Postdoctoral Scientist - Lysosomal Biology & Neuroprotective Mechanisms

Initial Therapeutics, Inc.; Boston (MA); On-site; USD 58,000 - 123,000; Full time

Job summary

Lilly is seeking a highly motivated Postdoctoral Scientist to join the Lilly Gene Therapy (LGT) organization, with a primary focus on lysosomal biology and its role in metabolic regulation and cellular protection. This fixed-term role offers hands-on preclinical studies and multi-omics approaches, with opportunities for publication in peer‑reviewed journals.

Based in Boston, MA, the role requires daily on-site presence in the lab and collaboration across cross-functional teams.

Qualifications

• PhD in Biochemistry, Neuroscience, Molecular Biology, Cell Biology, or a closely related life sciences field.
• Demonstrated in-depth experience with LC-MS/MS-based lipidomics, metabolomics, and/or proteomics assay development and quantification.
• Experience with immunoproteomic, ELISA, or ligand-binding assay (LBA) techniques, and PCR/qPCR/ddPCR for transcript quantification.
• Authorized to work in the United States on a full-time basis.

Responsibilities

• Lead the design, development, optimization, and execution of LC-MS–based, immunoproteomics, and ligand‑binding assays to quantify biomarkers of lysosomal health across tissues.
• Generate and interpret data to characterize modules governing autophagy, lysosomal biogenesis, and lipid metabolism; validate hits in vitro and in vivo.
• Collaborate to design in vivo and in vitro studies; troubleshoot technical challenges in assays and tissue processing.
• Identify peripheral and tissue biomarkers; support validation against human datasets; maintain meticulous documentation.
• Create data visualizations and communicate findings through presentations and publications.

Skills

LC-MS lipidomics

Metabolomics

Proteomics

Immunoproteomics

qPCR/ddPCR

LBA assays

Data integration

Education

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

Tools

LC-MS/MS platforms

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.

Eli Lilly and Company is seeking a highly motivated Postdoctoral Scientist to join the Lilly Gene Therapy (LGT) organization, with a primary focus on lysosomal biology and its role in metabolic regulation and cellular protection. This role will investigate how the lysosome senses and adapts to shifting metabolic states — e.g., chronic inflammation, obesity, and pulmonary disease — and how restoration of lysosomal function confers protection against metabolic dysfunction and neurodegeneration, using multi-omics bioanalytical approaches across peripheral and CNS tissues.

The successful candidate will bring deep expertise in LC-MS–based lipidomics, metabolomics, and proteomics profiling, and in combination with transcriptomic and immunoproteomic/ligand-binding platforms will bring deeper understanding on the interactions between metabolic state and lysosomal health. This position offers hands‑on involvement in preclinical mouse studies, collaboration with internal cross‑functional teams, and scientific oversight of external CRO‑led studies.

This postdoctoral role offers a unique opportunity to define the molecular mechanisms linking lysosomal‑metabolic regulation to chronic inflammatory disease and neuroprotection within a leading pharmaceutical research organization. The position provides high‑impact scientific exposure, cross‑functional collaboration, and skill development at the intersection of lysosomal biology, multi‑omics analytics, and translational biomarker science. Publication in peer‑reviewed journals is expected.

Key Responsibilities:

• Lead the design, development, optimization, and execution of LC-MS–based, immunoproteomics, and ligand‑binding (LBA) assays to quantify biomarkers of lysosomal health and degradative capacity, across peripheral, pulmonary, and CNS tissues.
• Generate and interpret data to characterize modules governing autophagy, cargo receptors, lysosomal biogenesis, and lysosomal lipid metabolism. Perform cross‑validation of key hits in various in vitro and in vivo system.

Mechanistic Pathway Analysis

• Develop and apply working knowledge of the lysosomal pathway and its metabolic regulatory circuits to interpret generated data in a mechanistic and therapeutic context, with a focus on lysosomal biogenesis and nutrient‑sensing signatures.
• Integrate lipidomic, proteomic, and transcriptomic readouts into an integrated "lysosomal health and degradation capacity" framework applicable across tissues, including lung and brain. Contribute mechanistic interpretation linking lysosomal lipid and pathway‑level findings to protective mechanisms in chronic inflammation, including neurodegeneration and pulmonary disease.

In Vivo Study Design & Model‑Based Investigation

• Collaborating with extended research team to design and execution in vivo and in vitro studies to characterize the role of lysosomal homeostasis in metabolic status, chronic inflammation and neurodegeneration.
• Apply sound experimental design principles; diagnose and troubleshoot complex technical challenges related to assay performance, tissue processing, or data variability.

Translational Biomarker Development

• Identify peripheral and tissue‑specific biomarkers and explore their clinical relevance. Support validation of key lipid and protein markers against available human biofluid datasets to strengthen translational rationale for future clinical studies.
• Maintain meticulous experimental documentation, ensuring clear traceability, data integrity, and compliance with LGT proven methods.

Data Analysis, Visualization, and Team Communication

• Apply proven methods for lipidomic, proteomic, and transcriptomic datasets generated from in vitro and in vivo studies and collaborate effectively with the extended team, including biostats for rigorous multi‑dimensional analysis.
• Generate clear, insightful data visualizations to support project teams and decision‑making forums.
• Communicate findings effectively through presentations, written summaries, and peer‑reviewed publications.
• Actively contribute as a proactive, team‑oriented scientist within a highly collaborative LGT research environment.

Basic Requirements:

• PhD in Biochemistry, Neuroscience, Molecular Biology, Cell Biology, or a closely related life sciences field.
• Demonstrated in‑depth experience with LC‑MS/MS‑based lipidomics, metabolomics, and/or proteomics assay development and quantification.
• Experience with immunoproteomic, ELISA, or ligand‑binding assay (LBA) techniques, and PCR/qPCR/ddPCR for transcript quantification.
• 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:

• Prior experience with RNAseq or other transcriptomic profiling methods, including analysis and interpretation of gene‑module level signatures is a plus.

Other Information:

This is a fixed‑term role for two years, extendable up to four years, with eligibility to apply for full‑time positions upon completion.

This position is based out of the Boston, MA Lilly location, and requires daily, on‑site presence and lab work, with opportunities for scientific exchange with the Neuroscience and Cardiometabolic Research organizations, and the mass spectrometry community, at Eli Lilly in Indianapolis.

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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