Visionary Senior Principal Scientist, Materials Science

Placements24; Bloemfontein; On-site; ZAR 1,500,000 - 2,300,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Competitive salary

Health and wellness benefits

Retirement plan options

Professional development allowances

Job summary

Placements24 seeks a Principal Research Scientist in Materials Science for its Welkom, Free State facility. You will lead high-impact research, drive novel material development, and translate science into products. Strong leadership, synthesis/characterization expertise, and industry collaboration are essential.

You will design advanced experiments, mentor researchers, manage budgets, and contribute to IP. This role offers a strategic position shaping future materials innovations.

Qualifications

• PhD in Materials Science, Chemistry, Physics, or related engineering discipline.
• At least 10 years of extensive research experience in materials science with a track record of leadership.
• Expertise in material synthesis, processing, and characterization techniques.
• Strong knowledge of materials properties and performance relationships.
• Experience with computational modeling and simulations is advantageous.
• Proven ability to lead research teams and manage complex projects.
• Excellent scientific writing and presentation skills.
• Strong network within the scientific community and relevant industries.
• Experience in managing intellectual property and collaborating with commercial teams.
• Ability to secure external research funding is a plus.
• Willing to work at Welkom, Free State location.

Responsibilities

• Lead and direct research projects focused on novel materials development.
• Design and conduct advanced experiments for material synthesis, characterization, and performance testing.
• Utilize analytical techniques (SEM, TEM, XRD, AFM, DSC) for material analysis.
• Develop theoretical models and simulations to predict material behavior.
• Collaborate with engineering and product teams to integrate new materials.
• Identify and explore new research areas and opportunities.
• Publish high-quality scientific work and present at conferences.
• Mentor junior scientists and researchers.
• Manage project budgets, timelines, and resources.
• Contribute to IP generation and patent applications.

Skills

Materials synthesis

Materials characterization

Computational modeling

Leadership

Scientific writing

Project management

Mentoring

IP knowledge

Collaboration with industry

Education

PhD in Materials Science, Chemistry, Physics, or related engineering discipline

Tools

SEM

TEM

XRD

AFM

DSC

Job description

Placements24 seeks a Principal Research Scientist in Materials Science for its Welkom, Free State facility. You will lead high-impact research, drive novel material development, and translate science into products. Strong leadership, synthesis/characterization expertise, and industry collaboration are essential.

You will design advanced experiments, mentor researchers, manage budgets, and contribute to IP. This role offers a strategic position shaping future materials innovations.