Overview
Chemistry Team Leader Jobs in Pretoria, Gauteng, South Africa at Blum Biologicals (PTY) Ltd
Title: Chemistry Team Leader
Company: Blum Biologicals (PTY) Ltd
Location: Pretoria, Gauteng, South Africa
Company Description
Blum Biologicals, a South African-born company based in Pretoria, leverages AI-driven innovation to develop natural, sustainable solutions for pest and plant health. Focused on creating biological alternatives to chemical sprays, the company harnesses the unique power of fungi and bacteria to address challenges in agriculture. With a strong scientific foundation, Blum Biologicals is committed to enhancing sustainability and meeting the growing demand for chemical-free produce. The company's innovative approach places it at the forefront of addressing critical agricultural challenges such as declining pesticide efficacy.
Minimum Qualifications
- Master’s degree (MSc) in:
- Analytical Chemistry
- Chemistry
- Natural Products Chemistry
- Biochemistry
- or a related discipline
PhD advantageous but not required.
Required Experience
Candidates should demonstrate experience in several of the following areas:
- Analytical chemistry techniques
- Mass spectrometry (LC-MS / LC-MS/MS)
- Chromatographic separation techniques (HPLC / UPLC / GC)
- Sample preparation and metabolite extraction
- Identification and characterisation of small molecules
- Data analysis and interpretation of complex chemical datasets
Highly Desirable Experience
- Natural products chemistry
- Microbial or fermentation-derived metabolites
- Metabolomics or metabolite profiling
- Structure elucidation of biologically active compounds
- Working with biological samples and microbial extracts
- Experience supporting R&D discovery environments
Key Responsibilities
Metabolite Discovery
- Identify and characterise biologically active metabolites from microbial and biological systems
- Develop analytical workflows to support biological discovery programmes
Analytical Method Development
- Develop and optimise analytical methods for detection and characterisation of metabolites
- Perform chromatographic separation and mass spectrometric analysis
Cross-Disciplinary Collaboration
Work closely with:
- Bioassay team – identifying biological activity
- Biology & genomics team – microbial systems and biological pathways
- AI/data team – pattern recognition and discovery insights
- Fermentation & pilot plant teams – scaling production of promising metabolites
Data & Intellectual Property
- Generate high-quality analytical data suitable for intellectual property protection
- Support invention disclosures and scientific documentation
Why Join Blum Biologicals
Blum Biologicals is developing an integrated discovery platform combining:
- Microbiology
- Bioassays
- Analytical chemistry
- Artificial intelligence
- Fermentation and pilot-scale manufacturing
You will join a founding multidisciplinary science team working on the discovery and development of novel biological crop protection solutions.
This role offers a unique opportunity to help build a world-class biological discovery engine from the ground up.
Ideal Candidate Traits
- Scientifically curious and creative
- Comfortable working in discovery environments with unknowns
- Strong analytical and problem-solving mindset
- Collaborative across biological and chemical disciplines