Formulation Scientist

Placements24; Midrand; On-site; ZAR 600,000 - 900,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Competitive salary and benefits

Medical, dental, and vision insurance

Opportunities for professional growth

Job summary

Placements24 is recruiting a Formulation Scientist for its client in Midrand, Gauteng. You will join the R&D team to develop and optimize pharmaceutical formulations from early research to potential commercialization.

You will design dosage forms, conduct pre-formulation studies, validate analytical methods, and scale up processes while collaborating with cross-functional teams to ensure quality, regulatory compliance, and patient safety.

Qualifications

• Master's or Ph.D. in Pharmaceutics, Pharmaceutical Sciences, Chemistry, or a related discipline.
• 3-5 years of hands-on experience in pharmaceutical formulation development.
• Experience with a variety of dosage forms and drug delivery systems.
• Proficiency in laboratory techniques relevant to formulation development and characterization.
• Strong understanding of physical chemistry, material science, and biopharmaceutics.
• Knowledge of regulatory guidelines related to drug product development (ICH).
• Excellent problem-solving, analytical, and organizational skills.
• Strong written and verbal communication abilities.
• Experience with statistical analysis software and DoE is desirable.

Responsibilities

• Design and develop various pharmaceutical dosage forms while considering bioavailability, stability, and manufacturability.
• Conduct pre-formulation studies to characterize drug substances and excipients.
• Optimize formulations to meet product specifications and regulatory requirements.
• Perform laboratory-scale experiments, including formulation preparation, dissolution testing, and stability studies.
• Develop and validate analytical methods for assessing drug product quality attributes.
• Scale-up laboratory formulations to pilot and manufacturing scales, working closely with process engineers.
• Troubleshoot formulation and manufacturing-related issues.
• Maintain detailed laboratory records and prepare technical reports and documentation for regulatory submissions.
• Stay abreast of new developments in drug delivery technologies and formulation science.
• Collaborate effectively with internal teams (analytical development, regulatory affairs, manufacturing) and external partners.

Education

Master's or Ph.D. in Pharmaceutics, Pharmaceutical Sciences, Chemistry, or a related discipline

Job description

About the Role

Our client, a dynamic pharmaceutical company, is actively recruiting a skilled Formulation Scientist to join their Research and Development department in Midrand, Gauteng, ZA. This role is pivotal in the development of innovative drug delivery systems and dosage forms, from early-stage research through to product commercialization. The Formulation Scientist will be responsible for designing, developing, and optimizing pharmaceutical formulations to ensure efficacy, safety, and stability. This is an exceptional opportunity for a creative and detail-oriented scientist to contribute to the development of novel therapeutics. You will work in state-of-the‑art laboratories, collaborating with a multidisciplinary team to overcome formulation challenges and bring new medicines to patients. We are seeking an individual with a strong understanding of pharmaceutics, material science, and drug delivery technologies, coupled with practical laboratory experience. Your expertise will directly influence the performance and patient experience of our client’s product pipeline.

Key Responsibilities

• Design and develop various pharmaceutical dosage forms (e.g., tablets, capsules, injectables, topicals) considering factors like bioavailability, stability, and manufacturability.
• Conduct pre-formulation studies to characterize drug substances and excipients.
• Optimize formulations to meet product specifications and regulatory requirements.
• Perform laboratory-scale experiments, including formulation preparation, dissolution testing, and stability studies.
• Develop and validate analytical methods for assessing drug product quality attributes.
• Scale-up laboratory formulations to pilot and manufacturing scales, working closely with process engineers.
• Troubleshoot formulation and manufacturing-related issues.
• Maintain detailed laboratory records and prepare technical reports and documentation for regulatory submissions.
• Stay abreast of new developments in drug delivery technologies and formulation science.
• Collaborate effectively with internal teams (e.g., analytical development, regulatory affairs, manufacturing) and external partners.

Requirements

• Master's or Ph.D. in Pharmaceutics, Pharmaceutical Sciences, Chemistry, or a related discipline.
• Minimum of 3-5 years of hands‑on experience in pharmaceutical formulation development.
• Demonstrated experience with a variety of dosage forms and drug delivery systems.
• Proficiency in laboratory techniques relevant to formulation development and characterization.
• Strong understanding of physical chemistry, material science, and biopharmaceutics.
• Knowledge of regulatory guidelines related to drug product development (e.g., ICH).
• Excellent problem‑solving, analytical, and organizational skills.
• Strong written and verbal communication abilities.
• Experience with statistical analysis software and design of experiments (DoE) is desirable.
• Ability to work both independently and collaboratively in a fast‑paced R&D environment.

Benefits

• Our client offers a competitive salary, comprehensive medical, dental, and vision insurance, a retirement savings plan with company matching, generous paid time off, and significant opportunities for professional growth and training.
• Join a leading pharmaceutical company committed to innovation and improving global health outcomes.
• This role offers the chance to work on cutting‑edge drug development projects.