Senior Pharmaceutical Formulations Lead | Drug Delivery

Placements24; Centurion; On-site; ZAR 1,000,000 - 1,800,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Competitive salary

Bonus structure

Medical aid

Life insurance

Retirement fund

Career development

Job summary

Placements24 is seeking a Lead Pharmaceutical Formulations Chemist to join its R&D team in Centurion, Gauteng. The role focuses on leading development and optimization of drug formulations across solid, injectable, and topical dosage forms, guiding a team of scientists from concept to clinical trial readiness.

The ideal candidate holds a PhD or MSc in Pharmaceutical Sciences or related field, with 7+ years hands-on experience, GMP exposure, and strong leadership.

Qualifications

• Ph.D. or Master’s in Pharmaceutical Sciences, Chemistry, Chemical Engineering or related field.
• 7+ years hands-on pharmaceutical formulation development with leadership experience.
• Expertise in oral solid, parenteral, and transdermal dosage forms.
• Strong knowledge of physical chemistry, polymer science, and material science for drug delivery.
• Experience with GMP environments and regulatory submissions (IND, NDA).

Responsibilities

• Lead formulation development and characterization of solid dosage forms, injectables, and topical products.
• Design experiments to select excipients, optimize formulations, and define process parameters.
• Develop and validate analytical methods for materials and products.
• Oversee scale-up from lab to pilot plant and manufacturing.
• Mentor junior scientists and collaborate with project management, regulatory, and manufacturing teams.
• Prepare technical reports and regulatory submission documents.
• Stay abreast of emerging technologies and industry trends in pharmaceutical formulation.
• Ensure GMP compliance and adherence to SOPs.

Skills

Leadership

Project management

Problem solving

Communication

Education

PhD or MSc in Pharmaceutical Sciences or related field

Tools

DSC

TGA

XRPD

Dissolution testing

Job description

Placements24 is seeking a Lead Pharmaceutical Formulations Chemist to join its R&D team in Centurion, Gauteng. The role focuses on leading development and optimization of drug formulations across solid, injectable, and topical dosage forms, guiding a team of scientists from concept to clinical trial readiness.

The ideal candidate holds a PhD or MSc in Pharmaceutical Sciences or related field, with 7+ years hands-on experience, GMP exposure, and strong leadership.