Lead Computational Chemist - Drug Discovery

Placements24; Durban; Hybrid; ZAR 1,000,000 - 1,600,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Executive bonus

Healthcare coverage

Retirement plan

Career growth

Cutting-edge resources

Relocation assistance

Paid time off

High-impact programs

Job summary

Placements24 is seeking a Lead Computational Chemist in Durban to spearhead strategic computational chemistry initiatives for drug discovery. You will mentor a team, shape research directions, and collaborate with medicinal chemistry, biology, and pharmacology to accelerate candidate optimization.

The ideal candidate holds a PhD and 7+ years in computational chemistry within pharma/biotech, with expertise in docking, virtual screening, MD, and QM/MM, plus strong Python scripting and leadership

Qualifications

• Ph.D. in Computational Chemistry, Cheminformatics, Physical Chemistry, or related field.
• Minimum 7 years of experience in computational chemistry within pharma/biotech.
• Proficiency in docking, virtual screening, molecular dynamics, QM/MM techniques.
• Strong skills with Schrödinger/MOE/Discovery Studio; Python for automation.
• Proven leadership experience and excellent communication.

Responsibilities

• Lead and mentor a team of computational chemists.
• Develop and implement advanced computational chemistry strategies (docking, VS, QSAR).
• Design in silico experiments for ADMET, target interactions, and SAR insights.
• Collaborate with medicinal chemistry to guide synthesis and data interpretation.
• Integrate computational results with experimental data to refine SAR.
• Manage cheminformatics databases and analysis tools.
• Stay updated with advances in computational chemistry and drug discovery.
• Contribute to project strategy, resource planning, and publications.
• Present findings to project teams and senior management.
• Ensure timely execution of computational tasks to support discovery.

Skills

Python scripting

Team leadership

Analytical thinking

Communication & presentation

Publications/Patents

Education

PhD in Computational Chemistry or related

Tools

Schrödinger

MOE

Discovery Studio

Job description

About the Role

Our client is a renowned pharmaceutical research company at the forefront of developing innovative therapeutics. We are seeking an experienced and visionary Lead Computational Chemist to spearhead our computational chemistry efforts in Durban. This senior role will be instrumental in applying state-of-the-art computational techniques to accelerate drug discovery and design. You will lead a team of talented computational chemists, guide strategic research directions, and collaborate closely with medicinal chemists, biologists, and pharmacologists. This is a fantastic opportunity to make a significant impact on drug development pipelines within a leading research-driven organization based in Durban, KwaZulu-Natal.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead and mentor a team of computational chemists, fostering a collaborative and productive research environment.
• Develop and implement advanced computational chemistry strategies, including molecular modeling, docking, virtual screening, and QSAR studies, to identify and optimize drug candidates.
• Design and conduct in silico experiments to predict compound properties, ADMET profiles, and target interactions.
• Collaborate closely with medicinal chemistry teams to provide data-driven insights and guide synthetic efforts.
• Integrate computational data with experimental results to build robust structure-activity relationships (SAR).
• Develop and maintain cheminformatics databases and analysis tools.
• Stay abreast of the latest advancements in computational chemistry, cheminformatics, and drug discovery technologies.
• Contribute to project strategy, resource planning, and scientific publications.
• Present computational chemistry findings and recommendations to project teams and senior management.
• Ensure efficient and timely execution of computational tasks supporting discovery projects.

Requirements

• Ph.D. in Computational Chemistry, Cheminformatics, Physical Chemistry, or a related field.
• Minimum of 7 years of experience in computational chemistry within the pharmaceutical or biotech industry.
• Proven expertise in applying computational methods for drug discovery (e.g., molecular docking, virtual screening, molecular dynamics, QM/MM).
• Strong proficiency in molecular modeling software (e.g., Schrödinger, MOE, Discovery Studio) and cheminformatics toolkits.
• Experience with scripting languages (e.g., Python) for automation and data analysis.
• Demonstrated ability to lead and manage a team of scientists.
• Excellent understanding of organic chemistry, medicinal chemistry principles, and drug discovery processes.
• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills.
• Exceptional communication and presentation skills, with the ability to articulate complex concepts clearly.
• Track record of scientific contributions through publications and/or patents.

Benefits

• Highly competitive salary and executive bonus potential.
• Comprehensive healthcare coverage (medical, dental, vision).
• Generous retirement savings plan with employer match.
• Significant opportunities for career growth and leadership development.
• Access to cutting-edge computational resources and software licenses.
• A stimulating and collaborative research environment.
• Relocation assistance for qualified candidates.
• Paid time off and flexible working arrangements.
• Involvement in high-impact drug discovery programs.