Principal Scientist (R3) – CRO Lab Qualification & Onboarding, Bioanalytical Outsourcing

100 Eli Lilly and Company; Indianapolis (IN); On-site; USD 69,000 - 196,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

401(k) plan

Pension

Medical, dental, vision coverage

Well-being benefits

Job summary

Lilly, headquartered in Indianapolis, Indiana, seeks a Principal Scientist for Bioanalytical Outsourcing to lead CRO qualification and onboarding across small molecules, oligonucleotides, peptides, biologics, and gene therapies. You will set scientific direction, oversee data quality, and collaborate with multiple teams to accelerate data delivery in discovery through clinic.

Ideal candidates have 7+ years in regulated bioanalysis or 5+ years with a Master’s, and are skilled in LC-MS, PCR, and

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in a scientific field with 7+ years of bioanalytical laboratory experience or Master's with 5+ years in a regulated bioanalytical setting.
• Authorized to work in the United States full-time; no visa sponsorship provided.

Responsibilities

• Lead qualification and onboarding of new CRO partners for ADME and bioanalytical assays.
• Provide independent scientific oversight for method development and validation.
• Collaborate with Discovery, Non-Clinical, and Clinical teams to align CRO capabilities with program needs.
• Work with Procurement, Quality, and Operations to improve CRO qualification standards.
• Build strategic relationships with internal customers and external vendors.
• Mentor scientists and share expertise across the bioanalytical outsourcing network.

Skills

Bioanalytical expertise

CRO qualification onboarding

Scientific oversight

Project management

Mentoring

Cross-functional collaboration

Communication

Education

Bachelor's in chemistry/biology/pharmaceutical sciences

Master's degree (preferred)

Tools

LC-MS

PCR

LIMS

eLN

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. At Lilly, we unite caring with discovery to make life better for people around the world. We are a global healthcare leader headquartered in Indianapolis, Indiana. Our 35,000 employees around the world work to discover and bring life-changing medicines to those who need them, improve the understanding and management of disease, and give back to our communities through philanthropy and volunteerism. We give our best effort to our work, and we put people first. We’re looking for people who are determined to make life better for people around the world.

As a Principal Scientist on our Bioanalytical Outsourcing team, you will take the lead in qualifying and onboarding new Contract Research Organization (CRO) laboratories, building the external network that powers Lilly's growing portfolio of small molecule, oligonucleotide, peptide, biologic, and gene therapy programs, and providing ongoing scientific oversight of CRO performance, data quality, and regulatory compliance after onboarding. This is a high-visibility role at the center of Lilly's expanding bioanalytical capabilities - you will shape how we select, evaluate, and integrate external partners, directly influencing the speed and quality of the data that advances medicines from discovery through the clinic. You will bring deep bioanalytical expertise and sound scientific judgment to a fast-paced, interdisciplinary team, mentoring colleagues and partnering across Discovery, Non-Clinical, Clinical, Procurement, Quality, and Operations. If you are energized by solving novel technical challenges, building lasting partnerships, and growing your career at the leading edge of bioanalytical science, we want to hear from you! The bioanalytical outsourcing team supports all modalities including small molecules, oligonucleotides, peptides, biologics, and gene therapies across analytical platforms (e.g., ligand binding, LC-MS, PCR). Together, we ensure the delivery of the bioanalytical data needed to advance Lilly's growing portfolio - offering broad exposure across modalities and platforms as our pipeline continues to expand.

Responsibilities

• Lead the qualification and onboarding of new CRO partners for ADME and bioanalytical (bioA) assays, serving as the primary scientific point of contact from initial technical assessment through successful integration.
• Provide independent scientific oversight and strategic guidance to CRO partners for non-regulated and regulated bioanalytical method development, validation, and sample analysis.
• Collaborate and influence cross-functionally with Discovery, Non-Clinical, and Clinical teams to align CRO capabilities with evolving program needs.
• Partner with Procurement, Quality, and Operations to establish and continuously improve CRO qualification standards and processes.
• Build and sustain strategic relationships with internal customers and external vendors, providing bioanalytical method support, troubleshooting, and critical reagent management.
• Mentor scientists and share technical expertise across the bioanalytical outsourcing network.

Minimum Qualification Requirements

• Bachelor's degree in a scientific field (e.g., chemistry, biology, or pharmaceutical sciences) with a minimum of 7 years of relevant bioanalytical laboratory experience, OR a Master's degree with a minimum of 5 years Experience in a regulated bioanalytical laboratory setting, including method development, validation, and/or sample analysis.
• 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

• Understanding of the current ICH M10 BMV guidance requirements and GLP/GCP regulations.
• Prior experience qualifying, onboarding, or providing scientific oversight to CRO or other outsourced laboratory partners.
• Experience with sponsor-vendor interactions and relationship building.
• Demonstrated ability to mentor scientists and influence cross-functional teams without direct authority.
• Strong project management, driving to meet timelines for data delivery.
• Hands-on laboratory experience with small or large molecule LC-MS bioanalytical methods/assays.
• Excellent problem-solving skills, time management, organization, and follows through on commitments.
• Familiarity with related systems and applications (LIMS, eLNs, instrument software).
• Proficient written and spoken English language skills including effective verbal communication.

Additional Information

Travel Percentage: ~25%

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. Qualified candidates must be legally authorized to be employed in the United States.

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 $69,000 - $195,800 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.

#WeAreLilly At Lilly we strive to ensure our employees are part of a team that cares about them and our shared purpose of making life better for those around the world. How do we do this? We continue to look for ways to include, innovate, accelerate and deliver while maintaining integrity, excellence and respect for people. We hope that you seek to join us on our journey as we create medicine and deliver improved outcomes for patients across the globe! #WeAreLilly