Senior Fermentation Microbiologist – Process Optimization Lead

Placements24; Randburg; On-site; ZAR 1,200,000 - 1,800,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Competitive salary with incentives

State-of-the-art facilities

Professional development

Job summary

Placements24 is seeking a Senior Microbiologist specializing in Fermentation Technology to join our advanced R&D facility in Randburg. You will lead research to optimize microbial fermentation processes for industrial, pharmaceutical, and food applications.

The role focuses on strain improvement, media optimization, and bioreactor process development, with mentorship of junior scientists and collaboration across disciplines in a dynamic, state-of-the-art environment.

Qualifications

• PhD or Master's degree in Microbiology or related field.
• 7+ years of experience in industrial fermentation or bioprocess development.
• Strong leadership, communication, and project management skills.

Responsibilities

• Lead R&D efforts in microbial fermentation for target compounds.
• Optimize fermentation parameters for yield and productivity.
• Conduct strain selection and development programs.
• Develop and scale up fermentation processes from lab to pilot.
• Perform downstream processing development and optimization.
• Analyze fermentation data and provide technical recommendations.
• Mentor junior scientists and technicians.

Skills

Microbiology

Bioprocess

Fermentation

Bioreactor operation

Molecular biology

Data analysis

Statistical modeling

Leadership

Education

PhD in Microbiology

Master's in Microbiology

Job description

Placements24 is seeking a Senior Microbiologist specializing in Fermentation Technology to join our advanced R&D facility in Randburg. You will lead research to optimize microbial fermentation processes for industrial, pharmaceutical, and food applications.

The role focuses on strain improvement, media optimization, and bioreactor process development, with mentorship of junior scientists and collaboration across disciplines in a dynamic, state-of-the-art environment.