Senior Lead Chemist: Drug Discovery & Formulation Leader

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

Benefits offered by this job

Health insurance

Pension fund

Training programs

Advanced research facilities

Job summary

Placements24 in Cape Town seeks a distinguished Lead Chemist to head pharmaceutical development, overseeing synthesis, characterization, and formulation of new drug candidates, and driving drug discovery pipelines in a regulated environment.

You will mentor a team of chemists, ensure compliance with regulatory guidelines, and collaborate with pharmacologists and toxicologists to advance candidates toward clinic.

Qualifications

• Ph.D. in Organic Chemistry, Medicinal Chemistry, or a closely related field.
• 10+ years of progressive experience in pharmaceutical R&D.
• Extensive knowledge of synthetic organic chemistry and reaction mechanisms.
• Proficiency in modern analytical and spectroscopic techniques for compound characterization.
• Demonstrated leadership experience and ability to manage R&D projects.
• Strong understanding of drug development processes and regulatory requirements.

Responsibilities

• Lead the design and execution of synthetic routes for complex organic molecules.
• Perform comprehensive characterization of synthesized compounds using advanced analytical techniques (e.g., NMR, Mass Spectrometry, HPLC).
• Develop and optimize drug formulation strategies to enhance bioavailability and stability.
• Manage and mentor a team of medicinal chemists and research associates.
• Ensure compliance with all relevant regulatory guidelines and safety protocols.
• Collaborate with pharmacologists and toxicologists to assess drug candidates.

Skills

Synthetic chemistry

Analytical spectroscopy

Leadership

Regulatory knowledge

Education

Ph.D. in Organic/Medicinal Chemistry or related field

Tools

NMR

Mass spectrometry

HPLC

Job description

Placements24 in Cape Town seeks a distinguished Lead Chemist to head pharmaceutical development, overseeing synthesis, characterization, and formulation of new drug candidates, and driving drug discovery pipelines in a regulated environment.

You will mentor a team of chemists, ensure compliance with regulatory guidelines, and collaborate with pharmacologists and toxicologists to advance candidates toward clinic.