Senior Research Chemist - Organic Synthesis

Placements24; Cape Town; On-site; ZAR 950,000 - 1,300,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Health insurance

Retirement plan

Professional growth opportunities

Job summary

Placements24 in Upington seeks a Senior Research Chemist specializing in Organic Synthesis to lead innovative R&D efforts in drug discovery and materials science.

You will design multi-step synthetic routes, optimize reaction conditions, and collaborate with analytical and process chemistry teams to enable scale-up, contributing to cutting-edge chemical research and development.

Qualifications

• Ph.D. in Organic Chemistry required.
• Minimum 5 years post-doctoral or industrial experience in synthetic organic chemistry.
• Proven expertise in a wide range of organic reactions and purification techniques.
• Strong knowledge of modern spectroscopic and chromatographic analytical methods.
• Excellent problem-solving abilities and the ability to work independently and in a team environment.

Responsibilities

• Design and execute multi-step synthetic routes for complex organic molecules.
• Optimize reaction conditions to improve yield, purity, and efficiency.
• Characterize synthesized compounds using spectroscopic techniques (NMR, MS, IR) and chromatographic methods (HPLC, GC).
• Troubleshoot synthetic challenges and identify alternative strategies.
• Collaborate with analytical and process chemistry teams to ensure successful scale-up.

Skills

Organic synthesis

Spectroscopy & Chromatography

Analytical problem solving

Teamwork

Education

PhD in Organic Chemistry

Tools

NMR

MS

IR

HPLC

GC

Job description

About the Role

Our client is seeking a highly skilled Senior Research Chemist with expertise in Organic Synthesis to join their innovative R&D team in Upington . This critical role involves the design and execution of complex synthetic routes for novel chemical entities, supporting drug discovery and materials science initiatives. You will be instrumental in troubleshooting synthetic challenges, optimizing reaction conditions, and ensuring the efficient production of target molecules. The ideal candidate will possess a strong theoretical understanding of organic chemistry principles combined with extensive hands-on laboratory experience and a passion for scientific exploration. This is an excellent opportunity to contribute to cutting-edge chemical research.

Key Responsibilities

• Design and execute multi-step synthetic routes for complex organic molecules.
• Optimize reaction conditions to improve yield, purity, and efficiency.
• Characterize synthesized compounds using spectroscopic techniques (NMR, MS, IR) and chromatographic methods (HPLC, GC).
• Troubleshoot synthetic challenges and identify alternative strategies.
• Collaborate with analytical and process chemistry teams to ensure successful scale-up.

Requirements

• Ph.D. in Organic Chemistry or a related field.
• Minimum of 5 years of post-doctoral or industrial experience in synthetic organic chemistry.
• Proven expertise in a wide range of organic reactions and purification techniques.
• Strong knowledge of modern spectroscopic and chromatographic analytical methods.
• Excellent problem-solving skills, creativity, and ability to work independently and in a team environment.

Benefits

• Competitive salary and performance-based incentives.
• Comprehensive health, dental, and vision insurance.
• Generous paid time off and retirement savings plan.
• Opportunities for professional growth and development.
• Access to advanced laboratory facilities and a collaborative research environment in Upington .