Sr. Advisor, Molecular Pharmacology – Neuroscience

Lilly; Boston (MA); On-site; USD 129,000 - 231,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Company bonus

401(k) plan

Pension

Medical, dental, vision benefits

Flexible spending accounts

Life insurance

Vacation benefits

Job summary

Lilly is seeking an Associate Director to provide scientific leadership for molecular pharmacology within neuroscience discovery and development. The role demands strategic planning, collaboration across internal and external teams, and a strong pharmacology background in receptor biology and signaling.

The successful candidate will mentor scientists, design experiments, and integrate data across disciplines to guide program decisions in a dynamic, multidisciplinary environment.

Qualifications

• PhD in Pharmacology, Neuroscience, or a closely related scientific discipline with substantial experience in supporting drug discovery research.
• 6+ years of experience within the biopharmaceutical industry.
• Strong foundation in molecular pharmacology, with expertise in receptor pharmacology, GPCR biology, cellular signaling, mechanistic pharmacology, neuroscience, or related disciplines.
• Broad understanding of experimental approaches used to characterize compound pharmacology, receptor and target biology, and biological mechanisms.
• Experience developing scientific strategy and independently addressing complex experimental and drug discovery questions.
• Demonstrated ability to integrate data across experimental systems and scientific disciplines.
• Experience directing collaborative research activities involving internal and/or external scientific partners.
• Demonstrated ability to mentor and develop scientists.
• Ability to operate effectively in a dynamic, multidisciplinary research environment and manage multiple scientific priorities.
• Excellent scientific judgment, communication, collaboration, and problem-solving skills.

Responsibilities

• Provide scientific leadership and strategic direction for molecular pharmacology activities supporting neuroscience discovery and development programs.
• Develop pharmacology strategies and experimental plans to address key questions related to compound activity, receptor and target biology, signaling, mechanism of action, and translation.
• Design, guide, and interpret pharmacological studies using recombinant, endogenous, native, or other relevant experimental systems.
• Guide advanced characterization of therapeutic compounds using appropriate functional, binding, mechanistic, cellular, molecular, or translational approaches.
• Apply expertise in molecular pharmacology and receptor biology to identify scientific questions and experimental approaches that can inform program decisions.
• Integrate pharmacological and biological data across experimental systems and disciplines to develop clear scientific conclusions and recommendations.
• Collaborate closely with medicinal chemistry, in vivo pharmacology, DMPK, translational sciences, and other scientific partners to advance program objectives.
• Establish productive scientific partnerships with internal collaborators and external research organizations; provide appropriate scientific direction while leveraging complementary expertise.
• Identify, troubleshoot, and resolve complex scientific and experimental challenges.
• Mentor scientists and contribute to a collaborative environment characterized by scientific rigor, intellectual curiosity, and high-quality execution.
• Evaluate emerging technologies, methodologies, and scientific approaches and apply them where they can meaningfully advance research programs.
• Communicate scientific strategy, results, and recommendations effectively to multidisciplinary project teams and research leadership.

Skills

Molecular pharmacology

Receptor biology

Data integration

Mentor scientists

Cross-functional collaboration

Strategic planning

Education

PhD in Pharmacology, Neuroscience, or related field

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.

Overview:

Centessa Pharmaceuticals, a wholly owned subsidiary of Eli Lilly and Company, is a clinical-stage company developing orexin receptor 2 (OX2R) agonists as a new class of medicines for the treatment of narcolepsy and potentially other sleep-wake disorders. Centessa’s lead investigational candidate – cleminorexton (formerly ORX750) – is being developed for narcolepsy type 1, narcolepsy type 2, and idiopathic hypersomnia. Centessa's OX2R agonist portfolio includes additional clinical and preclinical-stage assets with potential utility across a broader range of neurological, neurodegenerative, and neuropsychiatric conditions. Headquartered in Boston, Massachusetts, Centessa was recognized as a Great Place to Work in 2026.

