Senior Pharmaceutical Process Development Scientist

Placements24; Upington; Hybrid; ZAR 1,200,000 - 2,100,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical insurance

Retirement contributions

Paid time off

Professional development opportunities

Job summary

Placements24 is seeking a Senior Pharmaceutical Process Development Scientist for our client in Upington, Northern Cape. The role focuses on optimizing and scaling manufacturing processes for APIs and drug products, ensuring GMP compliance and robust tech transfer to commercial operations.

The position offers a hybrid work arrangement with on-site lab and pilot plant activities alongside remote analysis and documentation, collaborating across formulation, analytical development, and

Qualifications

• Ph.D. in Chemical Engineering, Pharmaceutical Sciences, or related field.
• Minimum of 5 years of experience in pharmaceutical process development and scale-up.
• Proven experience optimizing chemical or biological manufacturing processes.
• Strong understanding of GMP, process validation, and regulatory requirements.

Responsibilities

• Develop, optimize, and scale-up manufacturing processes for Active Pharmaceutical Ingredients (APIs) and drug products.
• Design and execute experiments to understand process parameters and critical quality attributes.
• Conduct process hazard analyses and ensure the safety of all operations.
• Develop process validation strategies and protocols.
• Troubleshoot manufacturing issues and implement corrective and preventive actions (CAPAs).
• Collaborate with analytical development to establish appropriate in‑process controls and specifications.
• Author process development reports and contribute to regulatory filings (e.g., IND, NDA).
• Evaluate and implement new process technologies and equipment.
• Ensure compliance with GMP, safety, and environmental regulations.
• Mentor junior scientists and engineers within the process development team.

Skills

Chemical engineering

Process chemistry

Analytical skills

Regulatory understanding

Education

Ph.D. in Chemical Engineering, Pharmaceutical Sciences, or related field

Tools

Process modeling software

Simulation software

Job description

About the Role

Our client, a leading pharmaceutical entity, is seeking an experienced Senior Pharmaceutical Process Development Scientist to join their innovative team in Upington, Northern Cape . This role is pivotal in optimizing and scaling up manufacturing processes for novel pharmaceutical products, ensuring efficiency, safety, and regulatory compliance. You will work closely with formulation development, analytical development, and manufacturing teams to translate laboratory-scale processes into robust commercial manufacturing operations. This hybrid position offers a dynamic work environment, combining on-site laboratory and pilot plant work with remote analysis, documentation, and collaboration. The ideal candidate will possess strong chemical engineering or process chemistry expertise, a thorough understanding of pharmaceutical manufacturing, and a proactive approach to problem-solving. Your contributions will be vital in bringing life‑saving therapies from development to market. We are committed to fostering a culture of continuous improvement and scientific excellence.

Key Responsibilities

• Develop, optimize, and scale‑up manufacturing processes for Active Pharmaceutical Ingredients (APIs) and drug products.
• Design and execute experiments to understand process parameters and critical quality attributes.
• Conduct process hazard analyses and ensure the safety of all operations.
• Develop process validation strategies and protocols.
• Troubleshoot manufacturing issues and implement corrective and preventive actions (CAPAs).
• Collaborate with analytical development to establish appropriate in‑process controls and specifications.
• Author process development reports and contribute to regulatory filings (e.g., IND, NDA).
• Evaluate and implement new process technologies and equipment.
• Ensure compliance with GMP, safety, and environmental regulations.
• Mentor junior scientists and engineers within the process development team.

Requirements

• Ph.D. in Chemical Engineering, Pharmaceutical Sciences, or a related field.
• Minimum of 5 years of experience in pharmaceutical process development and scale‑up.
• Proven experience in optimizing chemical or biological manufacturing processes.
• Strong understanding of GMP, process validation, and regulatory requirements.
• Proficiency in process modeling and simulation software is a plus.
• Excellent analytical, problem‑solving, and critical thinking skills.
• Strong written and verbal communication abilities, with experience authoring technical reports.
• Ability to work effectively in a hybrid work model, managing both on‑site and remote tasks.
• Experience with specific technologies such as continuous manufacturing or lyophilization is advantageous.
• Demonstrated ability to lead projects and collaborate within multidisciplinary teams.

Benefits

Our client offers a competitive salary, performance‑based bonuses, and a comprehensive benefits package including medical insurance, retirement contributions, and paid time off. Professional development opportunities, including training and attendance at industry conferences, are actively supported. This hybrid role offers flexibility, with access to our advanced facilities in Upington, Northern Cape and remote work options for analysis and documentation. We foster a collaborative and innovative work environment, promoting career growth within a leading pharmaceutical organization. Our client is dedicated to employee well‑being and provides wellness programs and a supportive team atmosphere.