Scientific Director - Virtual Screening Applications Expert

Hispanic Alliance for Career Enhancement; San Diego (CA); On-site; USD 171,000 - 275,000; Full time

Job summary

An innovative firm is seeking a Virtual Screening Applications Expert to lead their VS platform. This role involves collaboration across various scientific teams to enhance drug discovery efforts. The ideal candidate will have a Ph.D. in Computational Chemistry and extensive experience in virtual screening technologies. This position offers an exciting opportunity to push the boundaries of drug discovery using cutting-edge methods and to work in a diverse and inclusive environment. Join a team committed to making a global impact through transformative healthcare solutions.

Qualifications

• 5+ years' experience applying VS technologies in drug discovery.
• Proven ability to champion new technologies and lead cross-functional teams.

Responsibilities

• Lead the VS@Lilly team to identify novel chemical starting points for drug discovery.
• Collaborate with structural biologists to leverage data for effective VS campaigns.

Skills

Virtual Screening Technologies

Computational Chemistry

Medicinal Chemistry

AI Methods

Interpersonal Skills

Education

Ph.D. in Computational Chemistry

Tools

Molecular Design Software

Job description

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 employees work to discover and bring life-changing medicines to those in need, improve disease understanding and management, and give back to communities through philanthropy and volunteerism. We prioritize our work and put people first. We seek individuals determined to improve lives globally.

Responsibilities

The Discovery Chemistry Research and Technologies (DCRT) organization focuses on creating and discovering new molecules to engage disease-relevant biological systems, testing clinical hypotheses, and advancing innovative medicines. To accelerate delivery, innovative computational tools are increasingly integral.

Reporting to the Associate Vice President, DCRT Computational Chemistry and Cheminformatics, the Virtual Screening Applications Expert will oversee small molecule virtual screening activities at DCRT. The role involves collaboration across computational, structural biology, molecular pharmacology, and medicinal chemistry teams to apply virtual screening approaches to support drug discovery efforts, especially for challenging targets.

We are looking for:

• An internationally recognized Virtual Screening (VS) expert (Director/Senior Director/Executive Director) to lead the VS@Lilly platform within a matrix organization.
• A highly collaborative leader who will work with target and project teams to leverage VS for rapid identification of promising small molecules, enabling Hit-ID and discovery efforts across Lilly.
• A visionary scientist to work with IT partners to introduce transformative methods into the VS platform, pushing the boundaries of virtual screening capabilities.

Desired Attributes

• Strategic, transformational thinker with high self-awareness.
• Future-focused, innovative, and capable of building interdisciplinary, inclusive teams.
• Effective communicator with openness and transparency.
• Collaborative across teams, functions, and sites.
• Proactive in establishing collaborations internally and externally.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead the VS@Lilly team to extend Lilly's leadership in therapeutic areas by identifying novel chemical starting points for drug discovery.
• Collaborate with structural biologists to leverage structural and biophysical data for effective VS campaigns.
• Develop workflows that incorporate physics-based and AI methods to improve hit rates for difficult targets.
• Implement cutting-edge methods, including ensemble and AI virtual screening techniques.
• Develop cheminformatics tools to select hits that maximize chemical diversity and binding pocket coverage.
• Work with medicinal chemists to prioritize VS hits for synthesis or purchase.
• Streamline workflows in partnership with Tech@Lilly to ensure timely impact and broader adoption.

Basic Qualifications

• Ph.D. in Computational Chemistry, Medicinal Chemistry, or related field.
• 5+ years' experience applying VS technologies in drug discovery.
• Proven ability to champion new technologies and lead cross-functional teams.

Additional Skills/Preferences

• Strong interpersonal skills and commitment to Diversity & Inclusion.
• Passionate about coaching and developing others.
• Expertise with molecular design software and medicinal chemistry concepts.
• Published authorship or patent inventorship.
• Experience in GPCR drug discovery.
• Willingness to travel domestically and internationally.

Lilly is committed to inclusivity and provides accommodations for applicants with disabilities. For assistance, please complete the workplace accommodation request form.

We are an Equal Opportunity Employer, valuing diversity and inclusion in our workforce.

Estimated salary range: $171,000 - $275,000, plus benefits and bonuses.