Protein Biochemist – Associate / Senior Associate Scientist

Eli Lilly and Company; Indianapolis (IN); On-site; USD 81,000 - 149,000; Full time

Job summary

Lilly's BioTDR organization in Indianapolis seeks an Associate / Senior Associate Scientist to join the Lead Optimization Team. You will generate, characterize, and optimize biotherapeutics from lead generation through preclinical development.

You will apply expertise in protein expression, purification, and characterization to support novel medicines, collaborating across the organization to advance candidates toward clinical testing.

Qualifications

• BS or MS in a related STEM field with 2+ years (MS) or 4+ years (BS) of expression/characterization experience
• Authorized to work in the United States on a full-time basis; Lilly will not sponsor work authorization or visas
• Strong proficiency in protein biochemistry, design and engineering, and knowledge of structure-function relationships

Responsibilities

• Express, purify (ÄKTA), and characterize (HPLC) proteins and antibodies to address physicochemical issues
• Analytical characterization of purified proteins and antibodies
• Characterize protein structure, stability, and other quality attributes
• Characterize protein-protein interactions
• Collaborate within multifunctional teams and present data at team meetings
• Independently design experiments, generate data, interpret results, and document work
• Communicate clearly in spoken and written form with good self-management

Skills

Protein expression

Protein purification

Biophysical characterization

Analytical characterization

Experiment design

Cross-functional collaboration

Communication

Protein-protein interactions

Education

BS/MS in biochemistry/engineering/biotechnology/molecular biology/protein chemistry

Tools

ÄKTA chromatography systems

HPLC

Biacore

LC-MS

SEC

DSF/DSC

ITC

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.

Lilly's Biotechnology Discovery Research (BioTDR) organization has a track record of delivering novel biotherapeutic medicines into clinical research across key areas of unmet medical need, including diabetes, oncology, immunology, and neuroscience. Our diverse team is committed to making a meaningful impact by developing therapies that transform lives.

Position Summary

The Associate / Senior Associate Scientist will join the Lead Optimization Team within the BioTDR organization, based in Indianapolis. Our team generates, characterizes, and optimizes biotherapeutics from lead generation through lead optimization and preclinical development. In this role, you will work closely with cross-functional teams to understand and address the properties of protein reagents and potential biotherapeutics, and to help turn innovative ideas into clinical candidates.

We are looking for a motivated and creative scientist with a background in protein design and engineering. You will apply expertise in protein expression, purification, and characterization to support the delivery of novel medicines to patients. You will also be encouraged to develop your own ideas and contribute them to the broader group, designing your own experiments while collaborating across the organization to advance research programs. This role offers a meaningful opportunity to build workflows that support both foundational research and translational medicine.

Responsibilities

• Express, purify (ÄKTA), and characterize (HPLC) proteins and antibodies using a variety of biochemical and biophysical techniques (Biacore) to identify and address issues related to the physicochemical properties of protein reagents and potential biotherapeutics
• Perform analytical characterization of purified proteins and antibodies
• Characterize protein structure, stability, and other critical quality attributes using a range of biochemical and biophysical approaches
• Characterize protein-protein interactions
• Collaborate within multifunctional teams, and coordinate and present experimental data and results at team meetings
• Independently design experiments, generate data, interpret results, and document your work
• Communicate clearly in both spoken and written form, with strong self-management, task planning, and organization

Basic Requirements

• BS or MS degree in biochemistry, chemical/biomedical engineering, biotechnology, molecular biology, protein chemistry or related STEM field with at least 2 years (with MS) and at least 4 years (with BS) of expression characterization experience
• 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

• Strong proficiency in protein biochemistry, protein design and engineering, and knowledge of protein structure-function relationships, along with experience in biochemical analyses
• Hands-on multi-mode chromatography experience on ÄKTA systems, including affinity (Protein A, CH1, IMAC, light-chain/VH-domain capture), ion exchange, HIC, and preparative SEC, plus method development for resolving closely related product species
• Analytical characterization of proteins and antibodies by aSEC, CE-SDS, icIEF, and LC-MS (intact, reduced, and subunit-level), with the ability to interpret mass spectra for identity, purity, and post-translational modifications
• Biophysical and binding characterization by SPR (Biacore), light scattering, DSF/DSC, and ITC, including protein-protein interaction kinetics and thermodynamic analysis
• Familiarity with the generation and characterization of protein/antibody conjugates (ADCs), including site-specific conjugation approaches and DAR determination
• Demonstrated ability to design experiments independently, interpret and document results carefully, and present data clearly to cross-functional project teams

Additional Information

Additional Information

Physical Demands / Travel:

The physical demands of this job are consistent with a lab environment. Travel < 5%. The physical demands here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job.

Work Environment

This position's work environment is a laboratory environment. The work environment characteristics described here are representative of those an employee encounters while performing the essential functions of this job.

• 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.

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

$81,000 - $148,500

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.