Senior Process Chemist: API Synthesis & Process Optimization

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

Benefits offered by this job

Medical aid

Retirement contributions

Life insurance

Paid time off

Job summary

Placements24 seeks a Senior Process Chemist for our pharmaceutical manufacturing facility in Kimberley, Northern Cape, ZA. The role focuses on developing, optimizing, and scaling synthesis routes for APIs and intermediates while ensuring GMP compliance, safety, and cost efficiency.

You will lead process improvement, troubleshoot manufacturing issues, and drive technology transfer from lab to pilot plant and commercial scale, collaborating with analytical teams.

Qualifications

• Ph.D. or MS required in Organic Chemistry, Process Chemistry, or Chemical Engineering.
• Minimum 5 years of experience in process chemistry or chemical development in pharma or fine chemicals.
• Experience with process optimization, scale-up, and tech transfer.
• GMP familiarity and quality systems in manufacturing.
• Strong problem-solving, troubleshooting, and decision-making abilities.
• Proven project management and organizational skills.
• Excellent written and verbal communication for technical reporting.

Responsibilities

• Develop, optimize, and scale-up synthesis routes for APIs and key intermediates.
• Design and conduct experiments to improve yield, purity, safety, and cost.
• Investigate and resolve process-related manufacturing issues.
• Perform process hazard analyses and implement safety measures.
• Characterize kinetics, thermodynamics, and impurity profiles of processes.
• Oversee pilot plant runs and support transfer to commercial manufacturing.
• Collaborate with analytical chemists to develop and validate in-process controls and testing methods.
• Ensure GMP compliance and regulatory guidelines.
• Author technical reports, process descriptions, and validation protocols.
• Stay current with process chemistry and manufacturing tech.

Skills

Process development

Scale-up

Technology transfer

GMP knowledge

Analytical techniques

Problem solving

Project management

Communication

Risk assessment

Education

PhD in Organic Chemistry / Process Chemistry / Chemical Engineering

Tools

Process simulation software

Job description

Placements24 seeks a Senior Process Chemist for our pharmaceutical manufacturing facility in Kimberley, Northern Cape, ZA. The role focuses on developing, optimizing, and scaling synthesis routes for APIs and intermediates while ensuring GMP compliance, safety, and cost efficiency.

You will lead process improvement, troubleshoot manufacturing issues, and drive technology transfer from lab to pilot plant and commercial scale, collaborating with analytical teams.