Post-Doctoral Scientist– Molecular Pharmacology

BioSpace; Indianapolis (IN); On-site; USD 58,000 - 123,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

401(k) plan

Pension

Medical/Dental/Vision coverage

Flexible benefits

Life insurance

Paid time off

Job summary

Lilly in Indianapolis, Indiana, seeks a PhD scientist to advance assays, mitochondrial biology, and chemical biology within a fast-paced, mission-driven team.

You will design and validate small molecule assays, characterize uncoupling activity across systems, present findings at meetings, and contribute to peer-reviewed publications while engaging with Lilly’s comprehensive benefits and supportive environment.

Qualifications

• Ph.D. in Molecular Biology, Biochemistry, Cell Biology, Pharmacology, or a related field.
• Authorized to work in the United States on a full-time basis; no visa sponsorship provided.
• Hands-on experience with molecular biology techniques and high-throughput assays.
• Strong publication record and scientific communication skills.

Responsibilities

• Develop and validate assays to identify small molecule uncouplers.
• Characterize in vitro mitochondrial uncoupling activity across tissues and models.
• Design and execute small molecule screens and determine mechanism of action.
• Present findings at conferences and publish in peer-reviewed journals.

Skills

Molecular biology

Biochemistry

Cell biology

Pharmacology

CRISPR/Cas9 gene editing

High-content imaging

RT-PCR/qPCR

Data analysis

Education

PhD in Molecular Biology/Biochemistry/Cell Biology/Pharmacology or related

Tools

CRISPR/Cas9 tooling

TR-FRET / BRET / AlphaLISA platforms

High-content imaging systems

qPCR instruments

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.

Skills

• Develop and validate assays to identify small molecule uncouplers.
• Characterize in vitro mitochondrial uncoupling activity across cell types, tissues, and disease-relevant systems.
• Work with and be mentored by experts in bioenergetics, molecular pharmacology, and metabolic disease biology.
• Design and execute small molecule screens to identify novel mitochondrial uncouplers, and characterize their mechanism of action, potency, selectivity, and safety margin using cutting edge industry technology and resources.
• Identify areas of key need across clinical development and champion creative solutions to address those needs. Maintain external awareness and learning to benefit the organization.
• Present findings at conferences and publish in high quality peer-reviewed journals.

Basic Qualifications

• Ph.D. in Molecular Biology, Biochemistry, Cell Biology, Pharmacology, or a related field
• 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.

Additional Skills/Preferences

• Demonstrated hands-on experience with molecular biology techniques, including CRISPR/Cas9 gene editing (e.g., guide RNA design, generation of knockout/knock-in cell lines, validation of edits)
• Experience with plate-based assay technologies such as TR-FRET, BRET, AlphaLISA, or similar high-throughput biochemical/cellular assay platforms preferred
• Familiarity with cellular target engagement assays (e.g., CETSA, NanoBRET target engagement, or similar approaches) preferred
• Experience with cell-based imaging techniques, including high-content/high-throughput imaging, fluorescence microscopy, or confocal imaging, for applications such as target engagement, phenotypic profiling, or trafficking studies
• Proficiency in RT-PCR/qPCR techniques for gene expression analysis
• Experience with proteomics and/or chemical biology approaches (e.g., mass spectrometry-based proteomics, activity-based protein profiling, chemical probe development) is a plus
• Strong scientific communication skills and a record of peer-reviewed publication.

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).

Actual compensation will depend on a candidate’s education, experience, skills, and geographic location.

The anticipated wage for this position is $58,000 - $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.

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