Senior Pharma Process Chemist (Hybrid) – Growth & Impact

Placements24; Stellenbosch; Hybrid; ZAR 1,000,000 - 1,300,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Hybrid work model

Medical aid

Retirement fund

Life insurance

Annual leave

Job summary

Placements24 is seeking a Senior Pharmaceutical Process Chemist for a Paarl-based API development operation. The role focuses on developing, optimizing, and scaling synthesis routes for active pharmaceutical ingredients, with emphasis on safety, quality, and regulatory compliance.

You will lead laboratory and pilot-plant activities, collaborate across R&D, analytical, and manufacturing, and implement DoE and PAT approaches to improve process performance.

Qualifications

• Ph.D. or Master’s in Organic Chemistry, Process Chemistry, or related field.
• Minimum of 6 years in pharmaceutical process chemistry and API development.
• Strong knowledge of organic synthesis, reaction mechanisms, and catalysis.

Responsibilities

• Design, develop, and optimize synthetic routes for APIs suitable for large-scale manufacturing.
• Conduct lab experiments to explore new methodologies and improve processes.
• Perform process characterization studies including kinetics and impurity profiling.
• Develop and validate analytical methods for monitoring intermediates and APIs.
• Scale up processes from lab to pilot plant and commercial scale, ensuring safety and efficiency.
• Troubleshoot process issues, identify root causes, and implement corrective actions.
• Prepare detailed development reports, batch records, and validation documentation.
• Ensure GMP, environmental regulations, and safety compliance; collaborate with R&D, analytical, engineering, and manufacturing.

Skills

Organic synthesis

Process chemistry

Scale-up

DoE

PAT

Data analysis

Education

PhD or MSc in Organic/Process Chemistry

Tools

HPLC

GC

NMR

MS

XRPD

Job description

Placements24 is seeking a Senior Pharmaceutical Process Chemist for a Paarl-based API development operation. The role focuses on developing, optimizing, and scaling synthesis routes for active pharmaceutical ingredients, with emphasis on safety, quality, and regulatory compliance.

You will lead laboratory and pilot-plant activities, collaborate across R&D, analytical, and manufacturing, and implement DoE and PAT approaches to improve process performance.