Senior Principal Scientist - Bioanalytical Research

BioSpace; Louisville (CO); On-site; USD 71,000 - 213,000; Full time

Job summary

Lilly in Louisville, CO is seeking an expert scientist skilled in small and large molecule mass spectrometry to deliver innovative bioanalytical methods in support of oncology portfolios.

The role focuses on bioanalysis of small molecules, including radioligand therapeutics, with potential to expand into ADCs; you will perform sample prep, LC‑MS/MS, SAR/PK analyses, collaborate with ADME teams, and mentor junior staff.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in science or engineering with 7+ years of work experience, or Master’s with 5+ years.
• Experience with ICP, QQQ, HRMS (QToF, Orbitrap) in bioA method development and transfer.
• Experience in small and large molecule bioanalysis and MS sample prep.
• Knowledge of PK, biodistribution and biotransformation in drug ADME.

Responsibilities

• Perform sample preparation and operate mass spectrometers for bioanalysis of small/large molecules.
• Develop bioanalytical methods and quantify analytes in in‑vivo and in‑vitro samples.
• Collaborate with ADME project leaders and mentor junior scientists.
• Maintain and troubleshoot LC‑MS instruments and support data analysis.

Skills

Mass spectrometry

Bioanalysis

LC‑MS/MS

Data analysis

Education

Bachelor’s degree in science/engineering

Master’s degree in related field

Tools

ICP

QQQ

HRMS/Orbitrap

QToF

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.

The Bioanalytical Research Group (BAR) in Investigative ADME/Toxicology and BioAnalytical Research at Louisville, CO is seeking an expert scientist skilled in small and large molecule mass spectrometry to deliver innovative ways to support Lilly’s oncology portfolios. This role has an emphasis on bioanalysis of small molecule drug, especially radioligand therapeutics (RLT), with the possibility to expand into antibody-drug conjugates (ADC).

• Primary Responsibilities:
  • Perform sample preparation (e.g. tissue homogenization, multiwave digestion, immunoaffinity enrichment, protein precipitation) and operate mass spectrometer to develop bioanalytical methods and perform quantitative bioanalysis (bioA) of small molecule or/and large molecule therapeutics from in-vitro and in-vivo samples.
  • Investigate the structure-activity relationship (SAR) including pharmacokinetics (PK), biodistribution (bioD), biotransformation (BioT) and metabolite identification (metID) of drug molecules using LC-MS/MS.
  • Collaborate with ADME project leaders to support fast-paced drug discovery projects. Serve as bioA representative and provide bioanalytical expertise to project team.
  • Mentor junior scientists in developing their skills in LC-MS sample preparation, data analysis, visualization and reporting.
  • Maintain and troubleshoot lab instruments to ensure their operation.

• Job Requirements:
  • Bachelor’s degree in science or engineering (chemistry, chemical engineering, bioengineering or related field) with at least 7 years of work experience, or master’s degree in related field with at least 5 years of work experience.
  • Experience with using inductively coupled plasma (ICP), triple quadrupole (QQQ), high-resolution mass spectrometer (HRMS, including QToF, Orbitrap) in bioA method development, qualification, and transfer.
  • Experience with small and large molecule bioanalysis, including sample preparation (e.g. tissue homogenization, microwave assisted acid digestion), sample extraction (LLE, SPE, immunoprecipitation, protein precipitation) prior to MS.
  • Experience of drug ADME principles in understanding PK, biodistribution and biotransformation of small and large molecule therapeutics.
  • 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.

• Preferred Qualifications:
  • Experience with discovery and development of radioligand therapeutics and elemental analysis using Agilent 8900 ICP-MS. Hands‑on experience in sample preparation, LC‑MS bioanalytical workflow to support the bioA and metID of RLTs.
  • Familiar with bioanalytical workflow of biotherapeutics (mAbs, ADC, siRNA, fusion protein, etc.), including immunoprecipitation, proteolytic digestion and deglycosylation. Bottom‑up peptide, payload quantification using Sciex 6500/7500. Intact mass acquisition, top‑down MS using Thermofisher Orbitrap Exploris 240/480/Tribrid instruments.
  • Familiar with MS‑related informatic tools to conduct in‑depth data analysis – Mass Hunter, Biopharma Finder, QuantBrowser, MultiQuant, Biologics Explorer, Protein Metrics, MassMetaSite, etc. AI‑based data analysis and report writing are an advantage.
  • Previous experience in experiment documentation (eLN, signals, benchling, etc.), PK calculation (Phoenix, Watson LIMS, R‑studio aNCA), data visualization (PRISM, BioRender) and report QC.
  • Hands‑on experience in automation instruments, such as Apricot, Hamilton, Tecan and KingFisher to support high‑throughput bioanalytical assays.

Lilly is dedicated to helping individuals with disabilities to actively engage in the workforce, ensuring equal opportunities when vying for positions.

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 $71,250 - $213,400.

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.

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