Senior Lead Medicinal Chemist – Hybrid & Growth

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

Benefits offered by this job

Competitive salary package

Performance bonuses

Medical aid

Job summary

Placements24 is partnering with a Pretoria-based pharmaceutical research organization to hire a Lead Medicinal Chemist. This senior role drives design, synthesis, and optimization of novel small molecules and guides a team of chemists, shaping the drug discovery program.

You'll collaborate with biologists, pharmacologists, and DMPK scientists, apply structure-based design and SAR, and contribute to IP through publications and patents while enjoying a hybrid work arrangement at our

Qualifications

• PhD in Organic Chemistry or Medicinal Chemistry with strong publication record.

Responsibilities

• Lead and mentor a team of medicinal chemists in the design and synthesis of novel drug candidates.
• Develop and execute strategic plans for hit-to-lead and lead optimization programs.
• Design and synthesize diverse compound libraries targeting key disease areas.
• Collaborate closely with biologists, pharmacologists, and DMPK scientists to advance projects.
• Utilize computational chemistry tools and structure-based drug design principles.
• Oversee and interpret synthetic chemistry results, guiding synthetic routes and problem-solving.
• Manage external synthesis collaborations and ensure timely delivery of high-quality compounds.
• Contribute to intellectual property generation through patent applications and publications.

Skills

Leadership

Team leadership

Molecular modeling

SAR knowledge

Education

PhD in Organic or Medicinal Chemistry

Tools

Computational chemistry tools

Job description

Placements24 is partnering with a Pretoria-based pharmaceutical research organization to hire a Lead Medicinal Chemist. This senior role drives design, synthesis, and optimization of novel small molecules and guides a team of chemists, shaping the drug discovery program.

You'll collaborate with biologists, pharmacologists, and DMPK scientists, apply structure-based design and SAR, and contribute to IP through publications and patents while enjoying a hybrid work arrangement at our