Remote Principal Scientist, DMPK & PK Strategy

Placements24; Klerksdorp; Hybrid; ZAR 1,200,000 - 2,400,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Fully remote work

Health coverage

Professional development

Flexible schedule

Job summary

Placements24 is seeking a Principal Scientist in Drug Metabolism and Pharmacokinetics (DMPK) to lead pivotal studies and mentor a remote team. The role supports early drug development with data-driven decision-making and cross-functional collaboration.

You will design and interpret in vivo PK and in vitro ADME studies, develop LC-MS/MS bioanalytical methods, and contribute to regulatory submissions while shaping strategic direction.

Qualifications

• PhD in Pharmacology, Pharmaceutical Sciences or Biochemistry with DMPK specialization.
• At least 8 years of progressive DMPK experience in the pharmaceutical industry.
• Experience designing, executing, and interpreting in vivo PK and in vitro ADME studies.
• Proficiency in LC-MS/MS bioanalytical method development and validation.
• Strong PK/PD modelling and simulation skills (Phoenix WinNonlin, NONMEM).
• Deep understanding of drug metabolism pathways, transporters, and clearance.
• Excellent scientific writing and presentation skills with regulatory contributions.
• Ability to lead projects and mentor junior scientists remotely.
• Collaborative, strategic thinker with multidisciplinary team experience.

Responsibilities

• Lead and design pivotal DMPK studies to characterize in vivo and in vitro behavior of drug candidates.
• Integrate and interpret data to define PK/PD relationships and inform dose selection.
• Develop and validate bioanalytical methods for quantification in biological matrices.
• Contribute to regulatory submissions by preparing DMPK data packages and study reports.
• Collaborate with discovery biology, medicinal chemistry, toxicology, and clinical pharmacology teams.
• Stay current with technologies and computational modeling in DMPK.
• Mentor and guide junior scientists within the DMPK group.
• Present research findings at internal meetings and external conferences.
• Ensure compliance with safety, ethical, and regulatory guidelines.
• Contribute to strategic direction of drug development programs.

Skills

DMPK leadership

ADME expertise

PK/PD modelling

Data interpretation

Remote team leadership

Scientific communication

Multidisciplinary collaboration

Study design

Bioanalysis

Regulatory contributions

Education

PhD in Pharmacology/Pharmaceutical Sciences/Biochemistry (DMPK)

Tools

Phoenix WinNonlin

NONMEM

LC-MS/MS

Job description

Placements24 is seeking a Principal Scientist in Drug Metabolism and Pharmacokinetics (DMPK) to lead pivotal studies and mentor a remote team. The role supports early drug development with data-driven decision-making and cross-functional collaboration.

You will design and interpret in vivo PK and in vitro ADME studies, develop LC-MS/MS bioanalytical methods, and contribute to regulatory submissions while shaping strategic direction.