Advisor, LNP Process Development and Platform Innovation

Eli Lilly and Company; Boston (MA); On-site; USD 168,000 - 268,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

401(k) plan

Pension

Vacation benefits

Health benefits

Flexible benefits

Life insurance

Well-being programs

Job summary

Lilly’s Advanced Delivery Systems team in Boston seeks a PhD-level scientist to drive RNA-LNP platform innovation and scale-up processes for nonviral delivery vehicles. The role emphasizes mechanistic process understanding, collaboration, and successful tech transfers supporting clinical manufacturing.

You will work across discovery and development, mentoring junior scientists, and ensuring regulatory readiness while advancing portfolio assets for early-phase clinical manufacture in a dynamic,

Qualifications

• Ph.D. in a related field as listed.
• Experience with RNA-LNP formulations and nonviral delivery.
• Ability to mentor junior scientists and collaborate across teams.

Responsibilities

• Drive RNA-LNP platform innovation through publications and industry engagement.
• Develop mechanistic understanding of RNA-LNP unit operations and SOPs.
• Build process capabilities from lab to scale-up for GMP readiness.
• Support tech transfers to internal and external manufacturing sites and manage regulatory readiness.

Skills

RNA-LNP formulations

Process development

Tech transfer

Analytical characterization

Statistical analysis

Publications

Cross-team collaboration

Education

Ph.D. in Chemical Engineering, Biomedical Engineering, Chemistry, Pharmaceutical Sciences, or related field

Tools

DLS

SAXS

Cryo-TEM

SEC

HPLC

AF4

Job description

At Lilly, the work is demanding because patients are waiting. We unite caring with discovery to help make life better for people around the world, knowing that every decision, every detail, and every day matters. Headquartered in Indianapolis, Indiana, our over 50,000 employees around the globe take on complex challenges to discover and deliver life-changing medicines, strengthen how health is understood and managed, and support the communities we serve. This is hard, urgent, selfless work-but it's work worth doing. If you're driven by purpose and ready to bring your best to work that truly matters for patients, we invite you to join us.

The Advanced Delivery Systems (ADS) team, part of the Delivery Devices and Connected Solutions (DDCS) organization, is Lilly's engine for innovation and development in nonviral delivery. The organization's formulation, analytical, process, and platform capabilities span lipid nanoparticle (LNP) systems, particulate formulations, long-acting injectables, and injection physiology. The team is also investing in new delivery platforms to support a growing portfolio of genetic medicines, including RNA-based therapies and other nonviral delivery vehicles.

We are seeking a scientist with a background in nonviral delivery systems and drug products to play a dual role: driving platform innovation for next-generation delivery systems and manufacturing processes, and supporting development efforts to advance portfolio assets. Located at the Lilly Seaport Innovation Center in Boston, this position seeks a candidate with hands-on experience in process development of nonviral delivery vehicles, e.g., RNA-lipid nanoparticles, along with a self-driven, innovative mindset, creative problem-solving skills, and the ability to collaborate effectively across diverse teams.

Roles And Responsibilities

• Drive the team's RNA-LNP innovation agenda through publications, presentations, and industry influence. Build a platform process toolbox across formulations and scales, using mechanistic understanding and modeling to flag risks early and accelerate development across the Lilly portfolio.
• Develop mechanistic understanding of key RNA-LNP unit operations, including rapid-mixing nanoprecipitation, tangential flow filtration, conjugation, and sterile filtration, and of how process design impacts critical quality attributes such as particle size, polydispersity, encapsulation efficiency, RNA integrity, and lipid content, utilizing state-of-the-art analytical techniques.
• Build process capabilities at lab, early-phase clinical, and scale-up scales, and evaluate and implement new manufacturing and characterization technologies for RNA-LNP drug products.
• Advance RNA-LNP portfolio assets from scale-up through early-phase clinical manufacture: mitigate scale-up risks, support project management and technical leaders in executing complex tech transfers to internal and external manufacturing sites, support GMP readiness, and implement processes to deliver clinical trial material.
• Ensure consistent technical deliverables and documentation across RNA-LNP transfers, including authoring technical reports and drug product CMC sections of early-phase regulatory filings, generating supporting data, and addressing health-authority CMC questions with support from colleagues.
• Work across the discovery-development interface, engaging early with discovery colleagues to identify risks and accelerate the progression of candidates into development.
• Establish and leverage strategic relationships with academic and industry partners, CDMOs, and vendors to accelerate and access emerging innovation in RNA-LNP delivery.
• Mentor and develop junior scientists, associates, and interns, and review protocols, technical reports, and development summaries.
• Ensure work meets Development Quality, regulatory, and HSE requirements, with complete and timely records.

