The CSIR has a vacant role for a Research Group Leader with competence in the Light Metals (LM) area in Material Science and Manufacturing (MSM) unit. The qualified candidate for this job is to lead a team of engineers, scientists and technicians to ensure the growth of staff within the research group and ensuring the highest technical quality standards of the output of the group. In this role, the candidate would take the ultimate responsibility for the Titanium Pilot Plant and the Titanium Primary Process group. This makes the candidate automatically the Pilot Plant Manager tasked with leading the innovation and industrialization of the CSIR-Ti-powder production process.
This job is in Pretoria.

The Light Metal competence area metals and metal alloy based-researches, development and innovative activities for application in various industry sectors like aerospace, automotive, military, medical, etc. The Titanium Centre of Competence (TiCoC) and Light Metals Development Network (LMDN) are hosted by the competence area and are also supported by the Department of Science and Technology. The LM has specialized facilities and capabilities for materials design, selection, testing, and characterization. Materials such as metals and composites. The competence area is a leader in structural design and analysis as well as in hosting world-class expertise and capabilities in metallurgy of powder, advanced casting for parts and components manufacturing

Main responsibilities:

- Managing and overseeing the operation, maintenance, safety, testing, and analysis of the operation and performance of the Pilot Plant, and the effectiveness of the process technology and characteristics of products including the mitigation of any risks to to minimize any unpredicted delays
- Leading the researcher and technical staff of the Primary Process Group at LM, and also aiming at stimulating growth at the same time
- Contributing to the formulation of strategies and directions for the research group in line with the LM strategy
- Ensuring compliance with the requirements of the technology transfer for handover to commercial partners, and leading the semi-commercialization of the CSIR-Ti-powder process and studies
- Assisting with the identification of technology providers in which potential sub-licensing agreement would be required from
- Liaising with all key stakeholders, commercial partners, steering committees together with the project manager and reporting to the relevant project governance structures by preparing reports and updating the detailed integrated plan of the Pilot Plant Operation and technology development

Requirements:

- A Master’s degree in engineering or any related field, with a postgraduate degree in business management. A Doctoral Degree is a plus
- A minimum of 5 years’ experience in managing projects related to engineering, and a good experience in operational management
- Knowledge in design and operation of the pilot plant
- An excellent interpersonal relationship and stakeholders liaison skills, with the ability to liaise with a diverse set of people locally and internationally
- A good understanding of matters that are influencing global competitiveness and systems of innovation, and the parameters for product morphology adjustment to meet the criteria for commercialisation
- Ability to manage the development team on process development, process control, scale-up engineering requirements, operational performance, product specification finalization, quality assessment and controls and issue resolution
- Ability to identify and understand the technical hot spots, risks, challenges, operational practices, etc. that require resolution and focus
- A sound knowledge of project execution and the R&D Stage gate model such as basic engineering, execution, start-up, etc.
- Ability to formulate and execute the process engineering scope for the assigned small R&D projects
- Ability to work with both researchers and industrial personnel effectively
- Ability to lead a science and technology team effectively
- A proven record of writing scientific publications or technical reports
- Good oral and written communication skills