Senior Cheminformatics Specialist

Placements24; Durban; Hybrid; ZAR 900,000 - 1,200,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Health Insurance

Retirement savings plan

Conferences and scientific events

Access to HPC resources

Job summary

Placements24 seeks a Senior Cheminformatics Specialist in Durban to advance drug discovery with computational tools and data-driven approaches. You will collaborate with chemists and biologists to accelerate research using predictive modeling and molecular design.

The role requires deep expertise in cheminformatics, programming (Python/R/Java), and toolkits like RDKit, OpenBabel, with a track record in pharmaceutical research and data analysis.

Qualifications

• PhD or Master in Cheminformatics, Computational Chemistry, Computer Science or related field.
• Minimum 4 years of professional cheminformatics experience, drug discovery focus.
• Proficiency in Python, R or Java and cheminformatics toolkits (RDKit, OpenBabel).
• Experience with molecular modeling software, databases, statistics.
• Strong medicinal chemistry knowledge and drug discovery workflows.
• Excellent problem-solving abilities and ability to work independently and collaboratively.

Responsibilities

• Develop, implement and maintain cheminformatics tools and databases for modeling and analysis.
• Design and execute virtual screening campaigns to identify drug candidates.
• Analyze large chemical datasets to understand SAR and optimize leads.
• Collaborate with medicinal chemists to design novel molecules computationally.
• Develop predictive ADMET models.
• Present findings to internal teams and management.

Skills

Python

R

Java

Problem-solving

Collaboration

Education

PhD or Master's in Cheminformatics/Computational Chemistry/CS

Tools

RDKit

OpenBabel

Job description

About the Role

Our client seeks a highly skilled Senior Cheminformatics Specialist to join their cutting-edge research and development team in Durban . This role is crucial for leveraging computational approaches to analyze chemical data, support drug discovery, and optimize molecular design. You will play a key role in developing and implementing advanced cheminformatics tools and databases, working closely with medicinal chemists and biologists to accelerate research programs. This is an exciting opportunity to contribute to significant scientific advancements within a dynamic pharmaceutical research environment in Durban , promoting innovation in drug design and development through sophisticated data analysis and predictive modeling.

Key Responsibilities

• Develop, implement, and maintain cheminformatics tools and databases for molecular modeling and data analysis.
• Design and execute virtual screening campaigns to identify potential drug candidates.
• Analyze large-scale chemical datasets to identify structure-activity relationships (SAR) and optimize lead compounds.
• Collaborate with medicinal chemists to design novel molecules with desired properties using computational methods.
• Develop predictive models for ADMET (Absorption, Distribution, Metabolism, Excretion, and Toxicity) properties.
• Present findings and strategies to internal research teams and management.

Requirements

• Ph.D. or Master's degree in Cheminformatics, Computational Chemistry, Computer Science, or a related field.
• Minimum of 4 years of professional experience in cheminformatics, with a focus on drug discovery.
• Proficiency in programming languages such as Python, R, or Java, and experience with relevant cheminformatics toolkits (e.g., RDKit, OpenBabel).
• Experience with molecular modeling software, database management, and statistical analysis.
• Strong understanding of medicinal chemistry principles and drug discovery processes.
• Excellent problem-solving skills and the ability to work independently and collaboratively.

Benefits

• Competitive salary commensurate with experience and qualifications.
• Comprehensive health insurance and retirement savings plan.
• Opportunities for professional growth and attendance at scientific conferences.
• Access to high-performance computing resources and cutting-edge software.
• Engaging work environment in Durban with a focus on scientific innovation.