Formulation Scientist - Pharmaceutical Development

Placements24; LegKraal Gate; On-site; ZAR 900,000 - 1,200,000; Full time

Job summary

Placements24 in Mahikeng, North West, invites a Formulation Scientist to join its Pharmaceutical Development team to design and develop novel drug formulations. The role focuses on ensuring efficacy, safety and stability across dosage forms, with 4+ years of experience and a PhD or MSc in related fields.

You will work in a modern lab from early development to scale‑up and tech transfer within a collaborative R&D environment.

Qualifications

• PhD or Master’s in a related field is required.
• 4+ years of hands-on pharmaceutical formulation development experience.
• Proven expertise across dosage forms and delivery technologies.
• Strong knowledge of physical chemistry and materials science.

Responsibilities

• Design, develop, and optimize formulations for various dosage forms.
• Conduct pre-formulation studies and stability testing.
• Scale-up formulations from lab to pilot and commercial processes.
• Collaborate with analytical, manufacturing, and regulatory teams.
• Prepare development reports and support regulatory submissions.

Skills

Pharmaceutics

Formulation development

Drug delivery technologies

Analytical techniques

Problem solving

Education

Ph.D. in Pharmaceutics

Master's in Pharmaceutical Sciences

Tools

DSC

TGA

XRD

Particle size analysis

Job description

About the Role

Our client is seeking a highly skilled and innovative Formulation Scientist to join their Pharmaceutical Development department in Mahikeng, North West . This role is central to the design and development of novel drug formulations that ensure the efficacy, safety, and stability of pharmaceutical products. You will work in a state-of-the-art laboratory environment, contributing to the entire formulation lifecycle from early-stage development to process scale-up and technology transfer. The successful candidate will possess a deep understanding of pharmaceutics and a passion for developing advanced drug delivery systems.

Key Responsibilities

• Design, develop, and optimize stable and effective pharmaceutical formulations for various dosage forms (e.g., oral solids, injectables, topicals).
• Conduct pre-formulation studies to characterize drug substances and excipients.
• Perform formulation development experiments, including stability testing, dissolution profiling, and bioavailability assessments.
• Scale-up laboratory formulations to pilot and commercial manufacturing processes.
• Collaborate with analytical development, manufacturing, and regulatory affairs teams to ensure successful product development.
• Prepare formulation development reports and contribute to regulatory submission documentation.

Requirements

• Ph.D. or Master's degree in Pharmaceutics, Pharmaceutical Sciences, Chemistry, or a related discipline.
• Minimum of 4 years of experience in pharmaceutical formulation development.
• Proven expertise in various dosage forms and drug delivery technologies.
• Strong understanding of physical chemistry , materials science, and drug-drug interactions.
• Hands-on experience with formulation equipment and analytical techniques (e.g., DSC, TGA, XRD, particle size analysis).
• Excellent problem-solving abilities and a meticulous approach to experimental design and data analysis.

Benefits

• Competitive annual salary and performance bonus structure.
• Comprehensive medical aid and retirement benefits.
• Generous annual leave and paid sick leave.
• Opportunities for further education and professional development.
• A dynamic and collaborative research and development environment.