Process Chemist - Pharmaceutical Manufacturing

Placements24; Mtubatuba Local Municipality; On-site; ZAR 700,000 - 1,100,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Competitive salary

Medical benefits

Retirement benefits

Paid time off

Professional development

Job summary

Placements24 is seeking a skilled Process Chemist to join our manufacturing operations in Richards Bay. You will help optimize and scale up chemical processes for pharmaceutical intermediates and APIs, ensuring robust, safe, and cost-effective production.

The ideal candidate holds a MSc or PhD in Organic Chemistry or Chemical Engineering with a focus on process chemistry and has 4–6 years of experience in process chemistry within pharma or fine chemicals. GMP knowledge and teamwork are essential.

Qualifications

• MSc or PhD in Organic Chemistry or Chemical Engineering with focus on process chemistry.
• 4–6 years in process chemistry within pharma or fine chemicals.
• Hands-on experience with scale-up, optimization and validation.
• Proficient in analytical techniques for material characterization.
• Strong GMP knowledge and quality systems.

Responsibilities

• Develop, optimize, and scale-up synthetic routes for pharmaceutical intermediates and APIs.
• Conduct process hazard analyses and implement safety protocols for chemical manufacturing.
• Troubleshoot and resolve process-related issues during commercial production.
• Characterize materials using analytical techniques such as HPLC, GC, NMR, and MS.
• Collaborate with engineers to design and implement new equipment and process improvements.
• Ensure GMP and regulatory compliance throughout the manufacturing process.

Skills

Process scale-up

Process development

Analytical techniques

GMP compliance

Team collaboration

Education

MSc or PhD in Organic Chemistry or Chemical Engineering (process chemistry)

Tools

HPLC

GC

NMR

MS

Job description

About the Role

Our client is looking for a skilled and proactive Process Chemist to join their manufacturing operations in Richards Bay . This role is fundamental to optimizing and scaling up chemical processes for the efficient and safe production of pharmaceutical intermediates and active pharmaceutical ingredients (APIs). You will work closely with production, engineering, and quality control teams to ensure robust, reproducible, and cost-effective manufacturing processes. The ideal candidate has a strong foundation in organic chemistry and practical experience in process development and optimization within a regulated environment. Your contributions will directly impact product quality and manufacturing efficiency.

Key Responsibilities

• Develop, optimize, and scale-up synthetic routes for pharmaceutical intermediates and APIs.
• Conduct process hazard analyses and implement safety protocols for chemical manufacturing.
• Troubleshoot and resolve process-related issues during commercial production.
• Characterize materials using analytical techniques such as HPLC, GC, NMR, and MS.
• Collaborate with engineers to design and implement new equipment and process improvements.
• Ensure compliance with GMP and regulatory requirements throughout the manufacturing process.

Requirements

• MSc or PhD in Organic Chemistry or Chemical Engineering with a focus on process chemistry.
• Minimum of 4-6 years of experience in process chemistry within the pharmaceutical or fine chemical industry.
• Hands-on experience with process scale-up, optimization, and validation.
• Proficiency in analytical techniques for material characterization.
• Strong understanding of GMP regulations and quality systems.
• Excellent problem-solving skills and ability to work effectively in a team environment.

Benefits

• Competitive annual salary commensurate with experience.
• Comprehensive medical and retirement benefits.
• Paid time off and holiday leave.
• Professional development opportunities and training programs.
• Modern laboratory and production facilities in Richards Bay .