Pharmaceutical Scientist: Drug Discovery

Placements24; Kempton Park; On-site; ZAR 900,000 - 1,500,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Health insurance

Retirement plan

Professional development

Cutting-edge facility

Job summary

Placements24 is seeking a Pharmaceutical Research Scientist based in Tembisa, Gauteng to contribute to drug discovery and development efforts. You will design experiments, perform SAR studies, and analyze data to advance projects from discovery through preclinical stages.

A PhD in medicinal chemistry, pharmacology, biochemistry, or related fields is required, with postdoctoral or 3+ years industry experience.

Qualifications

• A Ph.D. in Medicinal Chemistry, Pharmacology, Biochemistry, or a closely related field.
• Postdoctoral experience or a minimum of 3 years of relevant industry experience in pharmaceutical R&D.
• Proven expertise in modern synthetic organic chemistry techniques and structure-activity relationship (SAR) studies.
• Experience with cell culture, molecular biology techniques, and biochemical assays.
• Proficiency in data analysis software (e.g., GraphPad Prism, R) and knowledge of cheminformatics tools.
• Strong understanding of drug discovery principles and regulatory pathways.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills, with a demonstrated ability to publish scientific findings.
• Ability to work independently and as part of a multidisciplinary research team.
• A proactive and results-oriented approach to research challenges.

Responsibilities

• Design, synthesize, and characterize novel chemical entities with potential therapeutic applications.
• Develop and optimize in vitro and in vivo preclinical models to assess drug efficacy and safety.
• Perform complex biological assays, including cell-based assays, enzyme activity studies, and receptor binding assays.
• Analyze experimental data using statistical software and interpret results to guide further research direction.
• Collaborate closely with medicinal chemists, biologists, pharmacologists, and toxicologists to achieve project goals.
• Maintain detailed experimental records, prepare reports, and present findings at internal meetings and scientific conferences.
• Stay abreast of the latest scientific literature and technological advancements in drug discovery.
• Contribute to the preparation of patent applications and regulatory submissions.
• Ensure adherence to all safety protocols and ethical guidelines in the laboratory.

Skills

SAR studies

Synthetic chemistry

Cell culture

Molecular biology

Biochemical assays

Data analysis

Drug discovery

Publishable research

Independent work

Education

Ph.D. in Medicinal Chemistry

Tools

GraphPad Prism

R

Cheminformatics tools

Job description

Placements24 is seeking a Pharmaceutical Research Scientist based in Tembisa, Gauteng to contribute to drug discovery and development efforts. You will design experiments, perform SAR studies, and analyze data to advance projects from discovery through preclinical stages.

A PhD in medicinal chemistry, pharmacology, biochemistry, or related fields is required, with postdoctoral or 3+ years industry experience.