Advisor/Sr Advisor, Molecular Pharmacology

BioSpace; Indianapolis (IN); On-site; USD 126,000 - 205,000; Full time

Job summary

Lilly, headquartered in Indianapolis, Indiana, seeks a Advisor/Sr Advisor in Molecular Pharmacology to lead advanced assay design and data interpretation for GPCR programs. You will design and optimize screening cascades, study ligand-receptor interactions, and guide mechanistic investigations to inform candidate selection.

This role requires PhD or equivalent, independent thinking, and mentoring junior scientists.

Qualifications

• PhD or equivalent in a relevant field.
• Experience with GPCR pharmacology principles and data analysis.

Responsibilities

• Design and implement screening cascade assays to drive SAR and compound optimization, leveraging pharmacology principles including receptor affinity, selectivity, and functional activity assessment.
• Develop and execute assays that characterize ligand-receptor interactions, including radioligand binding, kinetic profiling, and functional assays.
• Design imaging-based assays using confocal microscopy and HCS to investigate GPCR internalization, trafficking, and subcellular localization.
• Independently investigate mechanistic behavior of molecules to inform compound optimization and target product profiles.
• Represent Molecular Pharmacology on cross-functional project teams and provide expert guidance on pharmacology strategy.
• Define hypotheses, success criteria, and timelines grounded in pharmacology principles.
• Anticipate challenges and troubleshoot complex assay systems to ensure reliable data.
• Maintain data quality and integrate cross-functional data to support go/no-go decisions.

Skills

GPCR pharmacology

Assay design

Data analysis

Biochemical assays

Education

PhD in Biochemistry/Biology/Biophysics/Molecular Biology/Pharmacology or related field

B.S./M.S. with 5+ years relevant experience

Tools

Confocal microscopy

High-content screening (HCS)

Competitive binding

Saturation binding

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.

Position: Advisor/Sr Advisor, Molecular Pharmacology

Reports to: Molecular Pharmacology Manager, Lilly Research Laboratories

Band: Independent Impact & Emerging Leadership

Overview

At Lilly, we serve an extraordinary purpose. We make a difference for people around the globe by discovering, developing and delivering medicines that help them live longer, healthier, more active lives. Not only do we deliver breakthrough medications, but you also can count on us to develop creative solutions to support communities through philanthropy and volunteerism. The Lilly Small Molecule Design group is an organization purpose-built to create molecules that make life better for people. We focus on using cutting-edge science to unlock new approaches that can treat people suffering from diseases with poor treatment options. We continually challenge ourselves to deliver molecules that can provide breakthrough efficacy with the highest possible safety margins. We are dedicated to optimizing our mindset, technology, and processes for faster, more nimble execution. Our success is built on a culture that empowers innovative problem-solving through open collaboration and individual accountability.

Position Summary

The Advanced Molecule Design team's mission is to optimize lead molecules to strong drug candidates that become breakthrough medicines. The primary measure of success in this role is the quality and impact of the pharmacology science you design and deliver — assay cascades that resolve key project questions, mechanistic investigations that sharpen compound optimization, and data that drives confident program decisions.

Key Responsibilities

• Design and implement screening cascade assays to drive SAR and compound optimization, leveraging molecular pharmacology principles including receptor affinity, selectivity, and functional activity assessment.
• Develop and execute assays that characterize ligand-receptor interactions, including competitive and saturation radioligand binding experiments, kinetic profiling (Kon/Koff), and functional assays that measure G protein signaling, arrestin recruitment, and receptor desensitization.
• Design imaging-based assays employing confocal microscopy and high-content screening (HCS) platforms to investigate cellular mechanisms including GPCR internalization, receptor trafficking, endosomal localization, and subcellular colocalization patterns.
• Independently investigate mechanistic behavior of molecules — including time on target, receptor occupancy, internalization kinetics, biomarker responses, and downstream signaling pathways — to inform compound optimization and target product profiles (TPPs).
• Serve as the go‑to scientific resource for assigned projects; act as a technical point of contact across functions and provide expert guidance on molecular pharmacology strategy.
• Represent Molecular Pharmacology on cross-functional project teams; build partnerships that translate into better-informed experimental design and mechanistic insights.
• Define clear hypotheses, success criteria, and timelines for experimental programs grounded in established pharmacology principles.
• Anticipate technical challenges and proactively propose solutions before they impact delivery; troubleshoot complex assay systems and optimize protocols for reliability and reproducibility.
• Maintain data quality and integrity so that every experiment delivers confident, actionable information on compound pharmacology and mechanism of action.
• Integrate cross‑functional data to support data‑driven, go/no‑go decision‑making and advance program strategy.

Enabling: Partnerships, Tools, and Assay Innovation That Accelerate Impact

• Develop and validate novel assay approaches that advance scientific understanding and program capabilities, including optimization of cell line systems, assay platforms, and analytical methods.
• Integrate AI, machine learning, and laboratory automation to accelerate workflows and improve assay throughput.
• Stay current with emerging technologies and methodologies in molecular pharmacology and assay science; champion adoption of innovative approaches within the team.

Supporting: Team Development and Culture

• Begin mentoring junior scientists; provide constructive, actionable feedback to support their development in molecular pharmacology and assay design.
• Foster a collaborative environment where colleagues can contribute ideas and thrive; champion scientific rigor and open dialogue.
• Build productive relationships with project teams and cross‑functional partners; enhance probability of technical success through better‑informed experimental strategy.
• Proactively own and execute a personal development plan; build expertise in GPCR pharmacology, emerging assay modalities, and advanced technologies.
• Lead or contribute to continuous improvement initiatives that increase the team's ability to advance programs and deliver quality science.

Safety & Compliance — Model Safety Leadership Through Personal Practice

• Demonstrate an unwavering commitment to safety‑first laboratory practice: complete required safety training, conduct risk assessments before experiments, and elevate concerns immediately.
• Follow all site safety, environmental, and regulatory compliance requirements; actively reinforce a safety‑first team culture.

Basic Requirements

• PhD in Biochemistry, Biology, Biophysics, Molecular Biology, Pharmacology, or a related field; or B.S./M.S. with 5+ years of relevant experience.

Additional Preferences

• Demonstrated expertise designing and executing complex assay cascades across biochemical, cellular, and/or in vivo settings, with emphasis on G protein‑coupled receptor (GPCR) binding and functional assays.
• Strong foundation in molecular pharmacology principles including pharmacologic data analysis, receptor theory, ligand‑receptor interactions, binding kinetics, and functional selectivity.
• Experience investigating molecular mechanisms relevant to drug discovery (e.g., target engagement, GPCR signaling, kinetic profiling, biomarker strategies, receptor internalization).
• Strong record of delivering high‑quality, reproducible data that has informed project decisions
• Ability to work independently and manage multiple scientific priorities simultaneously
• Experience with GPCR‑specific assays including binding and/or functional assays measuring G protein coupling, receptor internalization, and arrestin recruitment.
• Hands‑on experience with binding techniques: competitive binding, saturation binding, kinetic experiments, and membrane‑based or whole‑cell assay formats.
• Experience mentoring junior scientists or leading small scientific working groups.
• Familiarity with AI/ML tools and laboratory automation platforms for assay optimization and data analysis.
• Track record of scientific productivity demonstrated through publications, patents, or internal drug discovery contributions.

Physical Demands / Travel

The physical demands here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job.

Work Environment

• To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform the role and responsibilities satisfactorily. The requirements listed above are representative of the knowledge, skill, and/or ability required. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

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 $126,000 - $204,600. 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; and 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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