Sr. Scientist - Cardiometabolic Research

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.

Organization Overview

At Lilly, we serve an extraordinary purpose. We make a difference for people around the globe by discovering, developing and delivering medicines that help them live longer, healthier, more active lives. Not only do we deliver breakthrough medications, but you also can count on us to develop creative solutions to support communities through philanthropy and volunteerism

Cardiometabolic Translation & Biomarker Research (CTBR)

Lilly is dedicated to meeting the health care needs of people around the world. We address these needs primarily by developing innovative medicines. We rely on biomarker research to understand disease etiologies, disease onset and progression, characterize patient cohorts, discover and understand targets for therapeutic interventions. The Cardiometabolic Translation & Biomarker Research (CTBR) group at the Lilly Corporate Center in Indianapolis has access to diverse analytical instrumentation to support drug discovery and development from preclinical through clinical programs.

We are looking for a highly motivated candidate to join the CTBR protein analysis team. The candidate will support biomarker research using a range of analytical technologies, from single-plex ELISAs to high-resolution mass spectrometers. This position is primarily focused on protein analysis pipelines, working alongside colleagues of varying experience and seniority who manage lipid and small molecule analytical pipelines. The candidate is expected to be adaptable to changes in portfolio priorities and the evolving needs of the pharmaceutical research environment.

Purpose of the Job

Research Scientist position in the CTBR organization. The candidate will be responsible for supporting and directly participating in preclinical and clinical biomarker sample management, sample preparation, analysis, data review, and quality control using protein-based analytical platforms. This individual will work within a collaborative team environment, interacting with scientists across the therapeutic area and clinical groups. Timely execution of assigned tasks, commitment to standardization and automation, and effective communication of results are essential to the position.

Key Responsibilities

1.     Sample Management and Preparation – Manage preclinical and clinical biological samples including registration, receipt, aliquoting, and storage. Prepare samples for protein analysis using a variety of techniques including immunoassays, liquid-liquid extraction, solid-phase extraction, and immunoprecipitation for downstream mass spectrometry analysis. Maintain organized sample inventories and ensure proper chain-of-custody documentation.

2.     Analytical Execution – Develop, qualify, and validate methods and perform sample analysis using different assay formats and platforms, including ELISA, Meso Scale Discovery (MSD), proximity ligation, and clinical chemistry with high quality and time efficiency. Support LC-MS-based protein analysis workflows as capabilities develop. Perform peak integration, data analysis, data review, and QC evaluation of assay results. Maintain instrument readiness through routine care and basic maintenance.

3.     Data Management and Documentation – Maintain thorough and timely electronic lab notebook entries. Document results, QA/QC records, and standard operating procedures. Use Microsoft Word, Excel, and PowerPoint to write documentation, perform calculations, and present results to the team and stakeholders.

4.     Standardization and Automation – Champion standardization of laboratory processes and protocols. Identify and implement opportunities for automation to improve throughput and reproducibility. Contribute to the development and refinement of standard operating procedures.

5.     Laboratory Organization and Inventory Management – Take responsibility for laboratory organization, cleanliness, and safety compliance. Maintain inventories of reagents, consumables, and laboratory supplies. Ensure that materials are stocked and available to support ongoing studies without interruption.

6.     Collaboration, Mentorship, and Delegation – Work collaboratively in a team-based environment, sharing resources and responsibilities with lab associates and scientists. Mentor and provide technical guidance to contractors and junior team members. Demonstrate ability to delegate tasks effectively to support team productivity. Communicate results clearly and contribute to team discussions and presentations.

Basic Requirements

• Master's degree in biology, biochemistry, analytical chemistry, or a related scientific discipline.
• 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.

Additional Skills/Preferences:

•       Experience with liquid chromatography–mass spectrometry (LC-MS) for protein or biomarker analysis

•       Knowledge of protein chemistry and analytical assay development.

•       Experience with different assay formats and platforms, for instance, ELISA, MSD, proximity ligation, and clinical chemistry.

•       Experience with biological sample preparation including handling of preclinical and clinical biofluids and tissues.

•       Proficiency in Microsoft Word, Excel, and PowerPoint for documentation, data analysis, and presentations.

•       Excellent written and verbal communication skills.

•       Self-motivated with demonstrated ability to work in a fast-paced research environment.

•       Ability to improve the performance of testing systems, ability to multi-task and maintain responsibility for multiple projects simultaneously.

•       Perform testing independently with little or no guidance from management.

•       Interprets data and provides analysis to clients.

•       Meet with scientists to understand needs, adapt and ensure expectations are communicated clearly, concisely and timelines to complete.

•       Familiarity with non-MS-based proteomics platforms such as Olink is a plus; training and hands-on experience with these technologies will be available as part of the role.

•       Experience with sample preparation techniques such as immunoprecipitation, liquid-liquid extraction, and solid-phase extraction.

•       Familiarity with laboratory automation platforms and liquid handling systems.

•       Familiarity with data analysis and graphing software such as GraphPad Prism and JMP for statistical evaluation and visualization of results.

•       Experience interfacing with CROs or external vendors, primarily in the context of instrument orientation, training, and technical support coordination.

•       Prior experience mentoring or supervising junior staff or contractors.

•       Strong organizational skills with experience managing laboratory inventories and sample tracking systems.

•       Protocol-driven and process-oriented with a commitment to quality and standardization.

•       Demonstrated ability to work on cross-functional teams and adapt to shifting priorities.

•       Willingness to learn and adopt artificial intelligence (AI) tools to enhance laboratory workflows, data analysis, and process optimization.

Additional Information

•       Location: Lilly Research Laboratories, Lilly Corporate Center, Indianapolis, Indiana

•       Travel: None

•       Workplace Arrangement: Local

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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