Position Summary:

We are seeking an experienced, collaborative, and scientifically rigorous contributor (at the Associate Director level) to provide scientific leadership for molecular pharmacology activities supporting neuroscience discovery and development programs. The successful candidate will bring a strong foundation in pharmacology and apply broad scientific expertise to address questions related to compound pharmacology, receptor and target biology, signaling mechanisms, and translation across relevant experimental systems.

The ideal candidate will combine deep scientific expertise with curiosity, strategic thinking, and the ability to identify and implement experimental approaches that address evolving program needs. The individual will work collaboratively across multidisciplinary teams and with internal and external scientific partners to develop pharmacology strategies, guide experimental work, interpret complex data, and advance therapeutic programs.

Responsibilities

• Provide scientific leadership and strategic direction for molecular pharmacology activities supporting neuroscience discovery and development programs

• Develop pharmacology strategies and experimental plans to address key questions related to compound activity, receptor and target biology, signaling, mechanism of action, and translation

• Design, guide, and interpret pharmacological studies using recombinant, endogenous, native, or other relevant experimental systems

• Guide advanced characterization of therapeutic compounds using appropriate functional, binding, mechanistic, cellular, molecular, or translational approaches

• Apply expertise in molecular pharmacology and receptor biology to identify scientific questions and experimental approaches that can inform program decisions

• Integrate pharmacological and biological data across experimental systems and disciplines to develop clear scientific conclusions and recommendations

• Collaborate closely with medicinal chemistry, in vivo pharmacology, DMPK, translational sciences, and other scientific partners to advance program objectives

• Establish productive scientific partnerships with internal collaborators and external research organizations; provide appropriate scientific direction while leveraging complementary expertise

• Identify, troubleshoot, and resolve complex scientific and experimental challenges

• Mentor scientists and contribute to a collaborative environment characterized by scientific rigor, intellectual curiosity, and high-quality execution

• Evaluate emerging technologies, methodologies, and scientific approaches and apply them where they can meaningfully advance research programs

• Communicate scientific strategy, results, and recommendations effectively to multidisciplinary project teams and research leadership

Basic Requirements

• PhD in Pharmacology, Neuroscience, or a closely related scientific discipline with substantial experience in supporting drug discovery research

• 6+ years of experience within the biopharmaceutical industry

• Strong foundation in molecular pharmacology, with expertise in one or more areas such as receptor pharmacology, GPCR biology, cellular signaling, mechanistic pharmacology, neuroscience, or related disciplines

• Broad understanding of experimental approaches used to characterize compound pharmacology, receptor and target biology, and biological mechanisms

• Experience developing scientific strategy and independently addressing complex experimental and drug discovery questions

• Demonstrated ability to integrate data across experimental systems and scientific disciplines

• Experience directing collaborative research activities involving internal and/or external scientific partners

• Demonstrated ability to mentor and develop scientists

• Ability to operate effectively in a dynamic, multidisciplinary research environment and manage multiple scientific priorities

• Excellent scientific judgment, communication, collaboration, and problem-solving skills

Additional Preferences

• Intrinsically curious and deeply passionate about the work we do.

• Embrace ambiguity and push for new practices and technologies.

• Adaptive problem solver - turn issues into opportunities and translates ideas into solutions, even when the path isn’t clear.

• Leverage technical depth and a growth mindset to make impact; imagine what’s possible and pursue it with intention and energy.

• Demonstrate curiosity and drive self-identified innovation, especially in the exploration of artificial intelligence and digital.

Lilly is dedicated to helping individuals with disabilities to actively engage in the workforce, ensuring equal opportunities when vying for positions. If you require accommodation to submit a resume for a position at Lilly, please complete the accommodation request form ( https://careers.lilly.com/us/en/workplace-accommodation ) for further assistance. Please note this is for individuals to request an accommodation as part of the application process and any other correspondence will not receive a response.

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

$129,000 - $231,000

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.