Lead Medicinal Chemist — Drug Discovery Leader (Durban)

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

Benefits offered by this job

Health insurance

Retirement plan

Paid time off

Conference attendance

Relocation assistance

Job summary

Placements24 seeks an experienced Lead Medicinal Chemist to spearhead the design, synthesis, and optimization of novel small molecules in Durban, KwaZulu-Natal. You will guide a team of chemists from early discovery through lead optimization, collaborating with biology and pharmacology colleagues to advance the drug pipeline.

The role requires a PhD in Organic/Medicinal Chemistry with 7+ years in industry, strong leadership, and expertise in SAR/SPR, ADME, and modern synthetic methods.

Qualifications

• PhD in Organic Chemistry or Medicinal Chemistry with emphasis on synthetic organic chemistry.
• Minimum of 7 years in industry with drug discovery experience and contribution to preclinical drug candidates.
• Demonstrated leadership and mentoring of research teams.
• Expertise in modern synthetic organic chemistry techniques, including asymmetric synthesis and catalysis.
• Proficiency in SAR/SPR analysis, ADME optimization, and computational chemistry tools.
• Strong understanding of biological assays and drug discovery processes.
• Excellent communication, presentation, and interpersonal skills.
• Ability to manage multiple projects and priorities.
• Experience in filing patents and authoring publications is a plus.
• Familiarity with analytical techniques such as NMR, MS, HPLC, LC-MS.

Responsibilities

• Lead design and synthesis of novel chemical entities with desirable pharmacological properties.
• Oversee and guide a team of medicinal chemists in daily research activities.
• Develop SAR/SPR for identified targets and guide optimization strategies.
• Plan multi-step organic synthesis routes and troubleshoot challenges.
• Collaborate with biology, pharmacology, and DMPK teams to define profiles.
• Manage project timelines and resources to meet milestones.
• Stay updated on advances in medicinal chemistry and synthetic methodologies.
• Contribute to publications, patents, and internal reports.
• Ensure adherence to safety and lab practices.
• Present findings at internal meetings and conferences

Skills

Leadership

SAR/SPR analysis

ADME optimization

Computational chemistry

Communication

Project management

Mentoring

Drug discovery

Patents

Education

PhD in Organic/Medicinal Chemistry

7+ years in drug discovery

Tools

NMR

MS

HPLC

LC-MS

Asymmetric synthesis

Job description

Placements24 seeks an experienced Lead Medicinal Chemist to spearhead the design, synthesis, and optimization of novel small molecules in Durban, KwaZulu-Natal. You will guide a team of chemists from early discovery through lead optimization, collaborating with biology and pharmacology colleagues to advance the drug pipeline.

The role requires a PhD in Organic/Medicinal Chemistry with 7+ years in industry, strong leadership, and expertise in SAR/SPR, ADME, and modern synthetic methods.