Senior Research Scientist - Target Discovery & Project Leadership

Elanco; Greenfield (IN); Hybrid; USD 120,000 - 180,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Relocation packages

Shutdown weeks (mid-summer & year-end)

Parental leave (8 weeks)

Employee Resource Groups (ERGs)

Annual bonus

Flexible work arrangements

401K matching up to 6%

Job summary

Elanco, a global leader in animal health, seeks a Senior Research Scientist – Target Discovery & Project Leadership in Indianapolis with a hybrid work model. You will architect early-stage discovery, leading identification of next-generation targets for endo- and ectoparasites, and guiding NME selection for Pet Health and Farm Animals.

You will oversee in vitro/in vivo data interpretation, manage international teams, and collaborate with External Innovation to advance the pipeline.

Qualifications

• PhD in biology, veterinary medicine, parasitology, or related field.
• Minimum of 4 years of industrial R&D experience in a project leadership role.
• Proven track record in target identification/validation within Animal Health or Pharma and leading cross-functional teams without direct authority.

Responsibilities

• Lead research activities to identify and validate novel targets using multi-omics and functional models for small/large molecules and vaccines.
• Drive discovery programs from concept to candidate selection with scientific rigor and timelines for next-generation parasiticides.
• Lead multi-functional, international teams to influence selection and transition candidates into the development pipeline.
• Oversee generation and interpretation of complex biological datasets to guide high-stakes decision-making.
• Manage a strategic network with academic institutions and contract research organizations to achieve research goals.

Skills

Target identification & validation

Cross-functional leadership

AI/ML understanding

Education

PhD in Biology

PhD in Veterinary Medicine

PhD in Parasitology

Job description

Elanco, a global leader in animal health, seeks a Senior Research Scientist – Target Discovery & Project Leadership in Indianapolis with a hybrid work model. You will architect early-stage discovery, leading identification of next-generation targets for endo- and ectoparasites, and guiding NME selection for Pet Health and Farm Animals.

You will oversee in vitro/in vivo data interpretation, manage international teams, and collaborate with External Innovation to advance the pipeline.