Senior Research Scientist - Protein Production Team Lead

Elanco in; Indianapolis (IN); Hybrid; USD 130,000 - 190,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Relocation packages

Two weeklong shutdowns (US)

8‑week parental leave

9 Employee Resource Groups

Annual bonus offering

Up to 6% 401K matching

Job summary

Elanco is seeking a Senior Research Scientist and Protein Expression & Purification Team Lead to guide a lab‑based, hybrid team focused on discovering and optimizing recombinant protein biotherapeutics for animal health.

You will lead end‑to‑end workflows from design to purification, oversee analytics, and drive process improvements while mentoring scientists and delivering high‑quality preclinical material. A PhD and 3+ years of experience are required.

Qualifications

• Ph.D. required in Biochemistry, Molecular Biology, Chemical Engineering, Pharmaceutical Sciences, or related field.
• Minimum 3+ years hands‑on experience in biopharma with mammalian protein expression and purification using automated chromatography (e.g., ÄKTA FPLC).
• Experience directing multi‑person scientific workflows and mentoring laboratory scientists.

Responsibilities

• Lead, mentor, and develop a team of lab scientists focused on end‑to‑end protein generation workflow.
• Serve as SME across multiple protein/biotherapeutic projects, providing technical leadership, timelines, and risk mitigation.
• Direct expression, purification, and downstream processing using mammalian systems and chromatography.
• Oversee in‑process and release analytics to ensure high‑quality protein lots for preclinical studies.
• Identify platform improvements and maintain data integrity via ELNs and technical reports.

Skills

Team Leadership

Project Leadership

Workflow Design

Analytical Characterization

Process Improvement

Education

Ph.D. in Biochemistry or related

Tools

ÄKTA FPLC

UNICORN 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!

As a Senior Research Scientist and Protein Expression & Purification Team Lead in our Transitional and Early Development group, you will play a central leadership role in discovering, generating, and optimizing the next generation of recombinant protein biotherapeutics, including monoclonal antibodies, fusion proteins, and novel vaccine antigens for animal health. In this hybrid laboratory-based and team leadership role, you will direct and expand a team of scientists responsible for the end-to-end protein generation workflow—from DNA construct design through downstream purification and lot-release testing—to enable critical pre-clinical animal studies.

Your Responsibilities:

• Team Leadership & People Management: Lead, mentor, and develop a team of laboratory scientists focused on the end-to-end protein generation workflow, establishing workload priorities and resource allocation.
• Portfolio & Project Leadership: Serve as the protein sciences subject matter expert (SME) across multiple concurrent biotherapeutic and vaccine discovery projects, providing technical leadership, timelines, and risk mitigation strategies.
• Workflow Design & Execution: Direct the end-to-end protein generation workflow, from expression plasmid design and transient expression in mammalian systems (HEK293, CHO) to multi-step purification strategies utilizing ÄKTA systems and UNICORN software.
• Analytical Characterization & Material Release: Oversee a suite of in-process and lot-release analytics (e.g., CE-SDS, HPLC, BLI/Octet, endotoxin) to ensure the delivery of high-purity, low-bioburden protein lots for pre-clinical studies.
• Process Innovation & Documentation: Identify and implement platform improvements, including high-throughput systems and automation, while maintaining exemplary data integrity through electronic lab notebooks (ELNs) and technical reports.

What You Need to Succeed (minimum qualifications):

• Education: Ph.D. in Biochemistry, Molecular Biology, Chemical Engineering, Pharmaceutical Sciences, or a closely related scientific discipline.
• Technical Experience: A minimum of 3+ years of hands‑on experience in the biopharmaceutical industry or a post‑doctoral setting with definitive expertise in mammalian protein expression (e.g., transient expression in CHO, HEK293) and multi‑step protein purification (e.g., Affinity, IEX, SEC) using automated chromatography systems (e.g., ÄKTA FPLC).
• Project Leadership: Experience directing multi‑person scientific workflows and mentoring laboratory scientists.

What will give you a competitive edge (preferred qualifications):

• Team Leadership: Prior experience in a formal team lead or people management role.
• Complex Modalities: Direct experience engineering, expressing, and purifying complex biologics (e.g., bispecific antibodies, multi‑domain fusion proteins, or difficult‑to‑express antigens).
• High‑Throughput Automation: Familiarity with liquid handlers, automated multi‑channel purification systems, or high‑throughput titer screening.
• Immunology Background: Solid understanding of antibody biology, immunology, and the structural determinants of developability and stability.
• Matrix Influence: Proven ability to influence cross‑functional stakeholders across Discovery, Analytical Development, and Formulation in a fast‑paced environment.

Additional Information:

• Travel: Up to 10% annually to external partners, conferences, or manufacturing sites.

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!

Elanco Benefits and Perks:

We offer a comprehensive benefits package focusing on financial, physical, and mental well‑being while encouraging our employees to pursue our purpose! Some highlights include:

• 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
• 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.

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.