Associate Vice President/Fellow, Research, Oligonucleotide Chemistry

Eli Lilly and Company; Boston (MA); On-site; USD 240,000 - 385,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

401(k)

Pension

Vacation benefits

Medical, dental, vision

Flexible benefits

Life insurance

Time off and leave

Well-being benefits

Job summary

Eli Lilly and Company seeks a proven scientist to lead a team focused on oligonucleotide medicines. You will guide the design, screening, and optimization of siRNA, ASOs, and conjugates, while collaborating with therapeutic-area leaders to advance candidates into clinical evaluation.

The role emphasizes data-driven decision-making, inclusive leadership, and delivering transformative capabilities across Lilly’s RNA therapies portfolio.

Qualifications

• Ph.D. in chemistry or related field with >10 years of industry experience in oligonucleotide discovery and development.
• Proven leadership and ability to mentor scientists and develop talent.

Responsibilities

• Hire, develop, and supervise Ph.D.- and associate-level scientists to support oligonucleotide medicines.
• Lead screening, design, and SAR optimization of oligonucleotide constructs (siRNA, ASOs, conjugates).
• Lead AI/ML integration into oligonucleotide strategy.
• Partner with legal to develop an IP strategy for novel oligonucleotide medicines.
• Present results clearly to teams and leadership.
• Drive advancement of technical capabilities for enterprise impact.
• Demonstrate learning agility and apply insights across discovery challenges.
• Maintain a strong focus on safety and collaborative culture.

Skills

Team leadership

Data-driven decisions

Strategic thinking

Communication

Mentorship

Interdisciplinary collaboration

Education

Ph.D. in chemistry

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.

We serve an extraordinary purpose. For more than 140 years, we have worked diligently to discover medicines that make life better. These discoveries start in Lilly Research Laboratories, where our scientists work to create new medicines that will help solve our world’s greatest health challenges.

The successful candidate will have a strong research track record in oligonucleotide chemistry, with demonstrated experience in advancing candidates to clinical evaluation. Additionally, they should exhibit strong analytical skills, maintain a systematic approach, and consistently apply data-driven decision-making practices. The scientist will collaborate with multidisciplinary teams across key Lilly therapeutic areas (e.g. Neuroscience, Pain/Neuronal Health, Diabetes and Complications, Immunology) to perform experiments to aid development of oligonucleotide drug candidates for the next generation of RNA therapies. They will also have a demonstrated track record of prioritizing people development through inclusive leadership, mentorship, and a commitment to fostering individual growth and team excellence.

Key Responsibilities Include:

• Hire, develop, and supervise a team of Ph.D.- and associate-level scientists to support a diverse portfolio of oligonucleotide medicines, partnering closely with therapeutic area thought leaders
• Lead the screening, design, and SAR optimization of innovative oligonucleotide constructs—including siRNA, ASOs, and conjugates to advance differentiated clinical candidates.
• Lead the integration of AI/ML into oligonucleotide strategy
• Partner with legal to develop a comprehensive IP strategy for novel oligonucleotide medicines
• Clearly present and summarize results to team members and internal teams
• Develop the vision and drive the advancement of technical capabilities for transformative enterprise impact
• Demonstrate learning agility by quickly absorbing new scientific concepts, embracing new technologies, and applying insights across diverse oligonucleotide discovery challenges.
• Leverage exceptional communication (oral, written), organizational, collaboration, EQ, and leadership skills.
• Keep safety as a top priority at all times, striving toward an interdependent safety culture.

Basic Qualifications:

• Ph.D. in chemistry, or related field, with >10 years of industry experience in oligonucleotide discovery and development

Additional Skills/Preferences:

• The ideal candidate will be a recognized leader in the field of oligonucleotide therapeutics with an established network and track record of delivering drugs to the clinic.
• Experience with extra-hepatic delivery of oligonucleotides and conjugates
• Demonstrated skills for data-driven study design, timeline and partner management, competitive intelligence, and resource planning
• Clear and defined management style
• Excellent communication, interpersonal skills, and team-player mentality
• Demonstrated initiative and appropriate risk-taking
• High level of organization and attention to detail

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.

• 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)
• 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 $240,000 - $385,000

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

• 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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