Principal Scientist, Drug Discovery - Remote Impact Leader

Placements24; Upington; Hybrid; ZAR 2,936,000 - 3,915,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Fully remote work

Stock options

Professional development budget

Job summary

Placements24 is seeking a distinguished Principal Scientist to lead initiatives in Drug Discovery, operating in a fully remote capacity. The role requires deep scientific expertise and a proven track record to drive discovery from target identification through lead optimization.

You will design and execute innovative research strategies, mentor scientific staff, and collaborate with internal and external partners to advance the company's pipeline in a remote-first environment.

Qualifications

• Ph.D. in a relevant scientific discipline (e.g., Pharmacology, Biochemistry, Medicinal Chemistry, Molecular Biology).
• 10+ years of progressive experience in drug discovery.
• Proven success leading discovery projects from concept to candidate nomination.
• Experience leading remote teams and cross-functional collaboration.

Responsibilities

• Design and implement drug discovery strategies from target validation to lead optimization.
• Lead multidisciplinary teams to meet milestones in discovery projects.
• Incorporate novel technologies and methodologies to enhance capabilities.
• Analyze complex data to guide go/no-go decisions and project direction.
• Contribute to IP generation and author publications and presentations.
• Collaborate with external academic partners and CROs.

Skills

Leadership

Remote team management

Strategic thinking

Scientific communication

Education

Ph.D. in a relevant scientific discipline

Job description

Placements24 is seeking a distinguished Principal Scientist to lead initiatives in Drug Discovery, operating in a fully remote capacity. The role requires deep scientific expertise and a proven track record to drive discovery from target identification through lead optimization.

You will design and execute innovative research strategies, mentor scientific staff, and collaborate with internal and external partners to advance the company's pipeline in a remote-first environment.