Principal Materials Scientist

Boardroom Appointments · Johannesburg, Gauteng

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Are you an experienced Materials Scientist or Engineer with a strong background in advanced manufacturing, process optimisation, and materials processing?
Our client, a global leader in synthetic diamond and tungsten carbide solutions, is seeking an experienced Principal Materials Scientist to act as the senior technical authority across HPHT manufacturing processes and supporting operations.
This is an exciting opportunity for a technically strong professional who enjoys solving complex manufacturing challenges, driving process excellence, and applying data-driven methodologies to improve safety, quality, yield, productivity, and cost performance.

Key Responsibilities

Own and optimise the full process lifecycle across HPHT manufacturing processes and supporting operations.
Drive improvements in yield, throughput, process stability, process capability, and cost efficiency.
Define, implement, and govern process standards, SOPs, engineering controls, operating limits, and control plans.
Lead structured problem-solving for complex technical issues using methodologies such as DMAIC, RCA, 8D, FMEA, and SPC.
Champion World Class Manufacturing, Lean, and Six Sigma practices through cross-functional improvement initiatives and workshops.
Act as a site-wide subject matter expert, coaching engineers, scientists, and operations teams on best practice and process optimisation.
Lead process industrialisation, commissioning, scale-up, and process transfer activities aligned with global standards.
Collaborate with Production, Quality, Safety, Supply Chain, and Engineering Services to support stable and optimised volume manufacturing.
Leverage data analytics, digital manufacturing tools, automation, and process control strategies to improve process insight and control.
Lead process safety improvement initiatives, support risk assessments, and promote strong engineering discipline and compliance.
Support technology transfer, operational best practice, and continuous improvement across functions and sites.
Develop and support data-driven decision-making to improve manufacturing performance.

Minimum Requirements

Master's Degree or PhD in: Materials Science, Mechanical Engineering, Metallurgical Engineering
Minimum 5 years' experience in advanced manufacturing or materials processing environments.
Strong experience in process optimisation, scale-up, statistical process control, and industrialisation.
Expert knowledge of process engineering, statistical tools, manufacturing science, and materials behaviour.
Strong analytical and problem-solving capability with a systematic, data-driven approach.

Technical Expertise

Key Competencies

What's on Offer

Opportunity to act as a senior technical authority within an advanced manufacturing environment.
Work on complex HPHT manufacturing processes and materials technology.
Drive improvements across safety, quality, yield, productivity, and cost performance.
Collaborate with multidisciplinary technical and operational teams across functions and sites.
Lead technology transfer, industrialisation, process optimisation, and continuous improvement initiatives.
Opportunity to influence manufacturing best practice within a global technology-driven organisation.