Chief Medicinal Chemistry Lead – Drug Discovery

Placements24; Centurion; On-site; ZAR 1,800,000 - 2,400,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Competitive salary

Healthcare benefits

Retirement plan

Relocation assistance

Professional development

Job summary

Placements24 is seeking an experienced Lead Drug Discovery Chemist to head medicinal chemistry efforts in Centurion, Gauteng. You will lead a team of chemists, drive the design, synthesis, and optimization of novel small molecules with therapeutic potential.

The ideal candidate has a Ph.D. in organic/medicinal chemistry and at least 7 years’ experience in drug discovery, with a proven track record of leading projects from discovery to preclinical development.

Qualifications

• Ph.D. in Organic or Medicinal Chemistry with relevant post‑doctoral experience.
• Extensive experience leading medicinal chemistry projects from discovery to preclinical development.
• Strong SAR understanding and use of modern synthetic methods.
• Proven leadership and collaboration across multidisciplinary teams.

Responsibilities

• Lead design and synthesis of novel chemical entities with therapeutic potential.
• Mentor a team of medicinal chemists and foster a high‑performing research environment.
• Develop strategic synthetic routes for complex target molecules.
• Interpret SAR data to optimize lead compounds for potency and PK properties.
• Collaborate with biologists, pharmacologists, and ADME scientists to drive progress.
• Manage CRO collaborations for specialized synthetic needs.
• Ensure rigorous documentation of procedures, results, and IP.
• Present findings and strategic recommendations to senior management.

Skills

Leadership

Medicinal chemistry

SAR analysis

Drug discovery strategy

Communication

Project management

Education

Ph.D. in Organic Chemistry

Ph.D. in Medicinal Chemistry

Tools

Computational chemistry tools

Molecular modeling software

ADME prediction tools

Job description

Placements24 is seeking an experienced Lead Drug Discovery Chemist to head medicinal chemistry efforts in Centurion, Gauteng. You will lead a team of chemists, drive the design, synthesis, and optimization of novel small molecules with therapeutic potential.

The ideal candidate has a Ph.D. in organic/medicinal chemistry and at least 7 years’ experience in drug discovery, with a proven track record of leading projects from discovery to preclinical development.