and data interpretation.
• Stay current with literature and industry trends in polymer science and engineering.
• Contribute to IP through patent applications and disclosures.

Skills

Polymer synthesis

Polymer characterization

GPC

DSC

TGA

NMR

FTIR

Rheology

Project leadership

Publications & presentations

Education

Ph.D. in Polymer Science

Tools

Computational modeling of polymers

Job description

Placements24 is seeking a Senior Materials Scientist specializing in Advanced Polymers to join a global materials innovation team in Klerksdorp. You will design, synthesize, and characterize high-performance polymers and lead projects from concept to commercialization.

The role requires a Ph.D. with 6+ years in polymer synthesis and characterization, and expertise in GPC, DSC, TGA, NMR, FTIR, and rheology. You’ll mentor researchers and collaborate across disciplines in a hybrid work model.