Lead Formulation Scientist, Early Development

Elanco; Indianapolis (IN); On-site; USD 110,000 - 160,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Relocation packages

Shutdowns mid-summer and year-end

Parental leave

Employee Resource Groups

Annual bonus

Flexible work arrangements

401K matching

LI-RH1

Job summary

Elanco is seeking a Senior Scientist in the Transitional and Early Development team in Indianapolis to lead early-formulation work and drive biophysical characterization of lead molecules toward pre-clinical study material.

You will manage a small characterization team, applying protein chemistry expertise, and collaborate across discovery, process development, and analytical groups to select optimal formulations for monoclonal antibodies and other biologics.

Qualifications

• PhD in Pharmaceutical Sciences, Biochemistry, Chemical Engineering, Chemistry or related field.
• 3+ years in biopharmaceutical industry focusing on protein formulation and characterization.
• Experience leading formulation projects from concept to execution.

Responsibilities

• Strategic Pre-Formulation: Lead formulation programs for lead molecules with high solubility, stability, and freeze-thaw potential.
• Team Leadership: Direct and mentor a small characterization team; establish robust analytical workflows and criteria.
• Risk Mitigation: Identify and mitigate formulation-related risks such as aggregation and viscosity at high concentrations.
• Technical Innovation: Evaluate and implement novel formulation technologies and high-throughput screening platforms.
• Cross-Functional Collaboration: Serve as the technical formulation lead on concurrent project teams across functions.
• Data Excellence: Maintain ELN documentation and provide data-driven recommendations for development transitions.

Skills

Protein chemistry

Thermodynamics

Biophysical characterization

Formulation development

Team leadership

Biochemical assays

Data integrity

Scientific communication

Education

PhD in Pharmaceutical Sciences

Biochemistry

Chemical Engineering

Chemistry

Tools

DLS/Zetasizer

DSC

DSF

SEC

Spectroscopy

Job description

Elanco is seeking a Senior Scientist in the Transitional and Early Development team in Indianapolis to lead early-formulation work and drive biophysical characterization of lead molecules toward pre-clinical study material.

You will manage a small characterization team, applying protein chemistry expertise, and collaborate across discovery, process development, and analytical groups to select optimal formulations for monoclonal antibodies and other biologics.