Lead Research Scientist - Cheminformatics

Placements24; Stellenbosch; Hybrid; ZAR 2,406,000 - 3,689,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Fully remote work

Flexible hours

Professional development budget

Health, dental, and vision insurance

Job summary

Placements24 is seeking a highly experienced Lead Research Scientist in Cheminformatics to guide remote research initiatives and accelerate drug discovery. You will lead a virtual team, design innovative computational strategies, and collaborate across disciplines to push the boundaries of computational chemistry.

Ideal candidates have a PhD and 7+ years of leadership in cheminformatics, with strong Python/R skills and experience using RDKit/Open Babel.

Qualifications

• PhD in Cheminformatics, Computational Chemistry, Computer Science, or related field.
• 7+ years in cheminformatics or computational chemistry with leadership experience.
• Expertise in Python or R and cheminformatics toolkits (RDKit, Open Babel).
• Experience with large chemical databases, molecular modeling software, and ML applied to chemistry.

Responsibilities

• Lead and mentor a remote team of cheminformatics scientists.
• Develop and deploy computational methods for molecular modeling, virtual screening, and QSAR analysis.
• Manage and analyze large-scale chemical and biological datasets to identify drug candidates.
• Design and implement databases and workflows for data management and retrieval.
• Collaborate with medicinal chemists, biologists, and software engineers to integrate cheminformatics.
• Present complex computational findings to technical and non-technical audiences.

Skills

Python

R

RDKit

Open Babel

Team leadership

Education

Ph.D. in Cheminformatics/Computational Chemistry/CS

Tools

RDKit

Open Babel

Job description

About the Role

Our client is seeking a highly experienced and forward-thinking Lead Research Scientist in Cheminformatics to guide their remote research initiatives. This role is central to applying computational approaches to chemical and biological data, accelerating drug discovery and development. You will lead a virtual team, design and implement innovative computational strategies, and foster collaboration across disciplines. This is an unparalleled opportunity for a computational scientist to shape the future of research within a fully remote, dynamic, and innovative organization.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead and mentor a remote team of cheminformaticians and computational scientists.
• Develop and deploy cutting-edge computational methods for molecular modeling, virtual screening, and QSAR analysis.
• Manage and analyze large-scale chemical and biological datasets to identify novel drug candidates.
• Design and implement databases and workflows for efficient data management and retrieval.
• Collaborate with medicinal chemists, biologists, and software engineers to integrate cheminformatics solutions into research programs.
• Present complex computational findings to both technical and non-technical audiences.

Requirements

• Ph.D. in Cheminformatics, Computational Chemistry, Computer Science, or a related field.
• 7+ years of experience in cheminformatics or computational chemistry, with a proven track record in a leadership capacity.
• Strong proficiency in programming languages such as Python or R, and expertise in cheminformatics toolkits (e.g., RDKit, Open Babel).
• Experience with large chemical databases, molecular modeling software, and machine learning techniques applied to chemistry.
• Demonstrated ability to manage remote teams and drive project success in a virtual environment.
• Excellent problem-solving, communication, and strategic thinking skills.

Benefits

• Highly competitive salary and performance-based incentives.
• Fully remote work arrangement with flexible hours.
• Comprehensive health, dental, and vision insurance.
• Generous budget for professional development, including online courses and virtual conferences.
• Opportunity to contribute to groundbreaking research and impact drug discovery pipelines.
• A culture that champions innovation, collaboration, and scientific excellence remotely.