Senior Director, Macrocyclic Medicinal Chemistry

Eli Lilly and Company; Indianapolis (IN); On-site; USD 164,000 - 282,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Competitive compensation

Bonus eligibility

401(k)

Pension

Healthcare benefits

Job summary

Eli Lilly and Company in Indianapolis seeks a Director/Senior Director of Medicinal Chemistry with strong macrocycle experience to advance drug candidates across four therapeutic areas. You will design macrocyclic peptides and small molecules, apply SAR to refine properties, and work across Biology, DMPK, and Computational Chemistry to shape programs.

The role spans Indianapolis and multi-site collaboration, offering influence on strategy and candidate selection with opportunities to publish and

Qualifications

• Ph.D. in Medicinal Chemistry, Organic Chemistry, Peptide Chemistry, Chemical Biology, or a related field with a minimum of 8+ years of drug discovery experience in the pharmaceutical or biotechnology industry; or BS/MS with 15+ years equivalent experience.
• Hands-on experience in the design and synthesis of macrocyclic peptides or macrocyclic small molecules.
• Strong foundation in ADME/DMPK principles and their application to drug design, including oral bioavailability, metabolic stability, and PK/PD relationships.
• Track record of productive multi-disciplinary collaboration in a pharmaceutical or biotechnology research environment.
• Experience across multiple therapeutic areas or modalities, including both macrocyclic peptides and small molecules.
• Experience with challenging or undrugged targets requiring non-traditional modality approaches.
• Track record of advancing programs to candidate selection.
• Track record of publications, patents, or scientific contributions.
• Excellent written and oral communication skills; ability to present complex scientific data clearly to diverse audiences.

Responsibilities

• Design and synthesize macrocyclic small molecules and macrocyclic peptides in support of drug discovery programs across multiple therapeutic areas
• Apply SAR knowledge to drive iterative DMTA cycles, balancing potency, selectivity, and drug-like properties
• Leverage ADME/DMPK principles to optimize oral bioavailability, metabolic stability, permeability, and pharmacokinetic profiles
• Serve as a recognized subject matter expert whose design and SAR insights resolve scientific challenges and advance programs
• Collaborate with Biology, DMPK, Computational Chemistry, and other cross-functional partners on molecule design strategies
• Contribute to program strategy discussions, including target product profile development and go/no-go decisions
• Identify capability gaps and champion new strategies including AI/ML-enabled design
• Communicate scientific findings to internal stakeholders at all levels
• Maintain thorough ELN documentation compliant with IP/regulatory requirements
• Lead or contribute to continuous improvement initiatives and coaching to strengthen scientific rigor

Skills

Macrocyclic design

SAR analysis

Cross-functional collaboration

AI/ML-enabled design

Education

Ph.D. in Medicinal Chemistry or related field

BS/MS with 15+ years equivalent experience

Job description

Eli Lilly and Company in Indianapolis seeks a Director/Senior Director of Medicinal Chemistry with strong macrocycle experience to advance drug candidates across four therapeutic areas. You will design macrocyclic peptides and small molecules, apply SAR to refine properties, and work across Biology, DMPK, and Computational Chemistry to shape programs.

The role spans Indianapolis and multi-site collaboration, offering influence on strategy and candidate selection with opportunities to publish and