Senior Pharmaceutical Data Scientist

Placements24; Sandton; Hybrid; ZAR 1,200,000 - 2,000,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical, dental, and vision insurance

Retirement fund

Advanced training and conferences

Relocation assistance to Sandton

Generous annual leave and sick leave

Life and disability insurance

Job summary

Placements24 is seeking a Senior Pharmaceutical Data Scientist to join our client’s advanced analytics team in Sandton, Gauteng. The role focuses on extracting insights from clinical, omics, and real-world data to accelerate R&D and inform decision-making for drug development.

You will build models, run experiments, mentor junior data scientists, and collaborate with R&D, clinicians, statisticians, and IT while ensuring data quality, privacy compliance, and effective communication with senior

Qualifications

• PhD or Master’s in Data Science, Stats, CS, or related field.
• 5–7 years of pharmaceutical or biotech data science experience.
• Proficiency in Python or R and related ML libraries.
• Experience with SQL/NoSQL and data visualization tools.

Responsibilities

• Develop and deploy advanced statistical models and ML algorithms on pharmaceutical datasets.
• Identify trends to support drug discovery, trial design, and patient stratification.
• Design data mining, predictive modeling, and forecasting projects.
• Collaborate with R&D, clinicians, statisticians, and IT to define data needs.
• Create data visualizations and dashboards for technical and non-technical stakeholders.
• Ensure data quality and privacy compliance (GDPR, HIPAA).
• Keep up with advances in data science and pharma applications.
• Contribute to data-driven strategies for R&D and commercial ops.
• Mentor junior data scientists and grow the team.
• Present findings to scientific meetings and senior management.

Skills

Analytical thinking

Problem solving

Communication skills

Education

PhD or Master’s in Data Science/Statistics/CS/Bioinformatics

Tools

Python

R

Pandas

scikit-learn

TensorFlow

PyTorch

SQL/NoSQL

Tableau/Power BI

Matplotlib

Cloud platforms (AWS/Azure/GCP)

Job description

About the Role

Our client, a pioneering pharmaceutical company at the forefront of drug discovery and development, is seeking a highly analytical and innovative Senior Pharmaceutical Data Scientist to join their advanced analytics team in Sandton . This role is crucial for leveraging vast datasets to extract meaningful insights, drive decision-making, and accelerate research and development processes. The ideal candidate will possess a strong foundation in data science, statistical modeling, and machine learning, coupled with a deep understanding of pharmaceutical R&D challenges. You will work with diverse data sources, including clinical trial data, omics data, real-world evidence, and preclinical study results, to uncover patterns and predict outcomes. This is a unique opportunity to make a significant impact on drug development within the vibrant economic hub of Gauteng , specifically in Sandton . We are looking for a proactive individual who can translate complex data into actionable strategies.

Key Responsibilities

• Develop and implement advanced statistical models and machine learning algorithms to analyze large and complex pharmaceutical datasets (e.g., clinical, genomics, proteomics, real-world data).
• Identify key trends, patterns, and insights from data to support drug discovery, clinical trial design, patient stratification, and post-market surveillance.
• Design and conduct data mining, predictive modeling, and forecasting projects.
• Collaborate with R&D scientists, clinicians, statisticians, and IT professionals to define data requirements and analytical approaches.
• Develop data visualizations and dashboards to effectively communicate complex findings to both technical and non-technical stakeholders.
• Ensure data integrity, quality, and compliance with relevant data privacy regulations (e.g., GDPR, HIPAA).
• Stay abreast of the latest advancements in data science, artificial intelligence, and their applications in the pharmaceutical industry.
• Contribute to the development of data-driven strategies for R&D and commercial operations.
• Mentor junior data scientists and contribute to building a strong data science capability within the organization.
• Present findings and recommendations at scientific meetings and to senior management.

Requirements

• Ph.D. or Master's degree in Data Science, Statistics, Computer Science, Bioinformatics, or a related quantitative field.
• Minimum of 5-7 years of experience in data science, with a significant portion focused on the pharmaceutical or biotechnology industry.
• Expertise in programming languages such as Python or R, and experience with relevant libraries (e.g., pandas, scikit-learn, TensorFlow, PyTorch).
• Strong knowledge of statistical modeling, machine learning techniques (e.g., regression, classification, clustering, deep learning), and experimental design.
• Experience working with large, diverse datasets and databases (SQL, NoSQL).
• Proficiency in data visualization tools (e.g., Tableau, Power BI, Matplotlib).
• Excellent understanding of the pharmaceutical R&D lifecycle and relevant data types.
• Strong analytical, problem-solving, and critical thinking skills.
• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills, with the ability to explain complex technical concepts to diverse audiences.
• Experience with cloud computing platforms (AWS, Azure, GCP) is a plus.

Benefits

Our client offers a highly competitive salary, substantial performance bonuses, and a comprehensive benefits package, including premium medical, dental, and vision insurance, as well as a robust retirement fund. We are committed to continuous learning and professional development, offering access to advanced training, cutting-edge technologies, and opportunities to attend leading data science and pharmaceutical conferences. Generous annual leave, paid sick leave, and public holidays are provided. Additional benefits include life insurance, disability coverage, and potential relocation assistance for qualified candidates moving to Sandton . Join a forward-thinking pharmaceutical company and drive innovation through data.