Advisor / Sr. Advisor, Mass Spectrometry-based Biomarker Discovery - Neuroscience

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

Benefits offered by this job

401(k)

Pension

Vacation benefits

Medical, dental, vision

Job summary

Lilly’s Neuroscience Research team seeks a PhD biomarker scientist with hands‑on mass spectrometry experience to develop and validate targeted assays for neurodegenerative disease trials. You will collaborate with senior project leaders, perform on‑site method development and validation, and support both preclinical and clinical biomarker programs.

Proficiency with proteomics tools such as Spectronaut, Skyline, R and Python, plus strong communication and cross‑functional collaboration, are

Qualifications

• PhD in analytical chemistry, biochemistry, neuroscience, proteomics, or related field.
• 3–5 years of academic or industry LC-MS biomarker experience.
• Hands‑on experience with high‑resolution or triple quadrupole LC‑MS.

Responsibilities

• Develop and validate LC-MS assays for neurodegenerative disease trials.
• Collaborate with project leads to support biomarker programs.
• Perform method development, optimization, and sample analyses on-site.
• Design qualification and validation studies for context of use.

Skills

LC-MS method development

Biomarker discovery

Proteomics data analysis

Communication skills

Team collaboration

Education

PhD in analytical chemistry / biochemistry / neuroscience / proteomics or related field

Tools

Spectronaut

Skyline

R

Python

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.

About Lilly

At Lilly, we unite caring with discovery to make life better for people around the world. We are a global healthcare leader headquartered in Indianapolis, Indiana. Our 47,000 employees around the world work to discover and bring life-changing medicines to those who need them, improve the understanding and management of disease, and give back to our communities through philanthropy and volunteerism. We give our best effort to our work, and we put people first. We’re looking for people who are determined to make life better for people around the world.

Position Overview

Lilly’s Neuroscience Research team is dedicated to the advancement of innovative therapies and diagnostics for the treatment of neurological disorders. We are currently seeking an individual with expertise and knowledge in biomarker discovery, with a demonstrated “hands‑on” track record in mass spectrometry‑based methodologies. The successful candidate will play an important role in the development and discovery of mass spectrometry‑based biomarkers, especially targeted panels of protein biomarkers, thereby supporting both the diagnosis and therapeutic management of neurodegenerative diseases. Biomarkers are of paramount importance in clinical trials, providing essential insights into patient stratification, therapeutic efficacy, safety profiles, and elucidation of mechanisms of action.

Key Responsibilities

• Development and validation of novel mass spectrometry‑based assays for early‑ and late‑phase clinical trials in neurodegenerative diseases, including Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s, ALS, and rare brain disorders.
• Work with project team leads, including Vice President of Neuroscience Biomarker Development and Executive Director for mass spectrometry‑based biomarker discovery, and other associates to perform experiments to support both the preclinical and clinical characterization and evaluation of therapeutic molecules through biomarker assay development.
• Work directly on‑site in the laboratory with method development, optimization, and sample analyses, and with summarizing and reporting method status of results for internal partners.
• Design and execute assay qualification and validation studies appropriate to the intended context of use, including assessment of precision, accuracy, selectivity, stability, parallelism, and matrix effects.
• Collaborate cross‑functionally with internal stakeholders (medical, operations, statistics, regulatory) and external partners (CROs, academic institutions) to ensure biomarker validation and successful integration into clinical programs.

Basic Qualifications

PhD in analytical chemistry, biochemistry, neuroscience, proteomics, or a related field, with 3-5 years of academic, or industry experience in LC‑MS method development for biomarker applications.

Additional Skills / Preferences

• Hands‑on experience with high‑resolution and/or triple quadrupole (QqQ) LC‑MS for targeted (PRM/MRM) or DIA quantification of proteins or peptides in biofluids such as CSF or plasma, including the use of stable isotope labeled standards.
• Strong analytical skills and thorough knowledge of LC‑MS method development, qualification, and validation procedures for biomarker assays.
• Prior experience supporting neuroscience or neurodegeneration biomarker programs is preferred.
• Experience with immunoprecipitation (IP‑MS) is preferred.
• Proficiency with proteomics data analysis tools (e.g., Spectronaut, Skyline, R, Python).
• Excellent communication and collaboration skills, with the ability to present to influence both internal and external stakeholders.

Lilly is dedicated to helping individuals with disabilities to actively engage in the workforce, ensuring equal opportunities when vying for positions. 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).

• company-sponsored 401(k)
• pension
• vacation benefits
• eligibility for medical
• dental
• vision
• 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.

We continue to look for ways to include, innovate, accelerate and deliver while maintaining integrity, excellence and respect for people. We hope that you seek to join us on our journey as we create medicine and deliver improved outcomes for patients across the globe!