Principle Scientist Investigative Toxicology

At Lilly, we unite caring with discovery to make life better for people around the world. We are a global healthcare leader headquartered in Indianapolis, Indiana. Our employees around the world work to discover and bring life-changing medicines to those who need them, improve the understanding and management of disease, and give back to our communities through philanthropy and volunteerism. We give our best effort to our work, and we put people first. We’re looking for people who are determined to make life better for people around the world.

Principal Scientist – Investigative Toxicology

Position Overview

Eli Lilly is seeking a motivated and meticulous scientist to join the Investigative Toxicology team. This is a hands-on laboratory role focused on generating high-quality in vitro data to support mechanism-based toxicology investigations and candidate selection across the drug discovery pipeline.

The successful candidate will work closely with experienced toxicologists and cross-functional partners to implement in vitro assays involving mammalian cell culture, biochemical techniques, and molecular/cell biology methods, while developing a strong foundation in investigative toxicology.

Key Responsibilities

• Perform routine mammalian cell culture, including maintenance, expansion, and experimental execution using established cell lines and sophisticated cellular systems.
• Implement established biochemical, molecular, and cellular assays to support mechanistic investigation of potential toxicities, including techniques such as protein and gene expression analysis (e.g., Western blotting, qPCR), ELISAs, microscopy‑based assays, and cell‑based functional assays.
• Support non-GLP investigative toxicology studies by generating, documenting, and organizing high-quality in vitro data for interpretation by experienced scientists.
• Contribute to studies evaluating organ-specific toxicities (e.g., gastrointestinal, hematopoietic, dermal, or other target-relevant systems) using cell-based and emerging in vitro models.
• Maintain accurate electronic laboratory notebooks, ensuring data integrity, traceability, and compliance with internal standards.
• Assist with data analysis, figure preparation, and summarization of results for internal reports, presentations, and team discussions.
• Collaborate with internal scientists and, when appropriate, support internally led collaborations with external CRO partners.
• Follow all laboratory safety, quality, and compliance guidelines, contributing to a safe and organized laboratory environment.

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor’s with 5 years or Master’s degree with 3 years experience in Cell Biology, Molecular Biology, Biochemistry, Toxicology, or a related scientific discipline
• Experience with mammalian cell culture obtained through academic research, industry experience, or internships.
• Experience with biochemical and molecular biology techniques, such as Western blotting, qPCR, cell-based assays, and fluorescence/confocal microscopy.

• 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

• Demonstrated ability to follow protocols, troubleshoot routine experiments, and work independently with appropriate supervision.
• Strong organizational skills and attention to detail, with the ability to maintain clear experimental records.
• Effective written and verbal communication skills for detailing and discussing experimental results.
• Prior experience in an industry or CRO laboratory environment.
• Exposure to toxicology, pharmacology, or drug discovery research.
• Familiarity with routine and emerging in vitro models used in safety assessment.
• Experience working in a highly collaborative, team-based research setting.

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 Network, Black Employees at Lilly, Chinese Culture Network, Japanese International Leadership Network (JILN), Lilly India Network, Organization of Latinx at Lilly (OLA), PRIDE (LGBTQ+ Allies), Veterans Leadership Network (VLN), Women’s Initiative for Leading at Lilly (WILL), enAble (for people with disabilities). Learn more about all of our groups.

Actual compensation will depend on a candidate’s education, experience, skills, and geographic location.  The anticipated wage for this position is

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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