Principal Cheminformatician - Drug Discovery

About the Role

Our client, a pioneering biopharmaceutical company located in Pretoria, Gauteng , is seeking a highly experienced Principal Cheminformatician to lead critical initiatives in drug discovery and development. This senior role is essential for leveraging computational approaches to accelerate the identification and optimization of novel drug candidates. You will be instrumental in designing and implementing cheminformatics strategies, managing large chemical and biological datasets, and collaborating closely with medicinal chemists, biologists, and computational scientists. The ideal candidate will possess a deep understanding of chemical structure representation, molecular modeling, virtual screening, and data mining techniques within a drug discovery context. This is an exceptional opportunity to join a world-class research team and significantly impact the future of medicine.

Key Responsibilities

• Develop and deploy cutting-edge cheminformatics tools and workflows to support drug discovery programs.


• Manage, curate, and analyze large-scale chemical libraries and biological activity datasets.


• Implement and optimize virtual screening strategies, QSAR modeling, and other predictive computational methods.


• Collaborate closely with medicinal chemists to design novel molecules with desired properties and guide lead optimization efforts.


• Work with biologists and pharmacologists to integrate diverse data types (genomic, proteomic, phenotypic) into computational models.


• Contribute to the strategic direction of cheminformatics research and development within the organization.


• Stay abreast of the latest advancements in cheminformatics, computational chemistry, and artificial intelligence in drug discovery.


• Mentor junior cheminformaticians and contribute to fostering a strong data-driven research culture.


• Ensure data quality, integrity, and accessibility for research teams.

Requirements

• Ph.D. in Cheminformatics, Computational Chemistry, Computer Science, or a related quantitative field.


• A minimum of 8 years of relevant experience in cheminformatics, with a strong focus on drug discovery within the pharmaceutical or biotech industry.


• Proven expertise in chemical representation (e.g., SMILES, InChI, MOL files), descriptor calculation, and molecular similarity searching.


• Proficiency in programming languages such as Python, R, and experience with cheminformatics toolkits (e.g., RDKit, OpenBabel).


• Demonstrated experience with database management (SQL, NoSQL) and data visualization techniques.


• Knowledge of machine learning techniques applied to chemical data is highly desirable.


• Strong understanding of medicinal chemistry principles and drug discovery processes.


• Excellent problem-solving, analytical, and communication skills.


• Ability to work independently and collaboratively in a fast-paced research environment.


• Track record of publications and/or patents in relevant fields.

Benefits

• Our client offers a highly competitive salary commensurate with experience, plus performance-based bonuses and equity options.


• Comprehensive benefits include premium medical, dental, and vision insurance.


• We provide a robust retirement savings plan with employer matching and significant financial support for professional development, including conferences, workshops, and advanced degree programs.


• Generous paid time off and flexible work arrangements support a healthy work-life balance.


• The cutting-edge research facilities in Pretoria, Gauteng , are equipped with the latest technologies.


• This is an unparalleled opportunity to drive innovation in drug discovery at a leading biopharmaceutical company.

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