Senior Analytical Chemist – Pharma Development

Placements24; George; On-site; ZAR 900,000 - 1,100,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Competitive salary with annual bonus

Medical aid

Retirement fund

Professional development

Job summary

Placements24 in George, Western Cape, seeks a Senior Analytical Chemist to develop and validate analytical methods for pharmaceutical products in a GLP/GMP lab, using HPLC, GC, UV-Vis, IR and MS, and to support regulatory submissions. The ideal candidate holds an MSc or PhD in Analytical Chemistry (or related) and 6+ years’ pharma experience; strong independence and collaboration skills.

Benefits include a competitive salary, annual bonus, medical aid, retirement fund and professional

Qualifications

• MSc or PhD in Analytical Chemistry, Pharmaceutical Sciences, or a related discipline.
• Minimum of 6 years of hands‑on experience in analytical method development and validation within the pharmaceutical industry.
• In-depth knowledge of ICH guidelines and regulatory requirements for pharmaceutical analysis.
• Proficiency with a wide range of analytical instrumentation, particularly HPLC (with detectors like UV, PDA, ELSD, MS), GC, and dissolution apparatus.
• Experience with Mass Spectrometry (LC-MS, GC-MS) is highly desirable.
• Strong understanding of pharmaceutical formulations and drug substance characterization.
• Excellent problem‑solving abilities and meticulous attention to detail.
• Proven ability to work independently and manage multiple projects simultaneously in our George laboratory.
• Effective communication and interpersonal skills for collaborating with diverse teams.

Responsibilities

• Develop, validate, and implement analytical methods for raw materials, in-process samples, and finished pharmaceutical products using HPLC, GC, UV-Vis, IR, and MS.
• Perform routine and non-routine analytical testing to support product development, stability studies, and quality control.
• Investigate and resolve analytical method deviations and out-of-specification results.
• Author and review method validation reports, analytical development reports, and technical documentation.
• Ensure all analytical activities comply with GLP and GMP regulations.
• Train and mentor junior analytical chemists on laboratory procedures and instrumentation.
• Contribute to the optimization of analytical processes and instrumentation for improved efficiency and accuracy.
• Participate in cross-functional teams to address product quality issues and support regulatory submissions.

Skills

Analytical chemistry

Method development

GLP/GMP knowledge

Problem solving

Independent work

Education

MSc or PhD in Analytical Chemistry

Tools

HPLC

GC

UV-Vis

IR

MS

Dissolution testing

Job description

Placements24 in George, Western Cape, seeks a Senior Analytical Chemist to develop and validate analytical methods for pharmaceutical products in a GLP/GMP lab, using HPLC, GC, UV-Vis, IR and MS, and to support regulatory submissions. The ideal candidate holds an MSc or PhD in Analytical Chemistry (or related) and 6+ years’ pharma experience; strong independence and collaboration skills.

Benefits include a competitive salary, annual bonus, medical aid, retirement fund and professional