Medicinal Chemist (Drug Discovery)

Placements24; Pretoria; On-site; ZAR 900,000 - 1,400,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Competitive salary

Generous annual leave

Professional development

Access to advanced labs

Medical aid contributions

Job summary

Placements24 in Pretoria, Gauteng, is seeking a Medicinal Chemist to join their drug discovery team. You will design, synthesize and optimize small molecules with therapeutic potential, contributing to early-stage NCE discovery in a collaborative, high-caliber research environment.

You will work with biologists and pharmacologists, use computational tools, develop SAR/SPR relationships, and ensure scalable synthetic routes.

Qualifications

• PhD in Organic or Medicinal Chemistry with strong focus on synthesis.
• Experience in medicinal chemistry within pharma/biotech.
• Ability to design and synthesize complex organic molecules.
• Familiarity with computational chemistry and structure-based design is a plus.

Responsibilities

• Design and synthesize novel small molecule compounds for various therapeutic targets.
• Optimize lead compounds through iterative cycles of design, synthesis, and biological testing.
• Utilize computational chemistry tools and structure-based drug design principles to guide compound design.
• Collaborate with biologists and pharmacologists to establish SAR/SPR relationships.
• Develop and troubleshoot synthetic routes for target molecules, ensuring scalable processes.
• Characterize synthesized compounds using NMR, MS, and HPLC.
• Maintain accurate laboratory notebooks and contribute to research reports and publications.
• Stay current with advancements in medicinal chemistry and drug discovery.

Skills

Molecule design

Complex synthesis

SAR/SPR knowledge

Computational chemistry

Analytical techniques

Education

PhD in Organic or Medicinal Chemistry

Tools

NMR

Mass Spectrometry

HPLC

Job description

About the Role

Our client, a forward-thinking pharmaceutical company, is seeking an innovative Medicinal Chemist to join their drug discovery team based in Pretoria, Gauteng. This role is integral to the early-stage discovery of new chemical entities (NCEs) with therapeutic potential. The Medicinal Chemist will be responsible for the design, synthesis, and optimization of small molecules to develop novel drug candidates. This is a unique opportunity to contribute to impactful research in a collaborative setting within a renowned organization. Working in the administrative capital of South Africa, you will be part of a team dedicated to scientific excellence and pushing the boundaries of pharmaceutical innovation. The role offers a chance to significantly influence the development of new medicines for unmet medical needs, contributing to both scientific advancement and patient well-being.

Key Responsibilities

• Design and synthesize novel small molecule compounds for various therapeutic targets.
• Optimize lead compounds through iterative cycles of design, synthesis, and biological testing.
• Utilize computational chemistry tools and structure-based drug design principles to guide compound design.
• Collaborate with biologists and pharmacologists to establish structure-activity relationships (SAR) and structure-property relationships (SPR).
• Develop and troubleshoot synthetic routes for target molecules, ensuring efficient and scalable processes.
• Characterize synthesized compounds using analytical techniques such as NMR, Mass Spectrometry, and HPLC.
• Maintain accurate and detailed laboratory notebooks and contribute to research reports and publications.
• Stay current with the latest advancements in medicinal chemistry, synthetic organic chemistry, and drug discovery.
• Work effectively within a multidisciplinary drug discovery team in Pretoria, contributing to project strategy and execution.

Requirements

• Ph.D. in Organic Chemistry or Medicinal Chemistry, with a strong focus on synthetic organic chemistry.
• Demonstrated experience in medicinal chemistry, preferably within the pharmaceutical or biotechnology industry.
• Proven ability to design and synthesize complex organic molecules.
• Hands-on experience with modern synthetic techniques and analytical characterization methods.
• Familiarity with computational chemistry software and structure-based drug design is a plus.
• Excellent problem-solving abilities and a creative approach to chemical synthesis.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills, capable of presenting complex scientific information.
• Ability to work independently and collaboratively in a fast-paced research environment.
• Must be authorized to work in South Africa.

Benefits

• Competitive salary and comprehensive benefits package.
• Generous annual leave and sick leave provisions.
• Opportunities for professional development, including attending scientific conferences.
• Access to advanced synthetic chemistry laboratories and analytical instrumentation.
• A stimulating and collaborative research environment in Pretoria.
• Contribution to cutting-edge drug discovery programs with global impact.
• Retirement fund and medical aid contributions.
• Potential for career advancement within the organization.