Advisor - Computational Scientist – Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD)

Eli Lilly and Company • Indianapolis, IN

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About The Position

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 their 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 and Position Overview: The Delivery, Device, and Connected Solutions (DDCS) organization supports the design, development, and commercialization of drug products and pharmaceutical delivery systems, including medical devices, combination products, and container closure systems. This position is within the Computational Engineering team, which enables the development of novel drug-delivery devices and systems through simulation and modeling. The role requires expertise in computational fluid dynamics, transport phenomena, and multiphase flow modeling, with increasing emphasis on multiscale and multiphysics approaches, automation, and computational evidence generation for regulatory submissions. CFD modeling within DDCS supports the development of drug delivery devices across multiple routes of administration. Primary focus areas include subcutaneous (SubQ) injection systems, where CFD informs syringe and autoinjector flow path design, formulation rheology effects, and injection force characterization. Additional routes of administration include transdermal delivery systems, respiratory and inhaled drug products (dry powder inhalers, metered dose inhalers, nebulizers), local delivery applications, and central nervous system (CNS) delivery. The computational scientist will develop and apply CFD methodologies adaptable across these delivery modalities to support device design optimization, formulation-device interaction studies, and regulatory submissions.

Requirements

• Master's degree in Chemical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Aerospace Engineering, Biomedical Engineering, or related field
• 7+ years of Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) experience
• Expertise in commercial CFD solvers (e.g., Ansys Fluent, STAR-CCM+, COMSOL, OpenFOAM) including turbulence modeling, multiphase flows, and/or species transport.
• Strong foundation in fluid mechanics, heat transfer, mass transfer, and transport.
• Proficiency in scripting and automation (Python, MATLAB) for workflow development, parametric studies, and post-processing.
• Experience with mesh generation, mesh independence studies, and solution verification.
• Working knowledge of ASME V&V 40 Standard and experience developing credibility arguments for computational models.
• Familiarity with regulatory guidance on computational modeling and simulation for medical devices and drug products.
• Strong technical writing and verbal communication skills.
• Ability to manage multiple projects and deliver against timelines with minimal oversight.
• Effective problem-solving and decision-making capabilities.
• Collaborative approach in interdisciplinary team environments.

Nice To Haves

• PhD in relevant field with 5+ years of relevant Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) experience.
• Experience with multiphysics simulation platforms and coupled analysis approaches (CFD-FEA, fluid-structure interaction).
• Experience with coupled CFD-pharmacokinetic modeling (CFD-PBPK) or discrete element methods (CFD-DEM).
• Demonstrated application of AI/ML techniques to simulation (surrogate models, reduced-order models, physics-informed neural networks).
• Experience with GPU-accelerated solvers or advanced numerical methods.
• Familiarity with digital twin frameworks and model-based systems engineering concepts.
• Experience with uncertainty quantification and sensitivity analysis methods.
• Knowledge of drug delivery device design and pharmaceutical formulation considerations.

Responsibilities

• Develop, execute, and interpret CFD models to support the development, design optimization, and technical risk mitigation of drug delivery devices across early- and late-phase programs.
• Apply multiphysics and multiscale modeling approaches to characterize device performance, including fluid-structure interaction, particle transport, heat transfer, and species diffusion.
• Develop coupled modeling frameworks (e.g., CFD-PBPK, CFD-DEM, CFD-FEA) to enable integrated analysis of drug delivery systems.
• Build automated simulation workflows, scripted pipelines, and parametric study frameworks to improve efficiency, reproducibility, and design space exploration.
• Apply and develop AI/ML techniques, including surrogate modeling, reduced-order models, and physics-informed approaches to accelerate simulation and enable rapid design iteration.
• Build reusable simulation frameworks, validated model libraries, and standardized workflows to ensure consistency across programs.
• Communicate modeling assumptions, methods, and results to cross-functional stakeholders, including non-technical audiences.
• Author and review technical reports and regulatory submission content related to computational modeling.
• Define physical testing requirements in collaboration with internal teams and external partners to support model input and validation activities.
• Contribute to model governance and credibility assessment frameworks aligned with ASME V&V 40.
• Collaborate with cross-functional teams including Formulation Science, Device Engineering, Quality, Regulatory, and Manufacturing.
• Maintain a quality mindset by identifying issues proactively and supporting continuous improvement.

Benefits

• 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).

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Mid Level