Senior Polymers Scientist – Advanced Materials Leader

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

Benefits offered by this job

Competitive salary

Medical, dental, vision insurance

Retirement plan with employer matching

Professional development budget

Access to polymer synthesis facilities

Collaborative research environment

Job summary

Placements24 seeks a Senior Materials Scientist to lead R&D in Advanced Polymers from Soweto, designing, synthesizing, and characterizing polymers with enhanced properties for aerospace, automotive, and medical devices. You will guide projects from concept to prototype and mentor junior scientists.

This role requires a Ph.D. in a related field, 6+ years of polymer experience, and a proven track record in publications or patents.

Qualifications

• PhD in Polymer Science or related field with strong publication/patent record.
• 6+ years in polymer R&D focused on synthesis, processing, and structure–property studies.
• Experience leading research projects and mentoring junior scientists.
• Proficiency with NMR, FTIR, GPC, DSC, TGA, SEM or TEM analysis.
• Strong collaboration and communication skills for cross-functional teams.

Responsibilities

• Design, synthesize, and characterize novel polymers and composites.
• Use spectroscopy, chromatography, thermal analysis, and microscopy to assess performance.
• Develop polymerization processes and processing methods.
• Collaborate with engineering/product teams to translate innovations.
• Lead projects from concept to prototype and testing.
• Author reports, patents, and publications documenting findings.

Skills

Polymer synthesis

Polymer characterization

Mentoring

Project leadership

Education

PhD in Polymer Science / Materials Science / Chemistry

Tools

NMR

FTIR

GPC

DSC

TGA

SEM

TEM

Job description

Placements24 seeks a Senior Materials Scientist to lead R&D in Advanced Polymers from Soweto, designing, synthesizing, and characterizing polymers with enhanced properties for aerospace, automotive, and medical devices. You will guide projects from concept to prototype and mentor junior scientists.

This role requires a Ph.D. in a related field, 6+ years of polymer experience, and a proven track record in publications or patents.