Senior Formulation Scientist: Drug Product Innovation

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

Benefits offered by this job

Performance bonuses

Equity options

Medical insurance

Dental insurance

Vision insurance

Retirement plan

Paid time off

Holidays

Conference funding

Training opportunities

Wellness programs

Employee assistance

Job summary

Placements24 is seeking a Senior Formulation Scientist to drive drug product development in Durban. You will design and optimize drug formulations, perform pre-formulation studies, and lead scale-up and technology transfer with cross-functional teams.

The role requires a PhD/ MSc in a relevant field, 6+ years of hands-on experience, and strong expertise in dosage forms, GMP, and regulatory requirements. A data-driven, collaborative scientist will thrive in our state-of-the-art facility.

Qualifications

• Ph.D. or Master’s degree in Pharmaceutical Sciences, Pharmaceutics, Chemistry or related field.
• Minimum of 6 years hands-on experience in pharmaceutical formulation development.
• Proven expertise in designing and developing various dosage forms (tablets, capsules, injectables, topical).
• Strong understanding of physical chemistry, polymer science, and material science as applied to drug delivery.
• Proficiency in laboratory techniques for formulation development, characterization, and stability testing.
• Experience with GMP and regulatory requirements for drug product development.
• Excellent problem-solving abilities and a data-driven approach to formulation challenges.
• Strong written and oral communication skills; ability to present complex information clearly.
• Proficiency in statistics software and formulation modeling tools.
• Ability to lead projects within a multidisciplinary team.

Responsibilities

• Design, develop, and optimize oral solid dosage forms, sterile injectables, or other drug delivery systems.
• Conduct pre-formulation studies to characterize drug substances and excipients, including solubility, stability, and compatibility.
• Investigate and select excipients to achieve desired product performance, stability, and manufacturability.
• Develop robust analytical methods for drug product characterization and quality control.
• Oversee formulation development activities, including experimentation, data analysis, and interpretation.
• Lead scale-up activities and technology transfer to manufacturing sites, ensuring process validation.
• Troubleshoot formulation and manufacturing issues with scientific solutions.
• Collaborate with analytical development, process engineering, and regulatory teams.
• Prepare technical reports and documentation for regulatory submissions.
• Stay updated on regulatory trends and evolving formulation technologies.

Skills

Analytical thinking

Data-driven

Scientific writing

Team leadership

Problem solving

Communication

Education

PhD or MSc in Pharmaceutical Sciences/Pharmaceutics/Chemistry

Tools

Statistical analysis software

Formulation modeling software

Job description

Placements24 is seeking a Senior Formulation Scientist to drive drug product development in Durban. You will design and optimize drug formulations, perform pre-formulation studies, and lead scale-up and technology transfer with cross-functional teams.

The role requires a PhD/ MSc in a relevant field, 6+ years of hands-on experience, and strong expertise in dosage forms, GMP, and regulatory requirements. A data-driven, collaborative scientist will thrive in our state-of-the-art facility.