Senior R&D Chemical Engineer — Hybrid (Pretoria)

Placements24; Pretoria; Hybrid; ZAR 1,200,000 - 1,800,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Competitive salary

Performance incentives

Hybrid work model

State-of-the-art R&D facilities

Job summary

Placements24 seeks a Senior Research & Development Chemical Engineer in Pretoria to lead experimental design and analysis for novel chemical products. You will design laboratory experiments, validate analytical methods, and collaborate across chemistry and engineering teams in a hybrid work setting.

The role emphasizes DoE, data analytics, and scalable processes from lab to pilot plant, with strong emphasis on safety, sustainability, and IP generation.

Qualifications

• Ph.D. in Chemical Engineering or related field with strong R&D emphasis.
• Minimum 6 years of post-graduate experience in chemical R&D.
• Proven expertise in experimental design (DoE) and statistical data analysis.
• Strong understanding of kinetics, thermodynamics, and reaction engineering.
• Experience with analytical techniques (HPLC, GC-MS, NMR, spectroscopy).
• Laboratory automation and process modeling software experience is a plus.
• Excellent problem-solving and communication skills.
• Experience in hybrid on-site and remote work environments.

Responsibilities

• Design and execute laboratory-scale experiments to explore new chemical pathways and optimize parameters.
• Develop and validate analytical methods for new compounds and materials.
• Analyze data, interpret results, and generate comprehensive reports.
• Conduct literature reviews and patent searches to stay current.
• Collaborate with chemists and engineers on R&D projects.
• Scale up promising lab processes to pilot scale and address challenges.
• Identify process improvements to enhance safety, efficiency, and sustainability.
• Contribute to IP generation through invention disclosures and patent filings.
• Present findings at internal reviews and external conferences.
• Maintain thorough laboratory notebooks and records.

Skills

Experimental design

Statistical analysis

Chemical kinetics

Thermodynamics

Process modeling

Lab automation

Data interpretation

Scientific communication

Education

Ph.D. in Chemical Engineering

Tools

HPLC

GC-MS

NMR

Spectroscopy

Process simulation software

Job description

Placements24 seeks a Senior Research & Development Chemical Engineer in Pretoria to lead experimental design and analysis for novel chemical products. You will design laboratory experiments, validate analytical methods, and collaborate across chemistry and engineering teams in a hybrid work setting.

The role emphasizes DoE, data analytics, and scalable processes from lab to pilot plant, with strong emphasis on safety, sustainability, and IP generation.