External Innovation Scientist: Infectious Disease Vaccines

Elanco Tiergesundheit AG

Indianapolis (IN)

On-site

USD 150,000 - 200,000

Full time

14 days+

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Benefits offered by this job

Relocation packages

Two weeklong shutdowns (mid-summer & Y

8-week parental leave

9 Employee Resource Groups

Annual bonus offering

Flexible work arrangements

Up to 6% 401K matching

Job summary

Elanco Animal Health seeks a Principal Scientist, External Innovation – Infectious Disease & Vaccines, to identify and evaluate next-generation solutions for animal health. You will partner with R&D, global strategy, and senior leadership to scout assets from biotech, pharma, and academia, shaping de-risking experiments and resourcing plans for pet and farm animals.

This senior role emphasizes strategic go/no-go decisions, cross-functional collaboration, and building a robust external innovation

Qualifications

Advanced degree in life sciences (PhD or DVM)
7+ years in external innovation, technology scouting, or alliance management in animal health/pharma/biotech
Deep expertise in infectious diseases, vaccines, or related immunology/virology fields

Responsibilities

Identify external assets/technologies focusing on infectious diseases and vaccines for pets and farm animals.
Lead landscaping of opportunities and coordinate deep technical assessments with internal teams.
Establish and manage relationships with biotech, academia, and pharma partners to build a robust pipeline.
Create proposals for funding and governance, including de-risking strategies and high-level business plans.
Provide strategic go/no-go recommendations and status updates on external innovation efforts.