Remote Principal Scientist - Organic Synthesis

Placements24; Mossel Bay; Hybrid; ZAR 1,800,000 - 3,000,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Flexible remote work

Stock options

Retirement plan

Global health/dental/vision insurance

Performance bonuses

Job summary

Placements24 seeks a Remote Principal Scientist in Organic Synthesis to lead high-impact drug discovery programs from anywhere worldwide. The role combines scientific leadership with mentorship, advancing multi-step routes for novel compounds and natural products.

You will guide strategy, collaborate across chemistry and analytical teams, publish and file patents, and drive innovation in a distributed organization while maintaining excellence and robust experimental design.

Qualifications

• Ph.D. in Organic Chemistry or closely related discipline.
• 10+ years in synthetic organic chemistry, preferably in pharma/biotech.
• Proven track record in designing and executing complex syntheses and contributing to drug discovery.
• Deep expertise in modern synthetic methodologies, reaction mechanisms, and stereoselective synthesis.
• Strong leadership in remote setting and ability to mentor teams.
• Excellent spectroscopy and chromatography skills for structure elucidation and purity.

Responsibilities

• Design and execute multi-step syntheses of complex organic molecules, including natural products and drug candidates.
• Develop and optimize synthetic routes for scalability and efficiency.
• Provide expert scientific guidance and mentorship to junior scientists.
• Lead research strategy for projects, identify critical synthetic challenges and propose innovative solutions.
• Collaborate with computational, medicinal, and analytical chemists to advance drug discovery programs.
• Author high-impact publications and patent applications.

Skills

Leadership

Mentorship

Strategic planning

Scientific communication

Remote collaboration

Education

PhD in Organic Chemistry

Tools

NMR spectroscopy

MS spectroscopy

Chromatography

Job description

About the Role

Our client is actively seeking a distinguished Remote Principal Scientist with extensive expertise in Organic Synthesis to lead critical research projects from a remote location. This senior role involves spearheading the design and execution of complex multi-step synthetic routes for novel small molecules, targeting challenging therapeutic areas. You will provide scientific leadership, mentorship, and strategic direction to research teams, ensuring the timely delivery of high-quality compounds essential for drug discovery and development programs. The ideal candidate is a recognized expert in the field, capable of tackling complex synthetic problems, driving innovation, and contributing to a culture of scientific excellence and collaboration across a distributed organization, from anywhere in the world.

Key Responsibilities

• Design and execute challenging multi-step syntheses of complex organic molecules, including natural products and drug candidates.
• Develop and optimize synthetic routes for scalability and efficiency, ensuring robust and reproducible methodologies.
• Provide expert scientific guidance and mentorship to junior scientists and research associates involved in synthetic chemistry projects.
• Lead research strategy for specific projects, identifying critical synthetic challenges and proposing innovative solutions.
• Collaborate with computational chemists, medicinal chemists, and analytical chemists to advance drug discovery programs.
• Author high-impact publications and patent applications, representing the company's synthetic chemistry expertise.

Requirements

• Ph.D. in Organic Chemistry or a closely related discipline.
• Minimum of 10 years of progressively responsible experience in synthetic organic chemistry, with a significant portion in the pharmaceutical or biotechnology industry.
• Proven track record of successfully designing and executing complex syntheses and contributing to drug discovery programs.
• Deep expertise in modern synthetic methodologies, reaction mechanisms, and stereoselective synthesis.
• Excellent understanding of spectroscopy (NMR, MS) and chromatography techniques for structural elucidation and purity assessment.
• Strong leadership skills and the ability to influence and motivate research teams in a remote setting.

Benefits

• Highly competitive principal-level salary and significant performance bonuses.
• Comprehensive global health, dental, and vision insurance.
• Flexible remote work arrangement, enabling work from anywhere.
• Generous stock options and retirement plan contributions.
• Opportunities to lead impactful research and shape the future of drug discovery.