Advisor/Sr. Advisor - Bioconjugation Scientist

Lilly • Indianapolis, IN

3d • $130,500 - $211,200 • Onsite

About The Position

Lilly is hiring an Advisor/Sr. Advisor Bioconjugation Scientist for its Process Translation and Execution (PTE) team. The role supports the Lilly Medicine Foundry, a new advanced manufacturing and drug development center in Lebanon, Indiana. PTE translates drug-substance process knowledge into clinical supply readiness, manages technology transfer, establishes phase-appropriate control strategies, and supports clinical manufacturing across modalities including bioconjugates such as ADCs and ARCs.

The Scientist will facilitate transfer of bioconjugation processes from development laboratories to pilot-plant and production environments, including kilo scale, to enable early-phase cGMP manufacturing of clinical-trial API. The role involves independently conducting and guiding process-transfer and plant-readiness activities, preparing technical documentation, supporting investigations and process improvements, and collaborating with scientists and colleagues across engineering, analytics, safety, and quality. The role is expected to evolve during the Foundry’s construction, delivery, and startup period, with an initial work location at the Lilly Technology Center in Indianapolis and a permanent location at the Lilly Medicine Foundry in Lebanon, Indiana. Limited domestic and international travel of less than 5% may be required. Work takes place in manufacturing and laboratory environments.

The anticipated wage is $130,500–$211,200. Full-time equivalent employees are eligible for a company bonus, depending in part on company and individual performance, and may be eligible for a comprehensive benefits program.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s or master’s degree with at least 6 years of experience, or Ph.D. with at least 2 years of experience, in a manufacturing environment involving biochemistry, chemical biology, conjugation chemistry, chemical engineering, or a related field.
• Experience performing bioconjugation chemistry to form ADCs, including antibody preparation, buffer exchanges, and protein-specific characterization such as DAR analysis and aggregate assessment.
• Hands-on experience with multiple conjugation strategies, including maleimide, click, and enzymatic approaches.
• Experience working with highly potent molecules and containment in laboratory and production environments, and with single-use bioprocessing systems.
• Ability to mentor less experienced scientists and work cross-functionally across disciplines and organizational levels.
• Ability to communicate and collaborate effectively with engineering, analytical, chemical-technology, safety, and quality colleagues.
• Ability to work in manufacturing and laboratory environments.
• Ability to travel domestically and internationally when required; travel is expected to be limited to less than 5%.

Nice To Haves

• Working knowledge of organic chemistry, reaction mechanisms, and their application to reaction improvement and optimization.
• Knowledge of and hands-on experience with analytical methods for small molecules and biomolecules, including RP-HPLC, SEC, IEX, HIC, LC-MS, and CE-SDS.
• Hands-on experience with liquid chromatography for bioconjugate purification and familiarity with chromatography systems.
• Experience with synthetic chemistry techniques for developing and scaling up chemical reactions; process chemistry experience is a plus.
• Comfort working with larger glass equipment and single-use equipment.
• Demonstrated ability to independently lead an end-to-end technology transfer from a development laboratory to clinical manufacturing.
• Experience creating batch records and conducting scale-up experiments according to those records.
• Ability to prioritize multiple activities and manage ambiguity.
• Experience with process quantification and obtaining mass balances for products and by-products.
• Demonstrated ability to drive projects and adapt to change.
• Excellent written and verbal communication for technical reports, presentations, and cross-team collaboration.
• Problem-solving skills, including data analysis, root cause analysis, and resolution of complex technical challenges.

Responsibilities

• Facilitate transfer of bioconjugation chemical processes for ADCs and related modalities from development laboratories to pilot-plant and production operations, including kilo-scale environments.
• Independently perform technology-transfer activities and guide more junior scientists; the role may ultimately involve supervising colleagues.
• Receive chemistry processes from early-phase process research and development laboratories and evaluate incoming procedures for safety in collaboration with safety and process-engineering teams.
• Ensure readiness of raw materials and reagents, obtain reference materials, and participate in establishing analytical methods.
• Reprocess and analyze analytical data to support fact-based decisions, and summarize and present chemistry and process challenges.
• Perform familiarization reactions and operations to establish plant readiness, including reduction, conjugation, oxidation, and tangential flow filtration (TFF).
• Conduct use-tests of key raw materials and document Definitive Lab Trials to confirm plant readiness.
• Maintain detailed, organized laboratory notebooks documenting chemistry, observations, and analytical data to support technical packages, technology transfers, and reproducibility.
• Author and review technical documents, including technology-transfer plans, standard operating procedures, batch records, campaign summary reports, and deviation reports.
• Identify process-improvement opportunities and implement suitable technologies or procedures.
• Support process troubleshooting and investigations related to deviations, quality events, and non-conformances; collaborate on root cause analysis and corrective and preventive actions.
• Collaborate cross-functionally with engineers, analytical chemists, chemical technicians, and safety and quality representatives.

Benefits

• Company bonus, depending in part on company and individual performance, for full-time equivalent employees.
• Eligibility to participate in a company-sponsored 401(k).
• Pension.
• Vacation benefits.
• Eligibility for medical, dental, vision, and prescription drug benefits.
• Flexible benefits, including healthcare and/or dependent day care flexible spending accounts.
• Life insurance and death benefits.
• Certain time-off and leave-of-absence benefits.
• Well-being benefits, including an employee assistance program, fitness benefits, and employee clubs and activities.

What This Job Offers

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