Pharmacognosist

About the role

The Pharmacognosist will join NaxaWellness' clinical and research team in Lagos, working on‑site to advance the scientific understanding and standardisation of African medicinal plants.

Key responsibilities

• Identify, characterise and standardise African botanical ingredients.
• Conduct phytochemical analysis, extraction, chromatography and spectroscopy assays.
• Perform quality‑control testing and maintain detailed documentation of herbal materials.
• Design and execute laboratory and field studies supporting clinical trials.
• Collaborate with clinicians to translate research findings into safe naturopathic treatment protocols.
• Ensure compliance with regulatory, ethical and Good Laboratory Practice (GLP) standards.
• Contribute to the Materia Medica Library, educational materials and interdisciplinary discussions.

Required profile

• Strong background in pharmacognosy, phytochemistry or herbal medicine.
• Experience with laboratory methods such as extraction, chromatography and spectroscopy.
• Knowledge of regulatory and safety standards for natural health products, including GLP and quality‑assurance principles.
• Proficiency in research design, data collection and scientific writing.
• Familiarity with naturopathic, integrative or complementary medicine and interest in African, Western and Chinese herbal traditions.
• Excellent analytical, problem‑solving and organisational skills with high attention to detail.

Required skills

• Phytochemical analysis
• Chromatography
• Spectroscopy
• Extraction techniques
• Quality control
• Good Laboratory Practice (GLP)
• Scientific writing