Principal Scientist: Formulation & GMP Leader (Cape Town)

Placements24; Cape Town; On-site; ZAR 1,500,000 - 2,300,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Performance bonus

Health insurance

Relocation assistance

Continuing education

Job summary

Placements24 in Cape Town seeks a Principal Scientist to lead pharmaceutical development initiatives, guiding formulation, characterization and scale-up of drug candidates while ensuring GMP compliance and regulatory readiness.

You will mentor a team of formulation scientists, collaborate with discovery, clinical operations and manufacturing, and shape the company’s pipeline through strategic project leadership.

Qualifications

• PhD in Pharmaceutical Sciences or closely related field.
• 10+ years of experience in pharmaceutical product development with emphasis on formulation and manufacturing sciences.
• Strong knowledge of regulatory requirements (FDA/EMA) and GMP principles.

Responsibilities

• Lead the strategic planning and execution of pre-formulation and formulation development for small molecules and biologics.
• Oversee stability studies, drug product characterization, and process optimization experiments.
• Collaborate with analytical chemistry to develop and validate analytical methods for drug substance and product testing.
• Provide scientific leadership and mentorship to a team of formulation scientists and technicians in Cape Town.
• Ensure all development activities comply with GMP and regulatory guidelines, interfacing with regulators as needed.

Skills

Leadership

GMP

Regulatory knowledge

Project management

Team mentoring

Education

PhD in Pharmaceutical Sciences

Chemistry

Job description

Placements24 in Cape Town seeks a Principal Scientist to lead pharmaceutical development initiatives, guiding formulation, characterization and scale-up of drug candidates while ensuring GMP compliance and regulatory readiness.

You will mentor a team of formulation scientists, collaborate with discovery, clinical operations and manufacturing, and shape the company’s pipeline through strategic project leadership.