Lead Medicinal Chemist (Remote)

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

Benefits offered by this job

Fully remote work arrangement

Stock options

Performance bonuses

Health insurance

Career growth

Job summary

Placements24 is recruiting a Lead Medicinal Chemist to drive drug discovery from a remote-first hub. You will lead a team in designing, synthesizing, and optimizing novel candidates, guiding SAR studies, and coordinating with biology, pharmacology, and computational chemistry groups in a virtual setting.

This is a senior role demanding strategic leadership and deep synthetic expertise. The role offers a fully remote work setup with Durban, KwaZulu-Natal, ZA as a virtual community anchor,

Qualifications

• Ph.D. in Organic or Medicinal Chemistry with emphasis on synthetic methodology.
• 8–10+ years in medicinal chemistry within pharma/biotech.
• Proven lead discovery experience from hit to candidate nomination.
• Strong synthetic chemistry expertise and mechanism understanding.

Responsibilities

• Lead a team of medicinal chemists in design, synthesis and optimization of novel candidates.
• Develop innovative synthetic routes for complex targets and SAR-driven lead optimization.
• Oversee SAR studies and guide optimization strategies.
• Collaborate virtually with biologists, pharmacologists, and computational chemists.

Skills

Leadership in science

Medicinal chemistry strategy

SAR understanding

NMR/MS data interpretation

Cheminformatics tools

Team mentoring

Scientific communication

Remote collaboration

Education

Ph.D. in Organic or Medicinal Chemistry

Tools

NMR data analysis software

Computational chemistry software

Data interpretation tools

Job description

About the Role

Our client, a pioneering force in pharmaceutical innovation, is actively seeking a distinguished Lead Medicinal Chemist to spearhead critical drug discovery initiatives from their fully remote operational hub. This position is designed for an exceptional scientist who thrives in a virtual environment, leading research teams to design, synthesize, and optimize novel drug candidates. As a remote-first company, we leverage advanced digital collaboration tools to ensure seamless project execution and maintain a strong sense of team cohesion. You will play a pivotal role in shaping the future of medicine by driving complex synthetic chemistry projects and contributing to our client's robust pipeline. This is a unique opportunity to leverage your extensive expertise in medicinal chemistry within a flexible, work-from-anywhere setting, deeply embedded within the vibrant scientific community of **Durban, KwaZulu-Natal, ZA**, yet unbound by physical location. Your contributions will directly influence the development of groundbreaking therapeutics.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead and mentor a team of medicinal chemists in the design, synthesis, and purification of novel small molecules with therapeutic potential.
• Develop and implement innovative synthetic strategies to access complex target molecules efficiently.
• Oversee structure-activity relationship (SAR) studies and guide lead optimization efforts.
• Collaborate closely with biologists, pharmacologists, and computational chemists in a virtual environment to advance drug discovery programs.
• Analyze and interpret complex spectroscopic (NMR, MS) and analytical data.
• Contribute significantly to the intellectual property portfolio through invention disclosures and patent filings.
• Prepare detailed research reports, presentations, and scientific publications.
• Manage external collaborations and contract research organizations (CROs) effectively.
• Ensure compliance with all safety regulations and best practices in a remote laboratory setup management context.

Requirements

• Ph.D. in Organic or Medicinal Chemistry with a strong emphasis on synthetic methodology.
• A minimum of 8-10 years of progressive experience in medicinal chemistry within the pharmaceutical or biotech industry.
• Demonstrated success in leading drug discovery projects from hit identification to candidate nomination.
• Expertise in modern synthetic organic chemistry techniques and a deep understanding of reaction mechanisms.
• Proven ability to interpret complex NMR, MS, and other spectroscopic data.
• Exceptional problem-solving skills and the ability to design creative synthetic routes.
• Excellent leadership and team management skills, with experience mentoring junior scientists.
• Strong written and verbal communication abilities, adept at presenting scientific findings.
• Proficiency in using cheminformatics tools and databases.
• Experience managing external research collaborations and CROs.

Benefits

• Highly competitive annual salary of ZAR.
• Comprehensive health, dental, and vision insurance.
• Generous stock options and performance bonuses.
• Significant opportunities for career advancement and professional growth.
• Fully remote work arrangement with flexibility.
• Cutting-edge virtual collaboration tools and IT support.
• Retirement savings plan with company match.
• Contribution to impactful drug discovery and development projects.