Director – Molecular Biomarkers

Eli Lilly and Company • Us, IN

4d

About The Position

Eli Lilly is seeking a scientific, technical, and operational leader for the Cardiometabolic Translation & Biomarker Research (CTBR) group’s multi-capability molecular biomarker laboratory at the Lilly Corporate Center in Indianapolis. The laboratory supports drug discovery and development across cardiometabolic areas, including obesity, diabetes, cardiorenal health, women’s health, and aging, using capabilities such as immunoassays, clinical chemistry, and mass spectrometry.

The Director serves as a central operational and scientific resource, coordinating day-to-day laboratory execution, helping lead and develop staff, and providing scientific and technical direction across clinical chemistry, mass spectrometry, and multiplex immunoassay platforms. The role manages and scales routine laboratory capabilities as methods transfer from development into operations, and collaborates with adjacent groups, discovery biologists, clinical scientists, and project teams to identify biomarker needs and suitable analytical approaches.

The position supports high-quality preclinical and clinical biomarker studies, routine assay expansion, laboratory operations, and staff development. It also advances biomarker strategies relevant to the mechanism of action, efficacy, and safety of Lilly medicines, while promoting reliable, reproducible, and transparent laboratory practices.

Requirements

• Ph.D. in analytical chemistry, biochemistry, biology, chemical biology, clinical/laboratory science, or a related scientific field.
• At least 5 years of relevant laboratory research experience in a bioanalytical, biomarker, or clinical laboratory setting.
• Demonstrated leadership of people, projects, or laboratory operations.

Nice To Haves

• Direct experience with clinical chemistry analyzers such as Roche Cobas and/or multiplex immunoassay platforms such as MSD, Luminex, or Olink.
• Hands-on mastery of one or more analytical platforms, such as LC-MS/MS or GC-MS for small molecules, or ELISA/MSD and protein LC-MS for large molecules; breadth across all platforms and molecule types is not expected.
• Working knowledge of cardiometabolic disease biology, including diabetes, obesity, and related complications, and relevant animal models.
• Experience in a compliance-focused or regulated environment, such as GLP, GCP, GCLP, or CLIA.

Responsibilities

• Coordinate day-to-day operational planning and execution of preclinical and clinical biomarker studies across laboratory capabilities.
• Oversee sample logistics, chain-of-custody, inventory, and laboratory information management systems (LIMS).
• Manage and scale routine molecular capabilities, including taking on assays and methods after their development is transferred into operations.
• Plan, track, and deliver study timelines, deliverables, and performance metrics.
• Mentor, develop, and help lead laboratory scientists and associates.
• Coordinate work across analytical capabilities and support workforce and capacity planning, workload balancing, scheduling, and prioritization.
• Help shape team roles and development paths as the laboratory grows.
• Collaborate with groups focused on immunohistochemistry, morphological assessments, and advanced method development.
• Promote a collaborative, standardized, and safety-conscious culture, providing mentoring and feedback and modeling Lilly leadership behaviors.
• Support exploratory biomarker work with internal laboratories or external vendors in accordance with appropriate quality expectations.
• Support clinical biomarker studies that meet applicable regulatory requirements, including GCP, GCLP, and CLIA.
• Contribute to clear SOPs, quality-control strategies, rigorous data review, and traceable documentation.
• Provide scientific and technical leadership for qualification and troubleshooting of clinical chemistry and pathology methods and assays, including Roche Cobas analyzers and other multiplex platforms.
• Provide scientific direction and support for development, qualification, validation, and transfer of targeted quantitative assays in biological matrices, including small- and large-molecule assays.
• Serve as a senior scientific troubleshooting resource and work closely with technical associates who have hands-on platform expertise.
• Develop and implement preclinical and clinical biomarker strategies to inform mechanism of action, efficacy, and safety.
• Interpret biomarker data in cardiometabolic physiologic and pathophysiologic contexts and advise project teams on translational opportunities.
• Promote standardized laboratory processes that improve consistency, reproducibility, and data integrity.
• Evaluate and integrate analytical tools and platforms to address scientific questions.
• Strengthen analysis, mining, and integration of laboratory data to generate biological insight, using computational and AI approaches where valuable.

Benefits

• Company bonus, depending in part on company and individual performance.
• 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.
• Time-off and leave-of-absence benefits.
• Well-being benefits, including an employee assistance program, fitness benefits, and employee clubs and activities.
• Employee resource groups open to all employees.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Director
• Education Level: Ph.D. or professional degree