Pharmaceutical Formulation Scientist

Placements24; Bloemfontein; On-site; ZAR 700,000 - 1,100,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Competitive salary & bonus potential

Health, dental, and vision insurance

Paid time off and holidays

Professional development support

Collaborative innovation-focused team

Job summary

Placements24 in Bloemfontein is seeking an experienced Pharmaceutical Formulation Scientist to join our R&D team. The role focuses on the development of stable, effective dosage forms and requires designing, optimizing, and characterizing formulations for oral solids, liquids, and potentially parenteral products.

You will work in a well-equipped lab, collaborate with cross-functional teams, ensure GMP compliance, and support scale-up and regulatory submissions as projects move from development

Qualifications

• Master's degree or PhD in Pharmaceutical Sciences, Pharmaceutics, Chemical Engineering, or a related field.
• Minimum of 4 years of hands-on experience in pharmaceutical formulation development.
• Proven experience with multiple dosage forms (e.g., tablets, capsules, suspensions, solutions) and GMP/regulatory knowledge.

Responsibilities

• Design and develop novel pharmaceutical formulations for small molecules and biologics, optimizing for stability, bioavailability, and manufacturability.
• Conduct pre-formulation studies to understand drug substance properties and identify appropriate excipients.
• Perform formulation development experiments, including mixing, granulation, compression, coating, and dissolution testing.
• Characterize formulated products using various analytical techniques to assess physical properties, drug release profiles, and stability.
• Prepare comprehensive documentation, including formulation development reports, protocols, and batch records for regulatory submissions.
• Collaborate with process development and manufacturing teams to ensure successful scale-up and technology transfer of formulations.

Skills

GMP knowledge

Analytical skills

Team collaboration

Problem solving

Communication skills

Education

Master's or PhD in Pharmaceutical Sciences

Job description

About the Role

Our client seeks an innovative and experienced Pharmaceutical Formulation Scientist to join their dedicated research and development team in Bloemfontein. This role focuses on the development of stable, effective, and patient-friendly pharmaceutical dosage forms. You will be responsible for designing, optimizing, and characterizing various formulations, including oral solids, liquids, and potentially parenteral products. Working in a well-equipped laboratory, you will collaborate with a multidisciplinary team to advance drug candidates from early development through to commercialization, ensuring compliance with all relevant regulatory standards.

Key Responsibilities

• Design and develop novel pharmaceutical formulations for small molecules and biologics, optimizing for stability, bioavailability, and manufacturability.
• Conduct pre-formulation studies to understand drug substance properties and identify appropriate excipients.
• Perform formulation development experiments, including mixing, granulation, compression, coating, and dissolution testing.
• Characterize formulated products using various analytical techniques to assess physical properties, drug release profiles, and stability.
• Prepare comprehensive documentation, including formulation development reports, protocols, and batch records for regulatory submissions.
• Collaborate with process development and manufacturing teams to ensure successful scale-up and technology transfer of formulations.

Requirements

• Master's degree or Ph.D. in Pharmaceutical Sciences, Pharmaceutics, Chemical Engineering, or a related field.
• Minimum of 4 years of hands-on experience in pharmaceutical formulation development.
• Proven experience with various dosage forms (e.g., tablets, capsules, suspensions, solutions).
• Proficiency in laboratory techniques for formulation development and characterization.
• Strong understanding of GMP, regulatory requirements, and drug development processes.
• Excellent analytical, problem-solving, and communication skills.

Benefits

• Competitive annual salary and bonus potential.
• Comprehensive health, dental, and vision insurance.
• Paid time off and company holidays.
• Support for professional development and continuing education.
• A collaborative environment focused on innovation and patient well-being.