Senior Cheminformatics Scientist

Placements24; Kimberley; Hybrid; CAD 152,000 - 202,000; Full time

Job summary

Placements24 is seeking a Senior Cheminformatics Scientist for a leading pharmaceutical research organization in Kimberley, Northern Cape. You will apply cheminformatics to drug discovery, develop tools, predict properties, and manage large chemical datasets.

You will collaborate with medicinal chemists, biologists, and computational chemists, use RDKit/Open Babel, and stay current with advances. A Master’s/PhD and 5+ years in industry are required; strong Python skills are essential.

Qualifications

• Advanced degree in cheminformatics or related quantitative field.
• 5+ years industry experience in cheminformatics and drug discovery.
• Proficiency in Python and RDKit/Open Babel.
• Experience with data analysis, ML, and chemical databases.
• Strong communication and collaboration skills.

Responsibilities

• Develop and apply cheminformatics methods for virtual screening and property prediction.
• Analyze large chemical/biological datasets for SAR/SPR.
• Build and maintain databases/workflows for chemical data management.
• Collaborate with medicinal chemists, biologists, and computational chemists.
• Present findings and contribute to strategic cheminformatics capabilities.
• Stay current with advancements in cheminformatics and drug discovery.
• Design and implement toolkits and visualization workflows.

Skills

Communication

Collaboration

Problem-solving

Hybrid work adaptability

Education

Master's/PhD in quantitative field

Tools

RDKit

Open Babel

Python

Job description

About the Role Our client, a leading pharmaceutical research organization, is seeking an experienced Senior Cheminformatics Scientist to join their drug discovery team in Kimberley, Northern Cape. This role is pivotal in leveraging computational approaches to analyze chemical and biological data, thereby accelerating the identification and optimization of novel drug candidates. You will develop and apply cheminformatics tools and methodologies to support medicinal chemistry efforts, predict compound properties, and manage large chemical datasets. The ideal candidate will have a strong background in computational chemistry, data science, and a deep understanding of drug discovery principles. Join our collaborative environment in Kimberley and contribute to the development of life-changing medicines.

Key Responsibilities

• Develop and apply cheminformatics methods for virtual screening, library design, and property prediction.
• Analyze large chemical and biological datasets to identify structure-activity relationships (SAR) and structure-property relationships (SPR).
• Design, build, and maintain databases and workflows for managing chemical and experimental data.
• Collaborate closely with medicinal chemists, biologists, and computational chemists to support drug discovery projects.
• Implement and utilize cheminformatics toolkits (e.g., RDKit, Open Babel) and visualization software.
• Stay current with the latest advancements in cheminformatics, computational chemistry, and drug discovery.
• Present findings and methodologies to project teams and stakeholders.
• Contribute to the strategic development of cheminformatics capabilities.

Requirements

• Master's or Ph.D. in Cheminformatics, Computational Chemistry, Computer Science, or a related quantitative field.
• Minimum of 5 years of industry experience in cheminformatics, with a focus on drug discovery.
• Strong programming skills in Python, with experience in cheminformatics libraries (e.g., RDKit).
• Proficiency in data analysis, statistical methods, and machine learning techniques relevant to chemical data.
• Experience with chemical databases and data management principles.
• Understanding of molecular modeling and structure-based drug design principles.
• Excellent communication, collaboration, and problem-solving skills.
• Ability to work effectively in a hybrid research setting in Kimberley, Northern Cape.

Benefits

• Competitive annual salary of ZAR.
• Hybrid work model promoting work-life balance.
• Comprehensive health, dental, and vision insurance.
• Opportunities for professional development and training.
• Access to advanced computational tools and resources.
• A dynamic and collaborative team environment in Kimberley.
• Retirement savings plan and paid time off.