Pharmaceutical Scientist / Researcher
Researches and develops new drugs and pharmaceutical formulations. Combines chemistry, pharmacology and biology to discover, test and improve medicines for disease treatment.
- AI exposure
- 28 of 100, low exposure
- Hiring trend
- Rising
- Hiring rate
- 35%
The role
What the work is, what it pays, and what it costs you.
At a glance
- Remote friendly
- No
- Freelance potential
- Low
- Time to senior
- 10 years
A day in the role
Tests a new drug formulation in the lab, analyses pharmacokinetic data, reviews clinical trial results, writes a research paper, and ensures compliance with PPB regulations.
What it pays
Kenyan market, per month- Entry
- KES 60,000-110,000
- Mid
- KES 140,000-300,000
- Senior
- KES 350,000-750,000
Exposure
How much of this a machine can already do, and how that was worked out.
Where this rating sits
1,516 rated careersRated above 24% of the 1,516 careers in the catalogue, which averages 43. Inside health sciences the mean is 25, across 137 careers.
Named task by task
Already automated
- AI-powered drug discovery and molecular design
- Automated high-throughput screening
- Generating drug formulation reports
- AI-assisted pharmacokinetic modelling
Still human
- Conducting pharmaceutical research
- Developing and testing drug formulations
- Designing and running clinical trials
- Analysing research data
- Ensuring regulatory compliance (PPB)
- Publishing research findings
Task counts
- Displacing
- AI automates basic screening
- Augmenting
- AI drug discovery accelerates research
- Creating
- AI-driven pharma creates new computational roles
Sources
Behind the rating- PPB Kenya
- KEMRI
- WEF Future of Jobs 2023
Getting in
The routes into the role and what each one asks for.
What to study
8 courses- Diploma in Human BiosciencesKsh 34,920a year
- Certificate in Health Services SupportKsh 50,500a year
- Certificate in HIV/AIDS ManagementKsh 63,290a year
- Artisan in Community HealthKsh 67,189a year
- Certificate in Health Records and ITKsh 67,189a year
- Certificate in Science Laboratory TechnicianKsh 67,189a year
- Certificate in Science Laboratory TechnologyKsh 67,189a year
- Craft in School Laboratory TechnicianKsh 67,189a year
How people get in
BPharm/BSc + MSc/PhD Pharmaceutical Sciences
8-12 yearsVery high cost
Pharmacy or chemistry degree plus postgraduate research degrees
Who hires
- KEMRI
- Universal Corporation
- Beta Healthcare
- Regal Pharmaceuticals
- Universities
Common misconceptions
Pharmaceutical science is just making pills
It involves molecular design, drug delivery systems, pharmacokinetics, clinical trials and regulatory science — pharmaceutical scientists discover and develop new medicines.
What happens next
How the role changes from here, and where it leads.
Growth outlook
- Net demand change
- +12%
- Over
- 2026-2028
- Drivers
- Local manufacturing growth,Traditional medicine research,Regional export market
- Headwinds
- Limited R&D investment,Brain drain
What to learn
- AI drug discovery platforms
- Computational pharmacology
- Regulatory science for AI drugs
Related careers
Kenyan market notes
Kenya is a pharmaceutical manufacturing hub for East Africa — Universal Corporation, Beta Healthcare, Regal, Cosmos. KEMRI conducts research. PPB (Pharmacy and Poisons Board) regulates. Growing local manufacturing capacity. Limited pharmaceutical research roles — mostly in manufacturing. Salary: entry KES 60,000-110,000, mid KES 140,000-300,000, senior KES 350,000-750,000+.
Further reading
This role is rated 28 out of 100 today. Save it and the app keeps that number, then tells you by how much it has moved when the record is next reviewed.