Lead Cheminformatician

Placements24; Cape Town; On-site; ZAR 1,200,000 - 1,800,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Professional development opportunities

Cape Town location

Collaborative work environment

Job summary

Placements24 is seeking an experienced Lead Cheminformatician to head our computational chemistry and data science efforts in Cape Town. You will develop and implement advanced computational strategies to support drug discovery and materials science, and lead a team of informaticians and data scientists to integrate tools and predictive modeling into research workflows.

The ideal candidate holds a PhD or MSc in cheminformatics or a related field, has 7+ years in the domain (with at least 2 years

Qualifications

• Ph.D. or Master’s degree in Cheminformatics, Computational Chemistry, Computer Science, or a related quantitative field.
• Minimum of 7 years of experience in cheminformatics or computational chemistry, with at least 2 years in a leadership or supervisory role.
• Proficiency in programming languages such as Python or R, and experience with relevant cheminformatics toolkits (e.g., RDKit, OpenBabel).
• Strong understanding of machine learning algorithms, statistical modeling, and data mining techniques.

Responsibilities

• Lead the development and application of cheminformatics tools and databases for managing, analyzing, and visualizing chemical and biological data.
• Design and implement machine learning models for SAR analysis, property prediction, and virtual screening.
• Manage and mentor a team of cheminformaticians and data scientists, providing technical guidance and project oversight.
• Collaborate with medicinal chemists, biologists, and other research scientists to identify computational needs and opportunities.
• Ensure the quality, integrity, and accessibility of research data through robust data management practices.
• Stay abreast of the latest advancements in cheminformatics, AI in drug discovery, and champion their adoption.

Skills

Python

R

Machine Learning

Data Mining

Leadership

Education

PhD in Cheminformatics/Computational Chemistry

Master's in Cheminformatics/Computational Chemistry

Tools

RDKit

OpenBabel

Job description

About the Role

Our client is seeking an experienced Lead Cheminformatician to head their computational chemistry and data science efforts in Cape Town. This critical role involves developing and implementing advanced computational strategies to support drug discovery and materials science programs. You will lead a team of skilled informaticians and data scientists, ensuring the effective integration of computational tools and predictive modeling into research workflows. The ideal candidate will possess a deep understanding of cheminformatics, machine learning, and data management within a research and development context, driving innovation and efficiency in scientific exploration.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead the development and application of cheminformatics tools and databases for managing, analyzing, and visualizing chemical and biological data.
• Design and implement machine learning models for structure-activity relationship (SAR) analysis, property prediction, and virtual screening.
• Manage and mentor a team of cheminformaticians and data scientists, providing technical guidance and project oversight.
• Collaborate with medicinal chemists, biologists, and other research scientists to identify computational needs and opportunities.
• Ensure the quality, integrity, and accessibility of research data through robust data management practices.
• Stay abreast of the latest advancements in cheminformatics, computational chemistry, and AI in drug discovery, and champion their adoption where appropriate.

Requirements

• Ph.D. or Master's degree in Cheminformatics, Computational Chemistry, Computer Science, or a related quantitative field.
• Minimum of 7 years of experience in cheminformatics or computational chemistry, with at least 2 years in a leadership or supervisory role.
• Proficiency in programming languages such as Python or R, and experience with relevant cheminformatics toolkits (e.g., RDKit, OpenBabel).
• Strong understanding of machine learning algorithms, statistical modeling, and data mining techniques.
• Experience with chemical databases, knowledge management systems, and scientific data visualization tools.

Benefits

• Highly competitive salary and comprehensive benefits package.
• Generous annual leave and paid sick leave.
• Professional development opportunities, including workshops and conferences.
• Exposure to cutting-edge research in a leading scientific institution located in Cape Town.
• A collaborative and intellectually stimulating work environment.