Senior Research Chemist - Organic Synthesis

Placements24; Soweto; On-site; ZAR 900,000 - 1,200,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Competitive salary and bonus

Modern facilities

Health & wellness benefits

Professional development support

Collaborative environment

Job summary

Placements24 seeks a Senior Research Chemist in Soweto to lead organic synthesis efforts in a cutting-edge R&D environment. The role involves designing complex synthetic routes, optimizing processes for scalability, and collaborating with medicinal chemistry teams to advance projects from discovery to development.

The ideal candidate holds a PhD in Organic Chemistry with 5+ years of experience in synthetic organic chemistry and proficiency with NMR, MS, and HPLC for compound characterization.

Qualifications

• PhD in Organic Chemistry or related field.
• Minimum of 5 years of post-doctoral or industrial experience in synthetic organic chemistry.
• Proven expertise in a broad range of organic reactions and synthetic methodologies.
• Hands-on experience with analytical techniques for compound characterization.
• Ability to design and execute complex synthetic strategies independently.
• Excellent problem-solving skills and meticulous attention to detail.

Responsibilities

• Design and execute multi-step organic syntheses for novel compounds.
• Develop and optimize synthetic routes for efficiency and scalability.
• Characterize compounds using advanced analytical techniques (NMR, MS, HPLC).
• Troubleshoot synthetic challenges and identify alternative pathways.
• Collaborate with medicinal chemists and process development teams.
• Maintain detailed lab notebooks and contribute to reports.

Skills

Organic synthesis

Route design & optimization

Analytical techniques

Problem solving

Education

PhD in Organic Chemistry

Tools

NMR spectrometry

Mass spectrometry

HPLC

Job description

About the Role

Our client is seeking a highly motivated and experienced Senior Research Chemist specializing in Organic Synthesis to join their dynamic research and development team in Soweto . This role is central to the discovery and development of new chemical entities, requiring expertise in designing and executing complex synthetic routes. You will work in a state-of-the-art laboratory environment, collaborating with cross-functional teams to advance projects from early discovery through to process development. We are looking for a creative and detail-oriented chemist who is passionate about pushing the boundaries of synthetic chemistry and contributing to innovative solutions.

Key Responsibilities

• Design and execute multi-step organic syntheses to prepare novel compounds.
• Develop and optimize synthetic routes for efficiency, scalability, and safety.
• Characterize synthesized compounds using advanced analytical techniques (NMR, MS, HPLC, etc.).
• Troubleshoot synthetic challenges and identify alternative pathways.
• Collaborate with medicinal chemists and process development teams.
• Maintain detailed laboratory notebooks and contribute to scientific reports and publications.

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 broad range of organic reactions and synthetic methodologies.
• Strong hands-on experience with modern analytical techniques for compound characterization.
• Ability to design and execute complex synthetic strategies independently.
• Excellent problem-solving skills and meticulous attention to detail.

Benefits

• Competitive salary and performance-based bonus opportunities.
• Opportunity to work in well-equipped, modern laboratory facilities.
• Comprehensive health and wellness benefits.
• Support for professional development, including conference attendance.
• A collaborative and intellectually stimulating research environment.