Post-Doctoral Scientist, Neuroscience Cell Biology, Molecular Pharmacology

Eli Lilly and Company; Louisville (CO); On-site; USD 58,000 - 123,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

401(k) plan

Pension

Vacation benefits

Medical, dental, vision benefits

Flexible benefits

Life insurance

Time off

Well-being benefits

Job summary

Eli Lilly and Company in Louisville, CO seeks a postdoctoral scientist to join the small molecule pharmacology team. You will build human iPSC‑derived neuronal models to define mechanisms of action for novel inhibitors in neurodegeneration and develop physiologically relevant neuronal assay systems.

The role requires a PhD in neuroscience or related field, strong publication record, and expertise in iPSC differentiation, imaging, and data analysis.

Qualifications

• PhD in neuroscience, pharmacology, cell biology, molecular biology, stem cell biology, or closely related life science.”
• Experience with human iPSC-derived neuronal models and phenotypic characterization.
• Experience with high-content imaging and quantitative image analysis.
• Proven publication record in relevant fields.
• Experience with mammalian cell culture and standard molecular biology techniques.

Responsibilities

• Establish and apply human iPSC-derived neuronal models as pharmacology platforms.
• Design high-content imaging experiments to determine mechanism of action of small molecules.
• Develop quantitative, multiparametric analyses from imaging datasets.
• Contribute to novel approaches for small molecule drug discovery in neurodegeneration.
• Collaborate with molecular pharmacologists, structural biologists, computational scientists, stem cell biologists and medicinal chemists.

Skills

Neurobiology knowledge

iPSC-derived neuronal models

Mammalian cell culture

High-content imaging

Quantitative image analysis

Computational biology / Python / R

iPSC differentiation & genome editing

Scientific communication / publication

Data analysis & graphing

Cell-based assay technologies

Laboratory automation

Assay miniaturization (384-well)

Education

PhD in neuroscience / pharmacology / cell biology / molecular biology / stem cell biology

Tools

CellProfiler

Fiji/ImageJ

Harmony

Columbus

GraphPad Prism

Python

PyMOL

MOE

NanoBRET / TR-FRET / AlphaLISA / CellTiter-Glo

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.

Overview

We are seeking a motivated postdoctoral scientist to join our small molecule molecular pharmacology team in Louisville, Colorado. This position sits at the intersection of human stem cell neurobiology and small molecule drug discovery.

The successful candidate will build and interrogate human iPSC-derived neuronal model systems to define the mechanism of action of novel small molecule inhibitors in neurodegeneration. The position will focus on building neuronal assay models using physiologically relevant neuronal cell systems.

We are looking for self-motivated, independent thinkers with a strong foundation in neuroscience and human cellular models, and a proven track record of publication.

In this role, you will

• Establish, characterize, and apply human iPSC-derived neuronal and neural cell models, including co-cultures and disease-relevant genotypes, as pharmacology platforms for small molecule programs.
• Design and conduct innovative high content imaging experiments in these models to determine mechanism of action for small molecule inhibitors.
• Develop and apply quantitative, multiparametric analysis approaches to extract mechanistic insight from large imaging and phenotypic datasets.
• Design novel approaches for small molecule drug discovery in the field of neurodegeneration.
• Work with and be mentored by industry-leading molecular pharmacologists, structural biologists, computational scientists, stem cell biologists, and medicinal chemists.

Basic Qualifications

• PhD in neuroscience, pharmacology, cell biology, molecular biology, stem cell biology, or a closely related life science discipline, with all requirements completed by January 2027
• 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 And Preferences

If you are described by these attributes, you could be an excellent fit for this role:

• Deep understanding of the biological mechanisms driving neurodegenerative disease
• Hands-on experience with human iPSC-derived neuronal or neural cell models, or with primary rodent neuronal culture, including differentiation, maintenance, and phenotypic characterization
• Experience with mammalian cell culture and standard molecular and cell biology techniques
• Experience with high content imaging and/or confocal microscopy, and with quantitative image analysis (for example CellProfiler, Fiji/ImageJ, Harmony, Columbus)
• Training or background in computational biology, scientific programming (Python, R), or AI/ML applied to high-dimensional biological data
• Experience directing iPSC differentiation to defined neuronal or glial subtypes, isogenic line generation, or genome editing in human stem cells
• Self-directed and highly motivated, with a commitment to pursuing technical excellence
• Excellent communicator, oral and written, with a strong or developing publication record
• Proficient in data analysis, graphing, and scientific reporting (for example GraphPad Prism, Python, Excel, PyMOL, MOE)
• Familiarity with NanoBRET, TR-FRET, AlphaLISA, and CellTiter-Glo or comparable cellular assay technologies
• Familiarity with laboratory automation
• Comfortable working in small well formats (384-well) with experience optimizing assay miniaturization

Additional Information

• This is an onsite position based in Louisville, Colorado
• This position is not permanent. It is a fixed-term position of up to 2 years, with a possible 2-year extension

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).

Benefits

• 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
• well-being benefits (e.g., employee assistance program, fitness benefits, and employee clubs and activities)

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