Remote Senior Computational Chemist

Placements24; Noord-Kaap; Hybrid; ZAR 900,000 - 1,500,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Stock options

Health insurance

Remote-first

Flexible work hours

Professional development

Impact on drug discovery

Job summary

Placements24 is seeking a Senior Computational Chemist to join a fully remote research team. You will apply advanced computational methods to drug design, predict molecular properties, and guide synthesis decisions alongside medicinal chemists and biologists.

Applicants should hold a Ph.D. in a related field with 5+ years in pharmaceutical/biotech, strong experience with Schrödinger/MOE/OpenEye and Python, and a proven track record in structure-based design and data analysis.

Qualifications

• PhD in Computational Chemistry, Cheminformatics, or related field.
• 5+ years in computational chemistry within pharma/biotech.
• Proficiency with computational software (Schrodinger, MOE, OpenEye) and modeling techniques.

Responsibilities

• Develop and apply computational chemistry techniques to support drug discovery.
• Design novel molecules and guide synthesis by medicinal chemists.
• Analyze datasets from SAR and high-throughput screening.

Skills

Python programming

Analytical thinking

Remote collaboration

Education

PhD in Computational Chemistry

Tools

Schrodinger

MOE

OpenEye

Job description

About the Role

Our client is seeking a talented and experienced Senior Computational Chemist to join their pioneering, fully remote research team. This role is crucial for applying advanced computational methodologies to drive rational drug design and optimize chemical synthesis strategies. You will work closely with medicinal chemists, biologists, and pharmacologists to interpret experimental data, predict molecular properties, and guide the design of novel therapeutic candidates. This is an exciting opportunity to contribute to impactful drug discovery programs while enjoying the benefits of a remote-first work culture.

Key Responsibilities

• Develop and apply computational chemistry techniques, including molecular modeling, docking, QSAR, and cheminformatics, to support drug discovery projects.
• Design novel molecules with desired properties and guide synthetic efforts by medicinal chemists.
• Analyze and interpret complex datasets from high-throughput screening and structure-activity relationship (SAR) studies.
• Collaborate with experimental teams to validate computational predictions and refine modeling approaches.
• Contribute to the development and maintenance of cheminformatics databases and software tools.
• Stay abreast of the latest advancements in computational chemistry, AI/ML in drug discovery, and relevant software.

Requirements

• Ph.D. in Computational Chemistry, Cheminformatics, Physical Organic Chemistry, or a related field.
• Minimum of 5 years of experience in computational chemistry within the pharmaceutical or biotech industry.
• Proficiency in computational chemistry software packages (e.g., Schrodinger, MOE, OpenEye) and molecular modeling techniques.
• Strong understanding of organic chemistry, medicinal chemistry principles, and structure-based drug design.
• Experience with scripting languages (e.g., Python) and data analysis tools.
• Excellent problem-solving skills and the ability to work effectively in a remote team environment.

Benefits

• Competitive salary and performance-based bonuses.
• Generous stock options and long-term incentive plans.
• Comprehensive health, dental, and vision insurance.
• Flexible work hours and a fully remote setup.
• Professional development opportunities, including access to training and conferences.
• Opportunity to contribute to innovative drug discovery and impact patient lives.