Remote Lead Medicinal Chemist: Small Molecule Discovery

Placements24; George; Hybrid; ZAR 1,400,000 - 2,000,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Competitive base salary with bonuses

Comprehensive health benefits (medical

Flexible schedule

Technology stipend for remote setup

Professional development opportunities

Retirement savings plan

Job summary

Placements24 is seeking a Lead Medicinal Chemist for a remote-first research team at a pioneering pharmaceutical company. You will lead design and synthesis of novel small molecules and mentor remote scientists to accelerate drug discovery.

Requirements include a Ph.D. in Organic or Medicinal Chemistry, 7+ years in pharma/biotech, and leadership of discovery-to-early-development programs with expertise in SAR, asymmetric synthesis, cross-coupling, and ADMET optimization.

Qualifications

• Ph.D. in Organic or Medicinal Chemistry with emphasis on synthetic methodology.
• 7+ years hands-on medicinal chemistry in pharma/biotech.
• Proven leadership of discovery-to-early-development projects.
• Expertise in asymmetric synthesis, cross-coupling, and heterocyclic chemistry.
• Strong ADMET understanding and optimization in drug design.
• Experience with computational chemistry for modeling and SAR.
• Able to manage projects and meet deadlines in a remote setting.
• Excellent leadership and communication for remote collaboration.
• Track record of patents and publications.
• Proficiency in drawing and database tools (ChemDraw, SciFinder).
• Experience in oncology, infectious diseases, or immunology is advantageous.
• Proactive, autonomous work style.

Responsibilities

• Lead design, synthesis, and optimization of novel small-molecule drug candidates.
• Direct and mentor a team of synthetic medicinal chemists remotely.
• Develop innovative synthetic routes to access complex molecules.
• Collaborate with computational chemists, biologists, and pharmacologists in virtual settings.
• Oversee planning and execution of synthesis projects with timely delivery.
• Contribute to strategic direction of drug discovery programs.
• Present findings to senior management and project teams.
• Ensure rigorous documentation of procedures and data.
• Stay current with advancements in synthetic and medicinal chemistry.

Skills

Leadership

Remote collaboration

Project management

Communication

Mentoring

Remote leadership

IP/publications

Education

Ph.D. in Organic or Medicinal Chemistry

Tools

ChemDraw

SciFinder

Job description

Placements24 is seeking a Lead Medicinal Chemist for a remote-first research team at a pioneering pharmaceutical company. You will lead design and synthesis of novel small molecules and mentor remote scientists to accelerate drug discovery.

Requirements include a Ph.D. in Organic or Medicinal Chemistry, 7+ years in pharma/biotech, and leadership of discovery-to-early-development programs with expertise in SAR, asymmetric synthesis, cross-coupling, and ADMET optimization.