Principal Scientist, Synthetic Biology — Lead Innovation

Placements24; Gauteng; On-site; ZAR 900,000 - 1,300,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Competitive salary

Health insurance

Retirement benefits

Professional development funding

Job summary

Placements24 is seeking a Senior Research Scientist in Synthetic Biology to lead projects in Soweto, Gauteng. You will design genetic circuits, optimize screening protocols, and mentor junior researchers in a dynamic biotech setting.

The role requires a PhD with 5+ years of experience in synthetic biology or genetic engineering, strong coding of experimental design, and clear communication of findings.

Qualifications

• Strong foundation in molecular biology, genetic engineering, and synthetic biology.
• Proven experience in experimental design and execution.
• Experience mentoring junior researchers is a plus.

Responsibilities

• Design and construct genetic circuits and metabolic pathways.
• Develop high-throughput screening and characterization protocols.
• Engineer microorganisms or cell lines for industrial or therapeutic use.
• Analyze data and present results in technical reports.
• Stay current with advances in synthetic biology and related tools.
• Mentor junior researchers and contribute to scientific direction.

Skills

Molecular biology

Genetic engineering

Synthetic biology

Experiment design

Data interpretation

Education

PhD in Synthetic Biology, Molecular Biology, or Bioengineering

Tools

CRISPR

Genome editing

Molecular cloning

Job description

Placements24 is seeking a Senior Research Scientist in Synthetic Biology to lead projects in Soweto, Gauteng. You will design genetic circuits, optimize screening protocols, and mentor junior researchers in a dynamic biotech setting.

The role requires a PhD with 5+ years of experience in synthetic biology or genetic engineering, strong coding of experimental design, and clear communication of findings.