Senior Microbiologist — Lead Drug Discovery in Soweto

Placements24; Soweto; On-site; ZAR 900,000 - 1,500,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Health benefits

Retirement plan

Professional development

Conference attendance

Job summary

Placements24 invites applications for a Senior Microbiologist to join a leading pharmaceutical R&D team in Soweto, Gauteng. The role focuses on infectious diseases, antimicrobial resistance, and novel therapeutic discovery, requiring leadership of lab investigations and design of complex studies.

The successful candidate will possess a PhD in Microbiology or related field, 6+ years in pharma/biotech settings, and strong experience with molecular biology, culture, and high-throughput platforms.

Qualifications

• PhD in Microbiology, Molecular Biology, or related life science with strong microbiology focus.
• Minimum 6 years of post-doctoral or industry experience in pharmaceutical/biotech R&D.
• Demonstrated expertise in microbial pathogenesis and antimicrobial resistance; drug discovery.
• Proficiency with aseptic techniques, culture, microscopy and molecular methods (PCR, sequencing).
• Experience with lab automation and high-throughput screening platforms.

Responsibilities

• Lead research projects on microbial mechanisms and therapeutic targets.
• Design, execute, and optimize microbiological assays and culture methods.
• Analyze complex microbiological data including genomic and phenotypic data.
• Develop and validate new experimental methods for studies.
• Mentor junior researchers and collaborate with cross-functional teams.
• Prepare manuscripts, grant proposals, and regulatory submissions.

Skills

Microbiology techniques

Molecular biology

Data analysis

Lab leadership

GLP awareness

Education

PhD in Microbiology

Tools

PCR

Sequencing

Microscopy

HTS platforms

Job description

Placements24 invites applications for a Senior Microbiologist to join a leading pharmaceutical R&D team in Soweto, Gauteng. The role focuses on infectious diseases, antimicrobial resistance, and novel therapeutic discovery, requiring leadership of lab investigations and design of complex studies.

The successful candidate will possess a PhD in Microbiology or related field, 6+ years in pharma/biotech settings, and strong experience with molecular biology, culture, and high-throughput platforms.