Senior Analyst- Molecular Pharmacology

Elanco Tiergesundheit AG; Indianapolis (IN); On-site; USD 110,000 - 140,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Relocation packages

US shutdowns (2)

Parental leave (8 weeks)

Employee Resource Groups

Annual bonus

Flexible work arrangements

401K matching

Job summary

Elanco Animal Health Incorporated, a global leader in animal health, seeks a Senior Analyst to join the Molecular Pharmacology team at our Indianapolis headquarters. The role combines hands‑on molecular biology with tissue culture to create and validate cell lines and perform cell‑based assays that drive discovery milestones.

You will analyze data with GraphPad Prism and Excel, document experiments in ELN, and collaborate across a multidisciplinary research team.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree (B.S.) in Molecular Biology, Cell Biology, Biochemistry, Pharmacology, or related field with 4+ years hands‑on lab experience; OR Master’s degree with 0–2 years experience.
• Proficiency in PCR/qPCR, DNA/RNA extraction, plasmid prep, transfection/transformation; aseptic technique; mammalian cell culture; multi‑well cell assays; data analysis with GraphPad Prism and Excel; ELN usage.

Responsibilities

• Support molecular biology and cell line engineering efforts to generate and validate engineered cell lines.
• Maintain and bank mammalian cell lines; optimize culture conditions for pharmacology workflow.
• Execute cell‑based assays (96/384‑well) measuring viability, reporter readouts, and pathway activation.
• Capture and analyze data; generate concentration‑response curves; ensure data integrity and ELN documentation.

Skills

Molecular biology

Cell culture

PCR/qPCR

Data analysis

Transfection

Team communication

Education

Bachelor's degree in Molecular Biology or related

Master's degree in related field

Tools

GraphPad Prism

Excel

ELN software

Job description

At Elanco (NYSE: ELAN) – it all starts with animals! As a global leader in animal health, we are dedicated to innovation and delivering products and services to prevent and treat disease in farm animals and pets. At Elanco, we are driven by our vision of Food and Companionship Enriching Life and our purpose – all to Go Beyond for Animals, Customers, Society and Our People. At Elanco, we pride ourselves on fostering a diverse and inclusive work environment. We believe that diversity is the driving force behind innovation, creativity, and overall business success. Here, you’ll be part of a company that values and champions new ways of thinking, work with dynamic individuals, and acquire new skills and experiences that will propel your career to new heights. Making animals’ lives better makes life better – join our team today!

Position Summary

We are seeking an energetic, detail-oriented Senior Analyst to join our Molecular Pharmacology team within Research and Breakthrough Innovation at our Indianapolis global headquarters. In this hands‑on laboratory role, you will integrate molecular biology techniques with tissue culture to establish new cell lines, maintain existing cell lines, and execute cell‑based assays supporting discovery research programs. Working collaboratively, you will help generate and maintain new cell lines, and execute a variety of cellular assays (e.g., cell viability, reporter gene expression, pathway modulation, and cytotoxicity). This role is critical to delivering consistent, high‑quality molecular and cellular pharmacology data that directly drives Elanco’s discovery pipeline milestones.

Key Responsibilities

• Molecular Biology & Cell Line Engineering Support: Apply core molecular biology techniques (e.g., DNA/RNA isolation, PCR/RT‑qPCR, gel electrophoresis, plasmid preparation, restriction digestion, transient transfection, or viral transduction) to support the generation, validation, and characterization of engineered cell lines and reporter systems.
• Establish & Maintain Cell Lines: Establish, expand, validate, and bank new mammalian cell lines from internal or external sources; optimize initial culture parameters and establish baseline growth conditions to support pharmacology workflows.
• Cell‑Based Pharmacology Assay Execution: Execute established cell‑based assays in 96‑well and 384‑well formats to measure biological and pharmacological activity, including cell proliferation, cytotoxicity, reporter gene readouts, and signaling pathway activation.
• Data Capture & Analysis: Process raw assay data using standard software tools (e.g., GraphPad Prism, Microsoft Excel), calculate concentration‑response curves (IC50 / EC50), verify data quality, and summarize results for discovery project teams.
• Documentation & Data Integrity: Accurately document experimental protocols, molecular designs, cell passage histories, and assay results within the Electronic Lab Notebook (ELN) in compliance with company data standards.

Required Qualifications

Education & Experience: Bachelor’s Degree (B.S.) in Molecular Biology, Cell Biology, Biochemistry, Pharmacology, or a related biological sciences field with 4+ years of hands‑on laboratory experience; OR Master’s Degree (M.S.) in a related biological sciences field with 0–2 years of laboratory experience.

Technical Capabilities: Demonstrated hands‑on proficiency in routine molecular biology techniques (e.g., PCR/qPCR, DNA/RNA extraction, plasmid preparation, transfection/transformation). Hands‑on proficiency in aseptic technique, routine mammalian cell culture maintenance, and establishing/thawing new cell lines. Practical experience executing multi‑well plate cellular assays using microplate detection formats (luminescence, fluorescence, absorbance). Proficiency with standard data analysis software (e.g., GraphPad Prism, Excel) and Electronic Lab Notebooks (ELN).

Core Competencies: High attention to detail, laboratory organization, and consistency in experimental execution. Ability to work collaboratively and communicate effectively within a multi‑disciplinary research team.

Don’t meet every single requirement? Studies have shown underrepresented groups are less likely to apply to jobs unless they meet every single qualification. At Elanco we are dedicated to building a diverse and inclusive work environment. If you think you might be a good fit for a role but don't necessarily meet every requirement, we encourage you to apply. You may be the right candidate for this role or other roles!

Preferred Qualifications

• Hands‑on experience with stable cell line generation (e.g., lentiviral transduction, selection marker screening, or single‑cell cloning).
• Experience establishing or handling diverse cell types (e.g., adherent, suspension, reporter lines, or primary cell models).
• Familiarity with basic cell‑based assay troubleshooting and standard pharmacology/screening quality metrics Strong communication and teamwork skills to collaborate across discovery project teams.

Elanco Benefits and Perks

• Multiple relocation packages
• Two weeklong shutdowns (mid‑summer and year‑end) in the US (in addition to PTO)
• 8‑week parental leave
• 9 Employee Resource Groups
• Annual bonus offering
• Flexible work arrangements
• Up to 6% 401K matching

Elanco 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.

Elanco may use automated tools, including AI, to support parts of our recruitment process, such as reviewing applications against job‑related criteria and/or transferrable skills. These tools help ensure a consistent, structured evaluation, but they do not make hiring decisions. All decisions involve a human reviewer. For more information on how we handle personal data, please see our Elanco Workforce Privacy Notice.

#LI-RH1

Elanco 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.

Elanco may use automated tools, including AI, to support parts of our recruitment process, such as reviewing applications against job‑related criteria and/or transferrable skills. These tools help ensure a consistent, structured evaluation, but they do not make hiring decisions. All decisions involve a human reviewer. For more information on how we handle personal data, please see our Elanco Workforce Privacy Notice.

Elanco Animal Health Incorporated (NYSE: ELAN) is a global leader in animal health dedicated to innovating and delivering products and services to prevent and treat disease in farm animals and pets, creating value for farmers, pet owners, veterinarians, stakeholders, and society as a whole. With nearly 70 years of animal health heritage, we are committed to helping our customers improve the health of animals in their care, while also making a meaningful impact on our local and global communities. At Elanco, we are driven by our vision of Food and Companionship Enriching life and our Elanco Healthy Purpose™ CSR framework – all to advance the health of animals, people and the planet.

Learn more at www.elanco.com.