Remote Lead Drug Formulation Scientist — Innovate & Lead

Placements24; Johannesburg; Remote; ZAR 1,200,000 - 2,400,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Health insurance (medical/dental/eye)

Retirement savings plan

Paid time off

Home office equipment and internet Sti

Professional development opportunities

Remote-friendly culture

Job summary

Placements24 is seeking a Lead Pharmaceutical Formulation Scientist for a fully remote position. You will drive development of innovative drug formulations and guide projects from pre-clinical to clinical development, mentoring a remote team of scientists.

You will oversee pre-formulation studies, scale-up processes, and align with regulatory submissions while staying at the forefront of drug delivery technologies.

Qualifications

• PhD in Pharmaceutical Sciences, Pharmaceutics, Chemistry, or related field.
• 8+ years of hands-on experience in pharmaceutical formulation development.
• Expertise in dosage forms and drug delivery systems.
• Experience leading formulation projects and mentoring scientific staff.
• Strong knowledge of cGMP, ICH guidelines, and regulatory requirements.
• Excellent analytical and reporting skills.
• Strong communication and presentation abilities.
• Ability to work independently in a fully remote environment.
• Experience with statistical software for experimental design is advantageous.

Responsibilities

• Lead design, development, and optimization of novel formulations (oral, injectable, topical).
• Oversee pre-formulation studies including solubility, stability, and compatibility testing.
• Scale-up formulations from lab to pilot and commercial processes.
• Characterize products using analytical techniques (HPLC, dissolution, particle size).
• Provide scientific leadership and remote mentorship to a team of formulators.
• Collaborate with analytical development, process chemistry, and regulatory affairs.
• Prepare technical reports, regulatory submissions (IND, NDA), and publications.
• Stay current with advances in drug delivery and formulation science.
• Troubleshoot formulation and manufacturing challenges with effective solutions.

Skills

Leadership & mentoring

Regulatory affairs awareness

Analytical skills

Remote collaboration

Education

PhD in Pharmaceutical Sciences

Tools

HPLC

Dissolution testing

Particle size analysis

Job description

Placements24 is seeking a Lead Pharmaceutical Formulation Scientist for a fully remote position. You will drive development of innovative drug formulations and guide projects from pre-clinical to clinical development, mentoring a remote team of scientists.

You will oversee pre-formulation studies, scale-up processes, and align with regulatory submissions while staying at the forefront of drug delivery technologies.