Senior Lead, Molecular Pharmacology & In Vitro Assays

Elanco; Indianapolis (IN); On-site; USD 180,000 - 240,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Relocation packages

Shutdowns (mid-summer, year-end)

Parental leave (8 weeks)

Employee Resource Groups

Annual bonus

Job summary

Elanco seeks a Principal Research Scientist to lead the Molecular Pharmacology team, shaping assay strategies for SMOL, Biologics, and Parasitology pipelines. You will mentor scientists, ensure rapid, high-quality data delivery, and partner across discovery groups to advance candidate selection.

The role emphasizes leadership, cross-functional collaboration, and cutting-edge assay platforms to drive translational pharmacology across modalities.

Qualifications

• Ph.D. or equivalent with extensive industry experience in relevant disciplines.
• Demonstrated ability to work in matrixed, cross-functional teams.
• Expertise in designing and optimizing biochemical and cell-based assays.

Responsibilities

• Lead the assay team and align strategies with discovery groups.
• Mentor and develop scientists to maintain scientific rigor.
• Design and implement in vitro strategies for diverse projects across modalities.
• Guide pharmacology data delivery to drug discovery partners and support lead optimization.

Skills

PhD in related field

Collaborative mindset

Assay mastery

Leadership

Education

PhD in Cell Biology, Molecular Biology, Immunology, or related

Tools

Biochemical assays

Cell-based assays

Laboratory automation

ELNs

Job description

Elanco seeks a Principal Research Scientist to lead the Molecular Pharmacology team, shaping assay strategies for SMOL, Biologics, and Parasitology pipelines. You will mentor scientists, ensure rapid, high-quality data delivery, and partner across discovery groups to advance candidate selection.

The role emphasizes leadership, cross-functional collaboration, and cutting-edge assay platforms to drive translational pharmacology across modalities.