Senior Medicinal Chemist

Placements24; Sandton; Híbrido; ZAR 1.000.000 - 2.000.000; Jornada completa

Ventajas ofrecidas por este puesto de trabajo

Competitive salary

Stock options

Health, dental, and retirement plans

Annual leave and holidays

Professional development

Research environment in Sandton

Descripción de la vacante

Placements24 is seeking a Senior Medicinal Chemist to lead design, synthesis, and optimization of novel small molecules in Sandton. You will work within multidisciplinary teams to advance candidates from hit identification to lead optimization.

The ideal candidate has a PhD in Organic or Medicinal Chemistry and at least 5 years in medicinal chemistry, with strong SAR expertise and experience using computational tools.

Formación

• PhD in Organic Chemistry or Medicinal Chemistry is required.
• Minimum 5 years of post-doctoral or industry experience in medicinal chemistry with focus on small molecules.
• Proven track record in designing and synthesizing NCEs and advancing them in drug discovery.
• Experience with SAR, ADME/Tox concepts, and drug discovery processes.

Responsabilidades

• Design and synthesize novel chemical entities (NCEs) with desired properties.
• Develop synthetic routes for target molecules, optimize conditions and yields.
• Conduct SAR studies to guide lead optimization.
• Collaborate with biologists, pharmacologists, and DMPK scientists to integrate data.
• Utilize computational chemistry tools to support drug design.

Conocimientos

Medicinal chemistry

Synthetic organic chemistry

SAR

Drug design

Computational chemistry

Structure-based drug design

Educación

PhD in Organic Chemistry or Medicinal Chemistry

Herramientas

Computational chemistry software

Descripción del empleo

About the Role

Our client, a cutting-edge biotechnology company, is seeking an innovative Senior Medicinal Chemist to join their drug discovery team in Sandton, Gauteng . This role will involve the design, synthesis, and optimization of novel small molecules with therapeutic potential. You will work collaboratively within multidisciplinary teams to advance drug candidates from hit identification through to lead optimization. The ideal candidate will have a strong track record in synthetic organic chemistry, medicinal chemistry strategy, and a deep understanding of structure-activity relationships (SAR). This is an exciting opportunity to contribute to the development of novel therapeutics in a fast-paced, research-intensive environment at our Sandton site.

Key Responsibilities

• Design and synthesize novel chemical entities (NCEs) with desired pharmacological properties.
• Develop and execute synthetic routes for target molecules, optimizing reaction conditions and yields.
• Conduct structure-activity relationship (SAR) studies to guide the optimization of lead compounds.
• Collaborate with biologists, pharmacologists, and DMPK scientists to integrate data and guide compound design.
• Utilize computational chemistry tools and databases to support drug design efforts.
• Manage external synthesis projects and CRO relationships as needed.
• Stay abreast of the latest advancements in synthetic organic chemistry and medicinal chemistry.
• Document research findings meticulously in laboratory notebooks and contribute to scientific publications and patent applications.
• Ensure all synthetic chemistry activities conducted at the Sandton facility adhere to safety protocols and regulatory expectations.
• Mentor junior chemists and contribute to a culture of scientific excellence.

Requirements

• Ph.D. in Organic Chemistry, Medicinal Chemistry, or a closely related field.
• Minimum of 5 years of post-doctoral or industry experience in medicinal chemistry with a focus on small molecule drug discovery.
• Proven track record of successfully designing and synthesizing NCEs and advancing them through the drug discovery pipeline.
• Expertise in modern synthetic organic chemistry techniques and purification methods.
• Strong understanding of SAR, ADME/Tox principles, and drug discovery processes.
• Experience with computational chemistry tools and structure-based drug design is a plus.
• Excellent problem-solving skills and a creative approach to chemical synthesis.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to present scientific data effectively.
• Ability to work independently and as part of a collaborative team in our Sandton laboratories.

Benefits

• Competitive annual salary of ZAR .
• Performance-based bonuses and stock options.
• Comprehensive health, dental, and retirement benefits.
• Generous annual leave and paid holidays.
• Opportunities for professional development, conferences, and further training.
• A vibrant and intellectually stimulating research environment in Sandton .