Basic Qualifications

• Ph.D. in Chemical Engineering, Biomedical Engineering, Chemistry, Pharmaceutical Sciences, or a related field.

Additional Skills And Preferences

• Prior experience in nanoparticle formulations, oligonucleotide and/or gene delivery development programs, parenteral formulation, or process development.
• Self-driven, highly motivated, and independent fast learner who is eager to try new techniques, stays current with the scientific literature, and thinks creatively to solve problems, while collaborating and communicating effectively across teams.
• Deep mechanistic understanding of unit operations and a solid grasp of engineering fundamentals for designing and optimizing manufacturing processes and drug delivery platforms are highly preferred.
• Experience with development and tech transfer of RNA-LNP formulations is strongly preferred.
• Hands-on experience working with process equipment from lab to pilot scales is preferred.
• Familiarity with routine and advanced analytical techniques used to characterize RNA-LNPs (e.g., DLS, SAXS, cryo-TEM, SEC, HPLC, AF4, RNA integrity and encapsulation assays) is preferred.
• Previous experience with regulatory submissions of RNA-based therapies is preferred.
• Experience with mathematical modeling, whether mechanistic or data-driven, is a plus.
• Experience with laboratory and scientific workflow automation, agentic AI integration, and data infrastructure (e.g., data capture, aggregation, integration, and pipelines connecting instruments, ELN/LIMS, and analytics platforms) is a plus.
• Experience with process analytical technology (PAT) and continuous manufacturing is a plus.
• Proficiency in statistics, design of experiments, data analysis, and reporting.
• Strong publication and presentation record.

Lilly is dedicated to helping individuals with disabilities to actively engage in the workforce, ensuring equal opportunities when vying for positions. If you require accommodation to submit a resume for a position at Lilly, please complete the accommodation request form (https://careers.lilly.com/us/en/workplace-accommodation) for further assistance. Please note this is for individuals to request an accommodation as part of the application process and any other correspondence will not receive a response.

Lilly is proud to be an EEO Employer and does not discriminate on the basis of age, race, color, religion, gender identity, sex, gender expression, sexual orientation, genetic information, ancestry, national origin, protected veteran status, disability, or any other legally protected status.

Our employee resource groups (ERGs) offer strong support networks for their members and are open to all employees. Our current groups include: Africa, Middle East, Central Asia (AMECA), Black Employees at Lilly (BE@Lilly), Chinese Culture Network (CCN), EnAble, Evolve, Lilly Indian Network (LIN), Organization of Latinx at Lilly (OLA), Pride (LGBTQ+ Allies), Veterans Leadership Network (VLN) and Women's Initiative for Leading at Lilly (WILL).

Actual compensation will depend on a candidate's education, experience, skills, and geographic location.

The anticipated wage for this position is

$168,000 - $268,400

Full-time equivalent employees also will be eligible for a company bonus (depending, in part, on company and individual performance).

In addition, Lilly offers a comprehensive benefit program to eligible employees, including

• Eligibility to participate in a company-sponsored 401(k)
• Pension
• Vacation benefits
• Eligibility for medical, dental, vision and prescription drug benefits
• Flexible benefits (e.g., healthcare and/or dependent day care flexible spending accounts)
• Life insurance and death benefits
• Certain time off and leave of absence benefits
• Well-being benefits (e.g., employee assistance program, fitness benefits, and employee clubs and activities)

Lilly reserves the right to amend, modify, or terminate its compensation and benefit programs in its sole discretion and Lilly's compensation practices and guidelines will apply regarding the details of any promotion or transfer of Lilly employees.

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