Lab Manager – Analytical Laboratories

Biopharma Careers; Lebanon (KY); On-site; USD 65,000 - 149,000; Full time

Job summary

Lilly is seeking a Lab Manager, Analytical Laboratories, to lead daily operations and ensure readiness, safety, and compliance of analytical laboratories supporting process development, characterization, technology transfer, GMP testing, and manufacturing support activities.

The role partners with multiple teams to align laboratory priorities, manage equipment lifecycle, and drive continuous improvement in the organization’s scientific capabilities.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in chemistry or biology or related scientific discipline.
• Minimum 5+ years of experience in pharmaceutical, chemical, biotechnology, or process development laboratories.
• Demonstrated experience managing laboratory operations in a regulated environment.
• Ability to work in a laboratory environment with safe handling of chemicals and PPE.
• Authorized to work in the United States on a full‑time basis.

Responsibilities

• Lead daily operations of analytical laboratories to ensure safe, efficient, and compliant execution of laboratory activities.
• Ensure laboratory readiness for new programs, equipment installations, method transfers, and facility expansions.
• Develop laboratory resource plans, schedules, and capacity forecasts aligned with business needs.
• Serve as the primary escalation point for laboratory operational issues.
• Foster a strong safety culture and ensure compliance with all HSE requirements.
• Maintain inspection readiness and support regulatory inspections and audits.
• Oversee the analytical equipment lifecycle, including procurement, installation, qualification, calibration, maintenance, relocation, and retirement.
• Partner with Engineering, Laboratory Equipment Support Group to ensure equipment reliability and availability.
• Manage laboratory asset inventories, consumables, reagents, standards, and critical materials.
• Monitor equipment utilization and performance metrics and develop improvement plans.
• Lead initiatives focused on laboratory productivity, automation, digitalization, and operational excellence.
• Drive implementation of digital workflows and data-driven metrics.

Skills

Laboratory management

Regulatory compliance

Data integrity

Cross‑functional leadership

Safety leadership

Education

Bachelor's degree in chemistry or biology

Tools

LIMS

Empower

ELN

Kneat

CMMS

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.

Lab Manager – Analytical Laboratories

Location : Lilly Medicine Foundry

Overview

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 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.

Organization

Lilly recently announced a $4.5billion investment to create the Lilly Medicine Foundry, a new center for advanced manufacturing and drug development. The first‑ever facility of its kind, combining research and manufacturing in a single location, the Medicine Foundry will allow Lilly to further develop innovative solutions to optimize manufacturing processes and increase capacity for clinical trial medicines, while also reducing costs and environmental impact.

In the Project Delivery Phase and Startup Phase of the project (2025 to 2028), roles will be fluid and dynamic as we endeavor to support the project delivery, build a new organization, develop and implement the necessary systems and business processes required to support GMP operations. This will require significant collaboration, creativity, and resilience as the Lilly Medicine Foundry goes from design, start‑up, and to steady‑state operations.

Position Overview

The Lab Manager, Analytical Laboratories, is responsible for leading the day‑to‑day operations, readiness, safety, compliance, and performance of analytical laboratories supporting process development, characterization, technology transfer, GMP testing, and manufacturing support activities.

The Lab Manager partners closely with Analytical Scientists, Quality Control, Process Development, Manufacturing, Engineering, HSE, Facilities, Lab Informatics, and Equipment Support teams to ensure laboratories remain operationally ready and aligned with business priorities. The position provides leadership for laboratory operations, equipment lifecycle management, resource planning, and continuous improvement initiatives.

Key Responsibilities

Laboratory Operations & Readiness

Lead daily operations of analytical laboratories to ensure safe, efficient, and compliant execution of laboratory activities.

Ensure laboratory readiness for new programs, equipment installations, method transfers, and facility expansions.

Develop laboratory resource plans, schedules, and capacity forecasts aligned with business needs.

Serve as the primary escalation point for laboratory operational issues.

Safety, Quality & Compliance

Foster a strong safety culture and ensure compliance with all HSE requirements.

Ensure laboratory activities comply with quality standards.

Maintain inspection readiness and support regulatory inspections and audits.

Applies 5S and ALCOA principles to maintain an organized, compliant, and inspection‑ready laboratory environment.

Equipment & Asset Management

Oversee the analytical equipment lifecycle, including procurement, installation, qualification, calibration, maintenance, relocation, and retirement.

Partner with Engineering, Laboratory Equipment Support Group to ensure equipment reliability and availability.

Manage laboratory asset inventories, consumables, reagents, standards, and critical materials.

Monitor equipment utilization and performance metrics and develop improvement plans.

Strategic & Cross‑Functional Leadership

Lead initiatives focused on laboratory productivity, automation, digitalization, and operational excellence.

Drive implementation of digital workflows.

Utilize data‑driven metrics to identify performance gaps and improvement opportunities.

Promote collaboration across analytical, process development, manufacturing, and quality organizations.

Foster a culture of operational excellence, accountability, and continuous improvement.

Support strategic laboratory expansion and organizational scaling plans.

Basic Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in chemistry or biology or related scientific discipline.
• Minimum 5+ years of experience in pharmaceutical, chemical, biotechnology, or process development laboratories.
• Demonstrated experience managing laboratory operations in a regulated environment.
• Ability to work in a laboratory environment requires safe handling of chemicals, wearing appropriate PPE, and understanding other safety‑related equipment or considerations.
• Qualified applicants must be authorized to work in the United States on a full‑time basis. Lilly will not provide support for or sponsor work authorization or visas for this role, including but not limited to F-1 CPT, F-1 OPT, F-1 STEM OPT, J-1, H-1B, TN, O-1, E‑3, H-1B1, or L-1.

Preferred Qualifications

• Knowledge of analytical instrumentation including HPLC, UPLC, GC, LC‑MS, dissolution, spectroscopy, particle characterization, and microbiological testing platforms.
• Experience with equipment qualification, validation, and lifecycle management.
• Familiarity with LIMS, Empower, ELN, Knea t, CMMS, and laboratory digital systems.
• Strong understanding of regulatory requirements, data integrity, and quality systems.
• Proven ability to lead cross‑functional teams and influence organizational outcomes.

Other Information

Initial location at Lilly Technology Center, Indianapolis and/or Parkwood West

Permanent location at the new Lilly Medicine Foundry in Lebanon, Indiana.

Flexibility to work from Indianapolis (or other Lilly sites) may be required throughout 2026 through 2029.

Position requires on -site presence, 8‑hour days, five days per week, with flexibility to support activities during shutdowns, weekends, etc.

0–10% travel required

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).

Compensation and Benefits

Actual compensation will depend on a candidate’s education, experience, skills, and geographic location. The anticipated wage for this position is

$65,250 - $148,500

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.