Lilly Research Laboratories TDA - 2027 Spring Doctoral Internship

100 Eli Lilly and Company; Indianapolis (IN); On-site; USD 43,000 - 123,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Free parking

Lilly LIFE fitness center

Subsidized housing

Workplace accommodations

Job summary

Lilly's TDA Intern program offers science students a unique chance to work in Drug Discovery or Development at a world-class pharmaceutical company. The internship runs in Spring 2027, starts in the third week of January, and targets students in biology, chemistry, engineering, pharmaceutics, or related fields.

Interns will gain experience with AI tools across the business and contribute to cutting-edge research. Positions are located at Lilly's Indianapolis HQ and may include Boston, MA.

Qualifications

• Enrolled in a Ph.D. or PharmD program with a concentration in Biology, Chemistry, Biochemistry, Chemical Engineering, Biomedical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, or a related discipline.
• At least one academic term remaining following the internship.

Responsibilities

• AI/ML Analytical development and related project work.
• Bioassay development and biological testing of compounds.
• Organic and Peptide synthesis activities.
• Computational biology and chemistry work.
• Delivery devices and drug product design tasks.

Skills

AI/ML Analytical development

Bioassay development

Biological testing of compounds

Organic synthesis

Computational biology

Molecular biology

Team player

Excellent communication

Education

Ph.D. or PharmD program

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.

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.

Organization Overview

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.

Functional Overview & Responsibilities

TDA Intern Overview: Lilly’s internship program provides science students the unique opportunity to work in the Drug Discovery or Development areas of a world‑class pharmaceutical company. Our internship program helps us identify future technical talent and leaders and allows interns to gain technical expertise and understanding of the drug development process, experience our culture and see the variety of career paths available at Lilly. This internship will take place during the Spring of 2027 staring during the third week of January 2027. We are looking for students majoring in biology, chemistry, biochemistry, all fields of engineering, pharmaceutics, or a related discipline to join our team of scientists. As part of Lilly’s commitment to innovation, interns will have the opportunity to build fluency with AI tools used across the business. We expect interns to approach these tools with curiosity, apply critical thinking to AI‑assisted work, and always prioritize accuracy, confidentiality, and ethical standards in how they use them. As an intern you will have an opportunity to diversify your skillset while contributing to cutting edge research.

Your work or project may include but are not limited to the following:

• AI/ML Analytical development
• Bioassay development
• Biological testing of compounds
• Organic and Peptide synthesis
• Chemical Modality
• Computational biology
• Computational chemistry
• Delivery devices
• Molecular biology
• Protein expression
• Purification, characterization, analytical methods, and formulation
• Flow chemistry
• Drug product design and performance

The internship positions are located at our corporate headquarters in Indianapolis, IN and may include Boston, MA. Each intern will be assigned a project providing the opportunity to actively contribute to the Discovery or Development organization, build a more comprehensive understanding of the pharmaceutical industry, and the role Eli Lilly and Company scientists play in delivering innovative medicines to patients.

Basic Qualifications Requirements:

Enrolled in a Ph.D. or PharmD program with a concentration in Biology, Chemistry, Biochemistry, Chemical Engineering, Biomedical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, or a related discipline. Students must have at least one academic term remaining following the completion of the internship.

Additional Functional Job Skills & Preference

Team player with excellent communication skills.

• AI/ML Analytical development
• Bioassay development
• Biological testing of compounds
• Organic and Peptide synthesis
• Chemical Modality
• Computational biology
• Computational chemistry
• Delivery devices
• Molecular biology
• Protein expression
• Purification, characterization, analytical methods, and formulation
• Flow chemistry
• Drug product design and performance

Prior experience using AI tools (e.g., generative AI platforms, automation tools, or AI‑assisted research/analytics tools) in an academic, project, or work setting.

Additional Information

All interns will be considered for full‑time positions based on their internship performance Lilly arranges various intern activities including sporting events, dinners, lunch and learns, volunteer activities etc. to provide opportunities for socializing, professional development, and learning more about Lilly.

1:1 mentoring from an experienced professional in the function Interns will receive a competitive salary and free parking at their work site, as well as access to Lilly’s LIFE fitness center, bike garage, and many other discounts If the intern's job position requires a move from another location, Lilly will provide subsidized housing 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)
• 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 $43,000 - $123,200 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.

#WeAreLilly At Lilly we strive to ensure our employees are part of a team that cares about them and our shared purpose of making life better for those around the world. How do we do this? We continue to look for ways to include, innovate, accelerate and deliver while maintaining integrity, excellence and respect for people. We hope that you seek to join us on our journey as we create medicine and deliver improved outcomes for patients across the globe! #WeAreLilly