Lead Analytical Chemist – Hybrid, Pharma Development

Placements24; Stellenbosch Local Municipality; On-site; ZAR 1,000,000 - 1,800,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Competitive salary

Health insurance

Dental insurance

Vision insurance

Retirement plan

Professional development

Paid time off

Modern lab facilities

Collaborative culture

Job summary

Placements24 in Paarl, Western Cape, is seeking an experienced Lead Chemist to head Analytical Development in a hybrid role blending on-site lab work and data analysis remotely. You will develop, validate, and implement analytical methods (HPLC, GC, MS, UV-Vis, KF) for drug substances and products, lead a team, ensure GMP/ICH compliance, and collaborate with QA, regulatory affairs.

The role offers access to advanced instrumentation, professional growth, and a competitive salary package in line

Qualifications

• Ph.D. or M.Sc. in Analytical Chemistry or related field.
• Minimum 6 years in analytical method development/validation in pharma.
• Proven experience leading a team of scientists.

Responsibilities

• Lead and mentor a team of analytical chemists in method development and validation.
• Develop, optimize, validate analytical methods (HPLC, GC, MS, UV-Vis, KF) for APIs and finished products.
• Troubleshoot analytical issues in development and routine testing.
• Author and review method validation reports and SOPs.
• Ensure GMP/ICH compliance and regulatory readiness.
• Collaborate with QA, regulatory affairs, and formulation teams.
• Oversee qualification/maintenance of instrumentation.
• Manage timelines/resources within analytical development.

Skills

Analytical method development

Team leadership

GMP/ICH compliance

Chromatography (HPLC/UPLC/GC)

Spectroscopic methods

Regulatory submissions

Education

Ph.D. or M.Sc. in Analytical Chemistry

Tools

Chromatography software

Data analysis tools

Job description

Placements24 in Paarl, Western Cape, is seeking an experienced Lead Chemist to head Analytical Development in a hybrid role blending on-site lab work and data analysis remotely. You will develop, validate, and implement analytical methods (HPLC, GC, MS, UV-Vis, KF) for drug substances and products, lead a team, ensure GMP/ICH compliance, and collaborate with QA, regulatory affairs.

The role offers access to advanced instrumentation, professional growth, and a competitive salary package in line