Lead Data Scientist - Pharmaceutical Research

Placements24; South Africa; On-site; ZAR 1,200,000 - 1,800,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Competitive salary

Bonus structure

Medical insurance

Leadership development

Advanced computational resources

Job summary

Placements24 in South Africa seeks a Lead Data Scientist to guide pharmaceutical research, leveraging advanced modeling and ML to drive drug discovery. You will lead a team of data scientists, collaborate with bench scientists and clinicians, and shape data-driven decisions across R&D in Tembisa.

The role requires a Master's or PhD in a quantitative field, 7+ years in data science within pharma/biotech, and proficiency in Python or R, ML libraries, SQL, Spark/Hadoop, with strong leadership and

Qualifications

• Master's or Ph.D. in Data Science, CS, Statistics, Bioinformatics, or a related field.
• 7+ years of data science experience, with pharma/biotech exposure preferred.
• Proficiency in Python or R and data science libraries (scikit-learn, TensorFlow, PyTorch).
• Strong SQL and big data tech experience (Spark/Hadoop).

Responsibilities

• Develop and lead advanced machine learning models for drug discovery and clinical insights.
• Mentor and manage a team of data scientists; drive project success.
• Collaborate with bench scientists and clinicians to define data needs.
• Design and maintain data pipelines ensuring quality and accessibility.
• Stay current with advances in data science and computational biology.

Skills

Data Modeling

Machine Learning

Leadership

R&D Collaboration

Statistical Analysis

Education

Master's or PhD in a quantitative field

Tools

Python

R

scikit-learn

TensorFlow

PyTorch

SQL

Spark

Hadoop

Job description

About the Role

Our client is seeking an experienced and visionary Lead Data Scientist to spearhead their pharmaceutical research initiatives in Tembisa . You will be responsible for leveraging advanced statistical modeling and machine learning techniques to extract actionable insights from complex biological and clinical datasets. This leadership role involves guiding a team of data scientists, collaborating closely with bench scientists and clinicians, and driving data-driven decision-making across R&D. This is an exciting opportunity to shape the future of drug discovery and development within a prominent research organization committed to scientific excellence, located in the heart of Tembisa .

Key Responsibilities

• Develop and implement sophisticated machine learning models for drug target identification, predictive toxicology, and clinical trial optimization.
• Lead and mentor a team of data scientists, fostering skill development and ensuring project success.
• Collaborate with cross-functional R&D teams, including biologists, chemists, and clinicians, to define data needs and research questions.
• Design and manage data pipelines, ensuring data quality, integrity, and accessibility for analysis.
• Stay abreast of the latest advancements in data science, bioinformatics, and computational biology, and apply them to pharmaceutical research challenges.

Requirements

• Master's or Ph.D. in Data Science, Computer Science, Statistics, Bioinformatics, or a related quantitative field.
• Proven experience (7+ years) in data science, with a significant portion focused on the pharmaceutical or biotechnology industry.
• Expertise in programming languages such as Python or R, and proficiency with data science libraries (e.g., scikit-learn, TensorFlow, PyTorch).
• Strong experience with SQL and big data technologies (e.g., Spark, Hadoop).
• Excellent communication and leadership skills, with the ability to translate complex technical concepts to non-technical stakeholders.

Benefits

• Highly competitive salary and bonus structure commensurate with experience.
• Comprehensive medical, dental, and vision insurance.
• Opportunities for professional growth and leadership development.
• Access to cutting-edge computational resources and large-scale datasets.
• A collaborative and innovative work environment dedicated to advancing human health in Tembisa .