Associate Vice President - Medicinal Chemistry

Eli Lilly and Company • South San Francisco, CA

6d • Onsite

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 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: The Lilly Small Molecule Discovery group is an organization purpose-built to create molecules that make life better for people. We focus on using cutting edge science to unlock new approaches that can treat people suffering from diseases with poor treatment options. We continually challenge ourselves to deliver molecules that can provide breakthrough efficacy with the highest possible safety margins. We are dedicated to optimizing our mindset, technology, and processes for faster, more nimble execution. Our success is built on a culture that empowers innovative problem solving through open collaboration and individual accountability. Position Summary: The Advanced Molecule Design (AMD) team’s mission is to optimize molecules to strong drug candidates that become breakthrough medicines. We are searching for a deeply experienced and engaged leader who will report to the Head of Medicinal Chemistry to advance a set of projects across our portfolio in oncology, immunology, pain, Alzheimer’s, diabetes and obesity. This position is for a seasoned drug hunter with a track record of success in leading Med Chem teams to discover and advance molecules to strong clinical candidates. To be successful, this leader will need to supervise and mentor medicinal chemistry project leaders and scientists to solve tough med chem challenges and excel at synthetic execution. We are looking for an innovative leader with a strong growth mindset who can continue to evolve the skill of the Medicinal Chemistry teams to embrace new challenges. Being able to foster a highly collaborative culture that rewards teamwork and individual growth and accountability is essential.

Requirements

• PhD in Chemistry, Medicinal Chemistry or related scientific field with 8+ years academic/research/industry exp (may include post-doc experience); MS in Chemistry, Medicinal Chemistry or related scientific field with 10+ years industry/academic/research exp; or BS in Chemistry, Medicinal Chemistry or related scientific field with 12+ years industry/academic/research experience within the pharmaceutical sector

Nice To Haves

• Experience across a range of different mechanisms, modalities and therapeutic areas
• A proved track record of success in leading successful medicinal chemistry teams to advance strong drug candidates into pre-clinical development
• Strong experience leading team of scientist and to achieve cross disciplinary goals
• Extensive experience in structure-based-design, ADME PK optimization and achieving challenging target product profiles

Responsibilities

• Champion rigorous science by overseeing a portfolio of small molecule programs across therapeutic areas, advancing projects from lead identification to quality drug candidates with strong potential to become breakthrough therapies.
• Make sound scientific decisions that advance programs while maintaining quality—balance speed with scientific rigor and make timely no-go decisions based on evolving science and the clinical landscape.
• Focus teams on what matters most—the highest-impact activities that advance programs toward patients, balancing short-term execution with long-term program strategy.
• Build scientific credibility and influence across the organization through deep expertise and strategic thinking.
• Build "ONE TEAM, SAME TEAM" collaboration across Lilly—break down silos and foster partnerships that accelerate programs.
• Collaborate closely with cross-functional and therapeutic area leaders to align on program strategies, establish actionable goals, and communicate plans and challenges in real-time with radical transparency.
• Apply innovative solutions to challenging targets by utilizing modern computational methods, including AI/ML, to analyze data, prioritize compounds, and accelerate program advancement.
• Elevate individual and team performance consistently—provide coaching, feedback, and development that increases impact and consistency across Deep Thinking, Execution & Delivery, Culture & Teamwork, and Growth Mindset.
• Create growth opportunities that build skills while advancing programs—align development with real project challenges.
• Be accessible—make time for your team, be approachable, and create an environment where people feel comfortable bringing challenges forward.
• Make fair, evidence-based performance assessments and differentiate based on impact and consistency.
• Have courageous conversations—celebrate excellence and address performance gaps directly and constructively.
• Create conditions where scientists can be successful—remove barriers, provide resources, and empower the team.
• Foster a culture of mentorship and accountability where scientists' project impact continues to grow.
• Lead by example—model the behaviors expected of scientists: ownership, integrity, collaboration, and growth mindset.
• Demonstrate hard work with a sense of urgency and deliver highest impact contributions with consistency.
• Show continuous growth and learning agility—stay curious about emerging science, methods, and leadership approaches.
• Balance scientific excellence with people development—excel in both dimensions, not just one.
• Successfully manage internal and external collaborative relationships.
• Contribute to a work environment that fosters integrity, support, collaboration, professionalism, mutual respect, and unwavering focus on creating value for patients.

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
• Education Level: Ph.D. or professional degree