Principal Scientist, Pharma R&D — Drug Discovery Leader

Placements24; Sandton; On-site; ZAR 1,800,000 - 3,000,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Executive compensation package

Health, retirement and life insurance

Leadership development opportunities

Access to state-of-the-art research

Stock options

Job summary

Placements24 is seeking a Principal Scientist in Sandton to spearhead pharmaceutical R&D initiatives. The role requires steering complex projects from discovery to preclinical development, identifying novel targets, and advancing candidates in a dynamic, high-impact environment.

The candidate will lead a team of scientists, mentor staff, and prepare regulatory documents while communicating findings to senior leadership and external stakeholders.

Qualifications

• PhD in Pharmacology, MedChem, Molecular Biology, or related.
• 10+ years of progressive pharma R&D experience.
• Proven track record leading drug discovery programs into clinical development.
• Expertise in at least one major therapeutic area (oncology, immunology, neuroscience).
• Strong leadership, strategic thinking, and communication skills.
• Ability to manage complex projects and regulatory interactions.

Responsibilities

• Lead and manage all phases of pharmaceutical R&D projects, from discovery to preclinical.
• Design and execute research strategies to identify and validate drug targets.
• Develop and optimize novel small molecule or biologic candidates.
• Oversee synthesis, characterization and preclinical testing of leads.
• Mentor and manage a team of research scientists and technicians.
• Prepare regulatory documents, publications, and present findings to leadership.

Skills

Leadership

Drug discovery

Strategic thinking

Communication

Project management

Team mentorship

Education

PhD in Pharmacology/MedChem/Molecular Biology

Job description

Placements24 is seeking a Principal Scientist in Sandton to spearhead pharmaceutical R&D initiatives. The role requires steering complex projects from discovery to preclinical development, identifying novel targets, and advancing candidates in a dynamic, high-impact environment.

The candidate will lead a team of scientists, mentor staff, and prepare regulatory documents while communicating findings to senior leadership and external stakeholders.