Senior Computational Biologist - Cheminformatics

Placements24; Bloemfontein; Hybrid; ZAR 1,200,000 - 2,300,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Health insurance

Professional development

Remote work environment

Advanced computational resources

Job summary

Placements24 is seeking a Senior Computational Biologist with a Cheminformatics focus to join their remote-first research team in Welkom. You will develop and apply computational tools to analyze chemical structures, predict properties, and accelerate drug discovery in collaboration with scientists.

Requirements include a PhD and at least six years of experience, strong Python or R skills, and hands-on use of RDKit or OpenEye.

Qualifications

• Ph.D. in Cheminformatics, Computational Chemistry, CS, or related field.
• Minimum 6 years experience in cheminformatics and computational drug discovery.
• Proficiency in Python or R and cheminformatics toolkits.

Responsibilities

• Develop and implement cheminformatics tools and workflows for large datasets.
• Apply ML and statistical modeling to predict molecular properties.
• Design virtual screening campaigns to identify lead compounds.
• Integrate diverse data sources to support drug discovery.
• Collaborate with medicinal chemists, biologists, and pharmacologists.
• Stay abreast of cheminformatics and related fields.

Skills

Python

R

Machine learning

Remote collaboration

Education

PhD in Cheminformatics / Computational Chemistry / CS

Tools

RDKit

OpenEye

Job description

About the Role

Our client is seeking a highly motivated Senior Computational Biologist with a specialization in Cheminformatics to join their innovative research team in Welkom . This role is critical for integrating biological and chemical data to accelerate drug discovery and development. You will be responsible for developing and applying computational tools and models to analyze chemical structures, predict molecular properties, and identify potential drug candidates. The ideal candidate will possess strong expertise in cheminformatics, machine learning, and computational modeling, coupled with a deep understanding of biological systems and a passion for leveraging data to drive scientific breakthroughs in a remote-first research setting.

Key Responsibilities

• Develop and implement cheminformatics tools and workflows for the analysis of large chemical and biological datasets.
• Apply machine learning and statistical modeling techniques to predict molecular properties, ADMET profiles, and target binding affinity.
• Design and execute virtual screening campaigns to identify novel lead compounds.
• Integrate diverse data sources, including chemical structures, biological assays, and omics data, to support drug discovery efforts.
• Collaborate with medicinal chemists, biologists, and pharmacologists to guide compound design and experimental validation.
• Stay abreast of the latest advancements in cheminformatics, computational chemistry, and related fields.

Requirements

• Ph.D. in Cheminformatics, Computational Chemistry, Computer Science, or a related quantitative field.
• Minimum of 6 years of professional experience in cheminformatics and computational drug discovery.
• Proficiency in programming languages such as Python or R, and experience with cheminformatics toolkits (e.g., RDKit, OpenEye).
• Strong experience in applying machine learning techniques to chemical data (e.g., QSAR, classification, regression).
• Solid understanding of chemical structures, molecular representations, and relevant algorithms.
• Excellent communication skills and the ability to work effectively in a remote, collaborative environment.

Benefits

• Competitive salary and bonus structure, reflecting seniority and expertise.
• Opportunity to work on cutting-edge drug discovery projects from a remote location.
• Comprehensive health, dental, and vision insurance benefits.
• Allowance for professional development, including online courses and conferences.
• Access to advanced computational resources and software licenses.