Drug Discovery Scientist

Placements24; LegKraal Gate; Hybrid; ZAR 1,000,000 - 1,800,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Competitive salary and equity options

Medical, dental, and vision insurance

Generous paid time off and flexible工作

Job summary

Placements24 is partnering with a leading pharmaceutical innovator to recruit a Drug Discovery Scientist for a remote role. You will design experiments, analyze data, and collaborate with cross-functional teams to advance early-stage drug candidates.

The ideal candidate holds a PhD in a relevant field and 5+ years in drug discovery, with expertise in target validation, SAR, and HTS assays. Join a cutting-edge environment enabling scientific innovation from wherever you are.

Qualifications

• PhD in Medicinal Chemistry, Pharmacology, Molecular Biology, Biochemistry, or related field.
• 5+ years of post-doctoral or industry experience in drug discovery.
• Proven expertise in target validation and hit identification.
• Hands-on experience with biochemical, cell-based, and high-throughput screening assays.
• Strong understanding of PK/PD principles.
• Excellent problem-solving, scientific creativity, and communication abilities.

Responsibilities

• Design and implement strategies to identify and validate drug targets.
• Conduct compound screening, SAR studies, and hit-to-lead optimization.
• Utilize biochemical, cellular, and molecular biology techniques.
• Analyze data, interpret results, and present findings to project teams and leadership.
• Collaborate with medicinal chemists, biologists, pharmacologists, and computational scientists.
• Contribute to publications, patents, and regulatory documents.

Skills

Experiment design

Target validation

Hit identification

Assay development

PK/PD concepts

High-throughput screening

Scientific communication

Problem solving

Collaborative work

Education

Ph.D. in Medicinal Chemistry/Pharmacology/Biochemistry

Job description

Our client, a leading innovator in the pharmaceutical sector, is seeking a highly motivated and experienced Drug Discovery Scientist to join their cutting-edge research team. This remote position offers an exciting opportunity to contribute to the identification and development of novel therapeutic candidates. You will be instrumental in designing and executing experiments, analyzing data, and collaborating with cross-functional teams to advance drug candidates through the early stages of the discovery pipeline. The ideal candidate possesses a strong scientific background in medicinal chemistry, pharmacology, or a related field, with a proven track record in drug discovery research and a passion for scientific innovation.

Key Responsibilities

• Design and implement experimental strategies to identify and validate novel drug targets.


• Conduct compound screening assays, structure-activity relationship (SAR) studies, and hit-to-lead optimization.


• Utilize state-of-the‑art biochemical, cellular, and molecular biology techniques.


• Analyze complex experimental data, interpret results, and present findings to project teams and leadership.


• Collaborate effectively with medicinal chemists, biologists, pharmacologists, and computational scientists.


• Contribute to the preparation of scientific publications, patents, and regulatory documents.

Requirements

• Ph.D. in Medicinal Chemistry, Pharmacology, Molecular Biology, Biochemistry, or a related discipline.


• 5+ years of post-doctoral or industry experience in drug discovery .


• Proven expertise in designing and executing experiments related to target validation and hit identification.


• Hands‑on experience with various assay formats (e.g., biochemical, cell‑based, high‑throughput screening).


• Strong understanding of pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic principles.


• Excellent problem‑solving skills, scientific creativity, and strong communication abilities.

Benefits

• Highly competitive salary and equity options.


• Comprehensive medical, dental, and vision insurance.


• Generous paid time off and flexible work arrangements.


• Access to advanced research technologies and collaborative scientific environments.


• Opportunity to work on groundbreaking projects and shape the future of medicine from a remote setting.