Principal Biochemist: Drive Drug Discovery & Innovation

Placements24; Durban; Hybrid; ZAR 1,800,000 - 2,800,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Competitive salary

State-of-the-art facilities

Professional growth in Durban

Collaborative work environment

Job summary

Placements24 is seeking a distinguished Principal Biochemist to join our Drug Discovery team in Durban. You will design and execute complex biochemical assays, lead research projects, and collaborate with multidisciplinary teams to accelerate therapeutics.

The role requires a PhD with 8+ years in pharma/biotech, expertise in enzyme kinetics, protein purification, and mentoring junior scientists. State-of-the-art labs and a collaborative environment await.

Qualifications

• PhD in Biochemistry, Pharmacology, or a related field required.
• Minimum 8 years of progressive research experience in pharma/biotech.
• Expertise in enzyme kinetics, protein purification, structural biology, and biophysical techniques.
• Experience designing and executing complex biochemical experiments; HTS experience desirable.

Responsibilities

• Lead the design, development, and optimization of biochemical and enzymatic assays for drug discovery.
• Investigate disease mechanisms and identify therapeutic intervention points.
• Analyze complex biochemical data with rigorous scientific standards.
• Collaborate with medicinal chemistry, biology, and pharmacology teams to advance leads.
• Mentor junior scientists and influence drug discovery strategy.
• Prepare reports, contribute to patents, and present at scientific forums.

Skills

Enzyme kinetics

Protein purification

Structural biology

Biophysical techniques

Data analysis

Project leadership

Education

PhD in Biochemistry/Pharmacology

Tools

High-throughput screening (HTS)

Job description

Placements24 is seeking a distinguished Principal Biochemist to join our Drug Discovery team in Durban. You will design and execute complex biochemical assays, lead research projects, and collaborate with multidisciplinary teams to accelerate therapeutics.

The role requires a PhD with 8+ years in pharma/biotech, expertise in enzyme kinetics, protein purification, and mentoring junior scientists. State-of-the-art labs and a collaborative environment await.