Pre-Clinical Statistician

Eli Lilly and Company; Indianapolis (IN); On-site; USD 151,500 - 244,200; Full time

Job summary

Lilly, headquartered in Indianapolis, Indiana, is seeking a lead statistician to drive advanced analysis and design for oncology discovery. The role focuses on biomarker data, cross-functional collaboration, and shaping study designs to accelerate drug development.

Ideal candidates hold a Ph.D. in statistics and bring expertise in Bayesian methods, high-dimensional data, and communicating complex results to scientists and governance bodies. This is a full-time on-site opportunity in Indianapolis.

Qualifications

• Ph.D. in Statistics or Biostatistics required.
• Experience in oncology research preferred.
• Proficiency in statistical programming languages (R, Python, SAS, JMP).
• Demonstrated problem-solving ability and collaboration skills.
• Experience with pre-clinical, biomarker or genomics data is a plus.

Responsibilities

• Provide technical leadership for multi-disciplinary projects affecting the Lilly Research Laboratory and the Statistical Sciences organization.
• Lead the assessment and implementation of new statistical technology and methodologies (frequentist and Bayesian).
• Design and analyze in-vitro and in-vivo experiments to advance discovery and study designs in collaboration with biologists.
• Consult on biomarker analyses including RNA expression and other biomarker data.
• Develop novel visualizations to explain complex results and interactions.
• Provide statistical direction on priority discovery projects and mentor junior staff.

Skills

Statistical leadership

Bayesian methods

Design of experiments

Multivariate analysis

Programming in R/Python/SAS

Cross-functional collaboration

Biomarker/genomics analysis

Education

Ph.D. in Statistics or Biostatistics

Tools

R

Python

SAS

JMP

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.

Job Description

At Lilly, we serve an extraordinary purpose. We make a difference for people around the globe by discovering, developing, and delivering medicines that help them live longer, healthier, more active lives. Not only do we deliver breakthrough medications, but you also can count on us to develop creative solutions to support communities through philanthropy and volunteerism.

We are seeking a candidate with experience in pre‑clinical research, particularly in the oncology space.

Responsibilities

• Provides technical leadership and expertise in initiating and carrying out multi‑disciplinary or cross‑functional projects that impact the Lilly Research Laboratory and the Statistical Sciences organization.
• Leads the assessment and introduction of new statistical technology and methodology, including both frequentist and Bayesian techniques, to apply to broader practice.
• Leads the design and analysis of in‑vitro and in‑vivo experiments to advance the discovery portfolio, innovative study designs, and statistical analysis plans in collaboration with biologists and other researchers.
• Provides consultation for specialized biomarker analyses including genomic analysis of RNA expression data and analysis of other biomarker data (single cell RNA, NGS, protein, imaging) in conjunction with pre‑clinical and clinical data.
• Establish novel visualizations to explain complex results and interactions.
• Provides consulting and statistical direction on priority discovery projects.

Statistical Design and Analysis

• Work with Drug Discovery teams to understand statistical needs to improve the quality of candidates and shorten drug development timelines. This involves understanding the experimental objectives, appropriately specifying the primary and secondary endpoints, setting the sample size using statistical power analysis, determining appropriate statistical methods, and analyzing the data to determine the results. Engage in the write‑up of the results and presentations to Project and Scientific Management.
• Understand biological assay development needs and advise biologists on experiments required to validate biological assays for Drug Discovery programs. Experience with design of experiments and applications to high‑throughput screens will be valuable in this role.
• Find opportunities for meta‑analysis and other data‑mining techniques, and then conduct them, to identify key results from a series of experiments to identify key conclusions from the gestalt of all experiments in the program and determine appropriate next steps the Project Team should prioritize to optimize progress. This requires knowledge of in‑house data repositories, knowledge about publicly available data sources and repositories, and the ability to use appropriate data‑management tools to build the necessary datasets and then conduct the analysis.
• Develop and provide training courses on statistical methods for biologists, chemists, and other research staff.
• Potential leadership and direction of contracted statistical analyst support.
• Maintain currency with respect to statistical methodology, maintain proficiency in applying new and varied methods, and be competent in justifying selected methods.
• Influence team members regarding appropriate research methods.
• Perform peer‑review of work products from other statistical colleagues.

Communication of Results and Inferences

• Collaborate with team members to write reports and communicate results.
• Assist with, or be responsible for, communicating study results via internal governance, manuscripts, or oral presentations in group settings, as well as for communicating one‑on‑one with key customers and presenting at scientific meetings.
• Respond to regulatory queries and interact with regulators.

Therapeutic Area Knowledge

• Understand disease states, competitive landscapes, and the foundational science in order to enhance the level of patient focus and collaboration and be seen as a strong scientific contributor.

Regulatory Compliance

• Perform work in full compliance with assigned curriculum(s) and be responsible for following applicable Corporate, Medical, local, and departmental policies, procedures, processes, and training as well as ensuring legal, regulatory and data protection requirements are met in all activities.

Statistical Leadership and Teamwork

• Introduce and apply innovative methodology and tools to solve critical problems.
• Merge scientific thinking and business knowledge to identify issues, evaluate options and implement solutions.
• Lead projects independently and work effectively across functions. Apply technical expertise to influence business decisions.

Basic Qualifications

• Ph.D. in Statistics or Biostatistics.

Additional Preferences

• Experience in oncology research is preferred.
• Expertise and experience in study design, mixed models, multivariate analysis, design of experiments, multiplicity control, and analysis of variance.
• Proficient in statistical programming languages/software such as R, Python, SAS, JMP, etc.
• Demonstrated problem‑solving ability and critical thinking.
• Interpersonal communication skills for effective customer consultation and collaboration.
• An established track record of developing and maintaining an area of statistical or collaborative research.

Additional Preferences (a Plus, but Not Required)

• Experience with pre‑clinical, biomarker, genomics/genetics, or discovery research data and analyses.
• Experience manipulating and analyzing large data sets.
• Knowledge or education in Biology.
• Skills in biological pathway/network analysis.
• Skills in predictive modeling and machine learning.
• Experience working in High‑Performance Computing environment.

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.

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.

Actual compensation will depend on a candidate’s education, experience, skills, and geographic location. The anticipated wage for this position is $151,500 - $244,200. Full‑time equivalent employees also will be eligible for a company bonus (depending, in part, on company and individual performance). 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 such as 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 such as 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.