Pharmaceutical Process Development Engineer

Placements24; East London; On-site; ZAR 900,000 - 1,300,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Performance bonuses

Medical benefits

Generous annual leave

Job summary

Placements24 in East London, Eastern Cape, is seeking a Pharmaceutical Process Development Engineer to design, optimize, and scale up manufacturing processes for life-saving medicines. This hands-on role requires collaboration with manufacturing, quality control, and R&D teams to deliver robust technology transfer from lab to production.

The successful candidate will hold a chemical or pharmaceutical engineering degree, with 5+ years in process development, a solid understanding of cGMP, and

Qualifications

• Bachelor's or Master's in Chemical Engineering, Pharmaceutical Engineering, or related field.
• 5+ years of experience in pharmaceutical process development and scale-up.
• Strong understanding of cGMP and pharmaceutical manufacturing principles.

Responsibilities

• Design, develop, and optimize pharmaceutical manufacturing processes.
• Conduct pilot-scale studies and scale-up activities.
• Troubleshoot process deviations and implement CAPAs.
• Develop process validation strategies and protocols, and execute validation runs.
• Author and review process development reports, validation reports, and SOPs.
• Collaborate with R&D to ensure successful technology transfer from lab to manufacturing.
• Identify opportunities for process improvement to enhance efficiency, yield, and reduce costs.
• Ensure all processes comply with cGMP regulations and internal quality standards.
• Perform risk assessments for new and modified processes.
• Stay abreast of new technologies and best practices in pharmaceutical manufacturing.

Skills

Process development

cGMP knowledge

Scale-up

Team collaboration

Problem-solving

Education

Bachelor's or Master's in Chemical/Pharmaceutical Engineering

Tools

Process simulation software

Job description

About the Role

Our client, a leading pharmaceutical manufacturing company, is seeking a highly skilled and innovative Pharmaceutical Process Development Engineer to join their expanding operations in East London, Eastern Cape . This critical role focuses on the design, optimization, and scale-up of pharmaceutical manufacturing processes to ensure efficiency, quality, and cost-effectiveness. You will be instrumental in troubleshooting existing processes, developing new manufacturing methods, and ensuring seamless technology transfer from laboratory to commercial production. The ideal candidate possesses a strong background in chemical engineering or a related discipline, combined with extensive experience in pharmaceutical process development. This is a hands‑on position requiring significant interaction with manufacturing, quality control, and R&D teams. The role is based at our client's state‑of‑the‑art facility in East London . We are committed to advancing pharmaceutical manufacturing and are looking for a proactive engineer to drive process innovation and operational excellence.

Key Responsibilities

• Design, develop, and optimize pharmaceutical manufacturing processes (e.g., granulation, tableting, sterile filling, lyophilization).
• Conduct pilot‑scale studies and scale‑up activities for new and existing processes.
• Troubleshoot process deviations and implement effective corrective and preventive actions (CAPAs).
• Develop process validation strategies and protocols, and execute validation runs.
• Author and review process development reports, validation reports, and SOPs.
• Collaborate with R&D to ensure successful technology transfer from laboratory to manufacturing.
• Identify opportunities for process improvement to enhance efficiency, yield, and reduce costs.
• Ensure all processes comply with cGMP regulations and internal quality standards.
• Perform risk assessments for new and modified processes.
• Stay abreast of new technologies and best practices in pharmaceutical manufacturing.

Requirements

• Bachelor's or Master's degree in Chemical Engineering, Pharmaceutical Engineering, or a related field.
• Minimum of 5 years of experience in pharmaceutical process development and scale‑up.
• Strong understanding of cGMP requirements and pharmaceutical manufacturing principles.
• Proven experience with various pharmaceutical dosage forms and manufacturing technologies.
• Proficiency in process simulation and modeling software is a plus.
• Excellent analytical, problem‑solving, and critical thinking skills.
• Strong project management and organizational abilities.
• Effective written and verbal communication skills.
• Ability to work collaboratively within cross‑functional teams.
• Detail‑oriented with a commitment to quality and safety.

Benefits

Our client offers a competitive salary package, including performance bonuses, comprehensive medical and retirement benefits, and generous annual leave. We provide excellent opportunities for professional development through training programs, workshops, and support for further education. This role in East London presents a significant opportunity for an ambitious engineer to make a tangible impact on the production of life‑saving medicines and advance their career within a leading pharmaceutical organization.