Director, Immunology Target Discovery & Validation

Eli Lilly and Company; Indianapolis (IN); On-site; USD 126,000 - 205,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Company bonus

401(k) plan

Vacation benefits

Medical, dental, vision benefits

Job summary

Lilly in Indianapolis, Indiana, is seeking a Director for New Target Validation within Discovery Immunology to lead biology strategy from target identification through mechanistic validation. You will guide cross‑functional teams and shape early portfolio advancement in autoimmune diseases.

The ideal candidate has a Ph.D. and 5+ years in pharmaceutical discovery biology, with deep experience in functional genomics, primary human models, and translational science.

Qualifications

• Ph.D. in Molecular Genetics, Cell Biology, Immunology, or a related field.
• 5+ years of experience in pharmaceutical drug discovery biology in autoimmune diseases.
• Strong leadership and mentoring capabilities.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills.

Responsibilities

• Drive scientific decision‑making across multidisciplinary project teams to ensure robust biological rationale, mechanism‑of‑action understanding, and data‑supported progression criteria.
• Provide hands‑on guidance for associates in developing new technology and mentorship to deliver on key scientific objectives.
• Identify key technical/operational challenges and proactively develop mitigation strategies.
• Strong communication ability to interface with bioinformatics and discovery teams to facilitate iterative learnings from clinical data.

Skills

Leadership

Strategic thinking

Communication

Education

Ph.D. in Molecular Genetics, Cell Biology, Immunology, or a related field

Job description

Lilly in Indianapolis, Indiana, is seeking a Director for New Target Validation within Discovery Immunology to lead biology strategy from target identification through mechanistic validation. You will guide cross‑functional teams and shape early portfolio advancement in autoimmune diseases.

The ideal candidate has a Ph.D. and 5+ years in pharmaceutical discovery biology, with deep experience in functional genomics, primary human models, and translational science.