Drug Discovery Scientist – Pharmaceutical Research

Placements24; Pretoria; On-site; ZAR 900,000 - 1,500,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Highly competitive salary

Medical, dental and vision insurance

Generous pension contributions

State-of-the-art facilities and growth

Career advancement opportunities

Job summary

Placements24 is seeking a Pharmaceutical Research Scientist specializing in Drug Discovery to join our Centurion-based team. The role focuses on identifying and validating novel therapeutic targets and advancing drug candidates through early development stages, with hands‑on laboratory work and close collaboration across scientists.

The ideal candidate will hold a PhD with 4+ years of postdoctoral or industry experience, demonstrating strong expertise in target validation, assay development, and

Qualifications

• Ph.D. in Pharmacology, Biochemistry, Molecular Biology, or a closely related field.
• Minimum of 4 years of postdoctoral or industry research experience in drug discovery.
• Proven expertise in target validation, assay development, and preclinical drug screening.
• Hands‑on experience with relevant laboratory techniques and instrumentation.
• Strong track record of scientific innovation, problem‑solving, and data interpretation.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills, with experience presenting scientific data.

Responsibilities

• Design and execute in vitro and in vivo experiments to identify and characterize potential drug targets.
• Perform high-throughput screening (HTS) and lead optimization studies.
• Utilize advanced molecular biology, biochemistry, and pharmacology techniques.
• Analyze complex experimental data, interpret results, and present findings to research teams and management.
• Contribute to the preparation of research reports, publications, and patent applications.
• Collaborate with medicinal chemists, pharmacologists, and other cross-functional team members to drive discovery projects forward.

Skills

Target validation

Assay development

Preclinical drug screening

Molecular biology techniques

In vitro and in vivo experiments

Data interpretation

Education

Ph.D. in Pharmacology or Biochemistry or Molecular Biology

Job description

Placements24 is seeking a Pharmaceutical Research Scientist specializing in Drug Discovery to join our Centurion-based team. The role focuses on identifying and validating novel therapeutic targets and advancing drug candidates through early development stages, with hands‑on laboratory work and close collaboration across scientists.

The ideal candidate will hold a PhD with 4+ years of postdoctoral or industry experience, demonstrating strong expertise in target validation, assay development, and