Organic Synthesis Research Associate — Build & Scale

Placements24; Benoni; Hybrid; ZAR 550,000 - 850,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Competitive salary

Comprehensive benefits

Career advancement

Job summary

Placements24 is seeking a Research Associate in Benoni with a strong background in organic synthesis to join the R&D team. You will design, synthesize, and purify novel compounds serving as building blocks for materials and pharmaceutical intermediates, working closely with senior scientists to develop scalable routes and optimize reactions.

The role involves characterizing products using NMR, MS, IR; documenting results and collaborating with chemical engineers on scale-up.

Qualifications

• Master's degree in Organic Chemistry or a related field.
• A Bachelor's degree with significant relevant experience will also be considered.
• Minimum of 3-5 years of hands-on experience in synthetic organic chemistry, preferably in an industrial research setting.
• Proficiency in modern organic synthesis techniques, including inert atmosphere techniques and reaction work-up procedures.
• Experience with spectroscopic characterization techniques (NMR, MS, IR).
• Familiarity with purification techniques like chromatography.
• Strong organizational skills and the ability to manage multiple experiments concurrently.

Responsibilities

• Synthesize novel organic molecules according to established or developed synthetic routes.
• Perform purification techniques such as column chromatography, recrystallization, and distillation.
• Characterize synthesized compounds using NMR, Mass Spectrometry, HPLC, and other analytical methods.
• Optimize reaction conditions to improve yield, purity, and scalability.
• Maintain detailed laboratory notebooks and prepare technical reports on synthetic procedures and results.
• Support process development and scale-up activities in collaboration with chemical engineers.

Skills

Inert atmosphere techniques

Organization

Education

Master's degree in Organic Chemistry

Bachelor's degree with relevant experience

Tools

NMR

Mass Spectrometry

IR spectroscopy

Job description

Placements24 is seeking a Research Associate in Benoni with a strong background in organic synthesis to join the R&D team. You will design, synthesize, and purify novel compounds serving as building blocks for materials and pharmaceutical intermediates, working closely with senior scientists to develop scalable routes and optimize reactions.

The role involves characterizing products using NMR, MS, IR; documenting results and collaborating with chemical engineers on scale-up.