Senior Scientific Lead, Molecular Characterization

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.

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. 

Position Summary: 

The Senior Scientific Lead in the Molecular Characterization Group within Discovery Technologies will join a vibrant team dedicated to cutting-edge pharmaceutical science experiments. This role involves close collaboration with Oncology discovery teams to enhance current next-generation sequencing (NGS) platforms and develop new molecular platforms and applications. The ideal candidate will have proven expertise in sample preparation, library preparation, and quality control for Illumina sequencing, along with various molecular techniques for profiling DNA, RNA, and proteins. Preference will be given to individuals with extensive experience in diverse sequencing applications, including RNAseq, WES, custom targeted sequencing, single-cell sequencing, long-read sequencing and epigenetic sequencing. 

The Scientific Lead will also play a key role in implementing innovative, high-throughput, high-content molecular platforms beyond sequencing to address critical genomic, transcriptomic, and proteomic questions posed by Oncology project teams. This position involves operationalizing new NGS-related techniques in collaboration with the Molecular Characterization Team. Furthermore, the incumbent will be motivated to generate and share new ideas with the team. The ideal candidate will be a passionate and self-driven scientist, skilled in independently managing experiments and research activities, while fostering collaboration across the organization to advance multiple research projects. 

Responsibilities: 

·       The role involves interacting and collaborating with various discovery technologies and clinical teams to develop and implement novel molecular platforms and applications related to NGS. 

·       Applying cutting-edge NGS technologies and methodologies to identify and validate novel targets, pathways, and mechanisms of action is essential. 

·       The role requires working with automation specialists to validate and implement new sequencing library construction methods. 

·       Developing and implementing sequencing applications for single-cell and FFPE sequencing is a key responsibility. 

·       Supporting the development of both existing and new targeted panels for NGS is expected. 

·       Providing scientific expertise on the practical implementation of various sequencing applications to support Oncology projects is crucial. 

·       Establishing protocol QC methods and standards to ensure quality data and analyses from high-throughput, high-content genomic, transcriptomic, and proteomic platforms is necessary. 

·       Managing lab SOPs and training lab scientists as needed is part of the role. 

·       Ensuring all instrumentation is properly maintained and calibrated in collaboration with the molecular characterization team is required. 

·       Proper documentation and archiving of data and analyses are essential duties. 

·       The role involves working with project teams and discovery informatics to plan and execute experiments, interpret data, and prepare study reports. 

·       Serving as a genomics expert to ensure appropriate applications and priorities are considered in project planning is expected. 

·       Providing scientific leadership and coaching to junior staff, fostering a culture of innovation, excellence, and teamwork is important. 

·       Staying up-to-date with the latest scientific developments and competitor activities in relevant therapeutic areas is necessary. 

·       Establishing and maintaining effective collaborations with academic institutions, biotech companies, and contract research organizations is part of the role. 

·       Preparing and presenting scientific reports, publications, and presentations to internal and external audiences is required. 

·       Discussing results with both technical and non-technical personnel is expected. 

·       Supporting the archiving and curation of data in internal databases is necessary. 

·       Engaging in extensive communication and collaboration with internal and external parties is part of the role. 

·       Evaluating the experimental conduct of third parties and vendors is essential. 

Basic Requirements: 

·       The candidate must hold a PhD in a relevant scientific discipline (e.g., biology, genetics, pharmacology) with at least 10 years of experience in drug discovery or development. 

Additional Preferences: 

·       Experience in the development of novel targeted panels, including knowledge of probe and index design, is desirable. 

·       Experience with FFPE, ctDNA, and single-cell library construction is advantageous. 

·       Working knowledge of automated liquid handling platforms, especially Hamilton, is beneficial. 

·       Experience working in a GLP environment is a plus. 

·       Experience with the isolation and QC of nucleic acids from different sources, such as cell lines, specialized mouse/human tissues like bone marrow, FFPE samples, and cryosections, is an advantage. 

·       Knowledge of platforms such as Fluidigm, Nanostring, Quanterix, or Luminex is desirable. 

·       Experience in processing, analyzing, and interpreting large biological data sets is beneficial. 

·       Extensive working experience with Illumina library construction, including RNA and DNA library preparations, is required. 

·       Proficiency in multiple nucleic acid and protein expression platforms, including assay design and development, is essential. 

·       Experience with high-content, high-throughput laboratory workflows, with an emphasis on quality and efficiency, is necessary. 

·       Demonstrated experience in working collaboratively across various scientific disciplines to meet project goals and timelines is required. 

·       Flexibility to adjust priorities over time to meet organizational and scientific goals is important. 

·       The ability to work independently and as an integral part of a larger collaborative team is essential. 

·       Demonstrated ability to succeed in a fast-paced environment, working on multiple projects with constantly changing priorities and deadlines, is necessary. 

·       Excellent interpersonal, written, and verbal communication skills are required. 

·       Knowledge and experience in documenting and processing clinical samples are essential. 

·       Experience with Spotfire data visualization software and pathway analysis tools is beneficial. 

·       Excellent communication, presentation, and interpersonal skills, with the ability to work effectively in a matrix environment and influence cross-functional teams, are required. 

·       Proven leadership, management, and mentoring skills, with the ability to inspire, motivate, and develop talent, are essential. 

·       A highly creative, innovative, and collaborative mindset, with a passion for science and patient impact, is necessary. 

Additional Information: 

Physical Demands/Travel: 

The physical demands of this job are consistent with a lab environment.    

 The physical demands here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. 

Work Environment: 

This position’s work environment is in a Laboratory.   

The work environment characteristics described here are representative of those an employee encounters while performing the essential functions of this job. 

*To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform the role and responsibilities satisfactorily. The requirements listed above are representative of the knowledge, skill, and/or ability required. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions. 

Lilly currently anticipates that the base salary for this position could range from between $130,500 to $191,400 and will depend, in part, on the successful candidate’s qualifications for the role, including education and experience. 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).Of course, the compensation described above is subject to change and could be higher or lower than the range described above. Further, 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.

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 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.

Our employee resource groups (ERGs) offer strong support networks for their members and help our company develop talented individuals for future leadership roles. Our current groups include: Africa, Middle East, Central Asia Network, African American Network, Chinese Culture Network, Early Career Professionals, Japanese International Leadership Network (JILN), Lilly India Network, Organization of Latinos at Lilly, PRIDE (LGBTQ + Allies), Veterans Leadership Network, Women’s Network, Working and Living with Disabilities. Learn more about all of our groups.

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