Senior Research Chemist – Drug Discovery & Scale-Up

Placements24; Centurion; Hybrid; ZAR 900,000 - 1,500,000; Full time

Job summary

Placements24 in Centurion, Gauteng, seeks a Senior Research Chemist to advance our drug discovery program through synthetic organic chemistry, design, synthesis, and characterization of novel molecules.

The ideal candidate holds a Ph.D. in Organic Chemistry with at least 5 years of post-PhD experience, a strong publication record, and proven ability to translate concepts into scalable processes.

Qualifications

• Ph.D. in Organic Chemistry or closely related field is required.
• Minimum of 5 years of post-doctoral or industry experience in synthetic organic chemistry.
• Expertise in modern synthetic organic chemistry methodologies including asymmetric synthesis and catalysis.
• Extensive experience with NMR, MS, HPLC, IR for compound characterization.
• Strong problem-solving skills and capacity for independent research.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
• Experience with process chemistry and scale-up is advantageous.
• Ability to work in a collaborative, cross-functional team and publish findings.

Responsibilities

• Design and execute multi-step synthetic routes for novel organic compounds.
• Characterize synthesized compounds using NMR, Mass Spectrometry, HPLC, and IR spectroscopy.
• Optimize reaction conditions and develop robust synthetic procedures suitable for scale-up.
• Investigate and troubleshoot synthetic challenges to achieve desired outcomes efficiently.
• Collaborate with medicinal chemists, biologists, and analytical chemists to advance drug discovery programs.
• Maintain comprehensive and accurate laboratory notebooks and research reports.
• Stay updated on the latest advancements in synthetic organic chemistry and relevant literature.
• Present research findings and progress updates to project teams and management.
• Ensure compliance with all laboratory safety regulations and ethical standards.
• Contribute to intellectual property generation through patentable inventions.

Skills

Analytical techniques

Asymmetric synthesis

Catalysis

Independent research

Written and verbal communication

Education

Ph.D. in Organic Chemistry

Tools

ChemDraw

Job description

Placements24 in Centurion, Gauteng, seeks a Senior Research Chemist to advance our drug discovery program through synthetic organic chemistry, design, synthesis, and characterization of novel molecules.

The ideal candidate holds a Ph.D. in Organic Chemistry with at least 5 years of post-PhD experience, a strong publication record, and proven ability to translate concepts into scalable processes.