Postdoctoral Scientist - Drug Delivery Experimental Fluid Dynamics

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

Job summary

The Postdoctoral Scientist - Drug Delivery Experimental Fluid Dynamics at Eli Lilly and Company in Boston, MA, contributes to inhalation therapy research with hands-on benchtop experiments, fluid-dynamics measurements, and CFD/PBPK modeling to inform formulation design and translational strategies.

You will collaborate across disciplines, contribute to publications, and participate in Lilly’s postdoctoral community.

Qualifications

• Earned Ph.D. in Biomedical Engineering or closely related field.
• Hands-on experience in experimental fluid dynamics with benchtop models.
• Experience with aerosol measurement techniques such as NGI or laser diffraction.
• Strong publication record; ability to communicate in a team.
• Authorized to work in the United States on a full-time basis.

Responsibilities

• Design and execute in vitro aerosol characterization experiments using EFD techniques on pulmonary/nasal device platforms.
• Apply tissue physiology knowledge to design representative benchtop and ex vivo models.
• Use CFD/PBPK models to support experimental data and predict deposition across airways.
• Collaborate with formulation scientists and device engineers to translate findings into design decisions.
• Communicate findings through reports, presentations, and publications.

Skills

Experimental fluid dynamics

Benchtop models

CFD/PBPK models

Publication record

Collaboration

Education

PhD in Biomedical Eng

Tools

NGI

Laser Diffraction

DUSA

ANSYS Fluent

OpenFOAM

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.

Organization Overview

Are you looking to make a significant difference by contributing to the field of pulmonary and nasal drug delivery through experimental fluid dynamics and tissue physiology?

Position Overview

We are seeking an ambitious post-doctoral scientist with strong research and communication skills to contribute to highly visible research projects. Experimental fluid dynamics (EFD) in drug delivery uses physical measurements, flow visualizations, and benchtop models to analyze how fluids and therapeutic particles transport, mix, and deposit inside biological systems or testing devices.

The Postdoctoral Scientist - Drug Delivery Experimental Fluid Dynamics sits at the intersection of pulmonary and nasal tissue physiology, inhaled formulation science, and experimental fluid dynamics, supporting the advancement of next-generation inhalation therapies. The successful candidate will work within a multidisciplinary team to characterize device performance through hands-on benchtop and physiologically representative experimental models, using computational tools to complement and extend those experimental findings — contributing directly to formulation design decisions and preclinical-to-clinical translation strategies.

Key Responsibilities

• Design and execute in vitro aerosol characterization experiments using experimental fluid dynamics techniques — physical measurements, flow visualization, and benchtop models — on pulmonary and nasal device platforms, assessing droplet size distribution (laser diffraction, cascade impaction), delivered dose, and delivery efficiency.
• Apply working knowledge of pulmonary and nasal tissue physiology (airway and mucosal anatomy, mucus rheology, and regional structures relevant to deposition and clearance) to design physiologically representative benchtop and ex vivo experimental models, accounting for anatomical variability and its effects on precision and targeting.
• Apply and interpret existing computational fluid dynamics (CFD) or physiologically based pharmacokinetic/deposition (PBPK/PBPD) models — including uncertainty quantification and sensitivity analysis — to complement experimental data and predict regional aerosol deposition and IVIVC linkages (MMAD, FPF, delivered dose to in vivo or PK/PD endpoints) across patient-representative airway geometries.
• Collaborate with formulation scientists, device engineers, and translational scientists to integrate experimental and physiological findings into formulation optimization, design space definition, and actionable insights.
• Communicate findings through internal technical reports, cross-functional presentations, and peer-reviewed publications, and participate in structured mentorship and professional development programming within Lilly’s postdoctoral research community.

Basic Qualifications

• Earned Ph.D. in Biomedical Engineering, Physiology, Mechanical Engineering, Chemical Engineering, Aerosol Science, or a closely related field, conferred within the past 3 years.
• Demonstrated hands-on experience in experimental fluid dynamics — physical measurements, flow visualization, and benchtop or physiologically representative models of fluid and particle transport
• Experience designing and executing hands-on experiments and applying characterization techniques (e.g., next-generation impactor [NGI], laser diffraction, DUSA)
• Working knowledge of tissue physiology and anatomy (ideally airway/mucosal structure, mucus properties, and regional anatomy relevant to aerosol deposition and clearance) and ability to apply literature research toward experiment design
• Strong publication record commensurate with career stage
• Ability to work both independently and collaboratively in a fast-paced, matrix-based environment.
• 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 Preferences

• Familiarity with computational modeling of aerosol transport and/or deposition (e.g., CFD using ANSYS Fluent/OpenFOAM, or lung deposition models such as MPPD) sufficient to evaluate and apply existing modeling frameworks alongside experimental work.
• Experience with realistic or idealized airway geometry models (e.g., Weibel, stochastic, or CT-derived anatomical models).
• Prior industry internship or academic-industry collaborative research experience.
• Self-directed and highly motivated individual who wants to learn new techniques while continually pursuing research and publication goals.
• Excellent communicator (oral and written) with presentation experience and a strong publication record; proficient in data analysis and reporting.

Additional Information

• This is a fixed-term role for one year, extendable up to four years, with eligibility to apply for full-time positions upon completion.
• Position Location: Boston, MA
• Travel Percentage (%): 10

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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