Postdoctoral Scientist, Autonomous NMR Characterization

Eli Lilly and Company; Louisville (CO); On-site; USD 58,000 - 123,200; Full time

Job summary

Eli Lilly and Company in Louisville, CO, invites applications for a Postdoctoral Scientist in Autonomous NMR Characterization. The role focuses on developing an autonomous NMR platform, acquiring high‑quality 1D/2D data, and integrating computational methods to accelerate small‑molecule discovery.

Strong programming and collaboration skills are essential. The position requires a PhD with completion by October 2026 and eligibility to work in the United States.

Qualifications

• PhD in chemistry or related field with all requirements completed by Oct 2026.
• Authorized to work in the United States on a full-time basis; Lilly will not sponsor work authorization.

Responsibilities

• Maintain a strong safety culture in lab and computational work.
• Acquire high-quality 1D and 2D NMR data across high-field spectrometers.
• Develop and validate an autonomous NMR characterization platform.
• Design, set up, and run chemical reactions monitored by NMR.
• Apply analytical and computational methods (NMR, Bayesian optimization, ML).
• Build reproducible scientific software and automate instruments via TopSpin API.
• Collaborate across analytical, medicinal, and process chemistry teams; communicate results.

Skills

NMR data

Python

TopSpin

Automation

Chemometrics

Bayesian optimization

Data visualization

Team collaboration

Education

PhD in chemistry

Tools

TopSpin

IconNMR

MestReNova

ACD

Job description

Postdoctoral Scientist, Autonomous NMR Characterization (LSMD)

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

The Lilly Small Molecule Discovery (LSMD) group is an organization purpose‑built to create molecules that make life better for people. We focus on using innovative science to unlock novel approaches that can treat people suffering from diseases with poor treatment options. We continually challenge ourselves to deliver molecules that can provide breakthrough efficacy with the highest possible safety margins. We are dedicated to optimizing our mindset, technology, and processes for faster, more nimble execution. Our success is built on a culture that empowers innovative problem‑solving through open collaboration and individual accountability.
Advanced Molecule Design (AMD) is dedicated to optimizing molecules into strong drug candidates that become breakthrough medicines for patients. AMD brings together core functional areas – medicinal chemistry, synthetic chemistry, analytical chemistry, computational chemistry, and molecular pharmacology – to accelerate the identification and advancement of high‑quality small‑molecule candidates across a breadth of modalities and therapeutic areas.
Discovery Chemistry Technologies (DCT), a key function within AMD, provides critical scientific expertise and technology solutions that support molecule optimization and scale‑up efforts. Within DCT, the Molecular Characterization Team serves as the definitive scientific authority on molecular structure, identity, and other chemistry insights across Lilly’s small‑molecule discovery portfolio. The team primarily applies advanced NMR spectroscopy, mass spectrometry, and complementary analytical techniques to solve the most complex structural elucidation, reaction characterization, and conformational challenges – delivering the molecular‑level insights that enable discovery chemistry teams to make confident, rapid compound progression decisions. Team members are expected to embrace collaboration, adopt a forward‑thinking and growth‑oriented mindset, and take individual responsibility for their scientific contributions and professional development.

We Are Looking For Someone Who Can

• Keep safety as the top priority, maintaining a strong safety culture in both laboratory and computational work
• Prepare and characterize pharmaceutical compounds and mixtures, acquiring high‑quality 1D and 2D NMR data across a fleet of high‑field spectrometers
• Develop and validate an autonomous NMR characterization platform that optimizes acquisition parameters, selects which experiments to run, and processes data without operator intervention
• Design, set up, and run chemical reactions using modern reaction methodologies, and monitor them in situ by NMR to track reactants, intermediates, products, and byproducts
• Apply and extend modern analytical and computational methods, including 1D/2D NMR, time‑domain signal processing, Bayesian optimization, machine‑learning property prediction, and multivariate chemometrics
• Build reproducible scientific software and closed‑loop instrument automation through the TopSpin Python API and related interfaces, partnering with instrument and software vendors to troubleshoot and extend capabilities
• Collaborate across analytical, medicinal, and process chemistry to translate methods into deployed tools, and communicate results through publications and presentations

Basic Qualifications

• PhD in chemistry, analytical chemistry, computational chemistry, cheminformatics, or a related discipline with all requirements completed by October 2026.
• 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 Knowledge, Skills, Abilities, Experiences

• A record of scientific contributions, including peer‑reviewed publications, presentations, and/or patents
• Demonstrated ability to program scientific data analysis (e.g., Python or R)
• Strong interest in creating and advancing new technologies in analytical and data‑driven chemistry
• Motivation to translate methods into deployed tools that other scientists use in production workflows
• Hands‑on experience acquiring and interpreting 1D and 2D NMR data
• Experience with reaction monitoring or in situ analytical techniques
• Familiarity with additional analytical methods such as LC‑MS, GC‑MS, or IR
• Experience with NMR automation or pulse‑sequence–level work (e.g., TopSpin, IconNMR)
• Experience with scientific software development
• Experience with Bayesian optimization, active learning, or autonomous experimentation
• Familiarity with multivariate or chemometric analysis (e.g., PCA, PLS, PARAFAC)
• Expertise in Bruker NMR hardware and TopSpin/IconNMR software; familiarity with analytical data processing software such as MestReNova/Mestre or ACD
• Proficiency with scientific informatics, data visualization, or data management tools that support analytical decision‑making and AI‑enabled workflows
• Learning agility – demonstrated ability to rapidly acquire new technical skills and apply them to evolving characterization challenges
• Demonstrated ability to work productively in interdisciplinary, cross‑functional, and international team environments; views personal success in the context of team success
• Excellent English oral and written communication and the ability to engage effectively in a multidisciplinary, global team

Additional Information

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

Physical Demands

The physical demands of this job are consistent with both a laboratory and an office/computational environment.

Work Environment

This position’s work environment includes both a laboratory and an office/computational setting. The role will be requiring hands‑on work with chemical reagents, synthetic equipment, and analytical instrumentation in a research laboratory setting. Standard personal protective equipment is required, and the scientist may occasionally support work across multiple lab spaces or collaborate in office and meeting environments.

To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform the role and responsibilities satisfactorily. The requirements listed above are representative of the knowledge, skill, and/or ability required. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

Eli Lilly and Company, Lilly USA, LLC and our wholly owned subsidiaries (collectively “Lilly”) are committed to help individuals with disabilities to participate in the workforce and ensure equal opportunity to compete for jobs. If you require an accommodation, please contact Lilly Human Resources.

Lilly is an EEO/Affirmative Action Employer and does not discriminate on the basis of age, race, color, religion, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, national origin, protected veteran status, disability, or any other legally protected status.

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 401(k), pension, vacation, medical, dental, vision, prescription drug benefits, flexible benefits, life and death insurance, leave of absence, and well‑being benefits.