Director of Biology & Biochemistry

Lilly • Pasadena, CA

3d • $163,500 - $281,600 • Onsite

About The Position

At Lilly, the work is demanding because patients are waiting. We unite caring with discovery to help make life better for people around the world, knowing that every decision, every detail, and every day matters. Headquartered in Indianapolis, Indiana, our over 50,000 employees around the globe take on complex challenges to discover and deliver life-changing medicines, strengthen how health is understood and managed, and support the communities we serve. This is hard, urgent, selfless work—but it’s work worth doing. If you’re driven by purpose and ready to bring your best to work that truly matters for patients, we invite you to join us.

Organization Overview:
At Lilly, we serve an extraordinary purpose. For 150 years, we have worked tirelessly to discover medicines that make life better. These discoveries start in Lilly Research Laboratories, where our scientists work to create new medicines that will help solve our world’s greatest health challenges.

Protomer team at Lilly focuses on chemical biology, molecular switches and oral macrocyclic peptide platforms. This position is for a senior biologist-biochemist with extensive background and knowledge in assay development, protein binding assays and knowledge of mammalian protein expression and characterization. Successful candidates would lead biology efforts, oversee multiple projects and support the chemistry team with detailed biology knowledge and assay support to accelerate projects. Work experience and research background on oral macrocycles, oral permeability and potency assays for macrocyclic peptides is highly desired. However the breadth of projects spans both peptide macrocycles biology and assay development as well as responsive therapeutics and peptides. This position is to lead biology and protein biochemistry efforts, interfacing with many molecule makers to support chemists in molecule testing of compounds and synthesized peptides. The protein biochemist/biologist is expected to have extensive knowledge of supporting drug development campaigns and have ability to identify active compounds and troubleshoot and design biology support for a large team of chemists. The successful candidate is expected to have mastery of standard molecular biology techniques, cell-based assays, protein purification and characterization as well as in vitro biochemical assays. The candidate is expected to have excellent knowledge of protein binding techniques and demonstrated extensive work with SPR systems and troubleshooting techniques. The candidate is expected to work closely with mammalian protein expression group including external CROs to troubleshoot expression constructs, increase protein yield, and navigate appropriate purification techniques and functional protein characterization. Protomer team engages in disease-relevant biological systems in order to test preclinical and clinical pipeline of innovative medicines. The candidate is expected to help develop strategy, direction and manage scientific group milestones and objectives based on an ambitious long-term strategic plan which the candidate helps to develop. The ideal candidate is a significant contributor and leading a highly integrated, agile, and collaborative team effort and expected to manage the scientific portfolio, the business supporting the portfolio, and mentoring of junior scientists within the oral macrocycles group at Protomer. Ideal candidate is expected to have demonstrated success in similar roles with proven track record of leading both scientific rationale, planning and execution leading to success in making medicines. This individual will also be expected to be able to independently lead projects, help shape the team and strategy of the group, contribute significantly to prioritization of the team objectives and interact with and create and nurture the cross-functional relationships interacting with various therapeutic areas such diabetes and obesity, neuroscience, immunology and oncology.

Requirements

• PhD or post-doctoral degree in biochemistry, molecular biology, biology, chemical biology or related field with significant experience in these fields and a proven track record of research success.
• Demonstrated leadership as a biologist working on important therapeutic targets with multiple different modalities including macrocycles
• Knowledge of some of the latest developments in oral macrocyclic peptides or good understanding of peptide and protein properties and solubility characteristics and standardized permeability assays for small molecule drug compounds.
• Deep expertise in protein expression and characterization techniques, including purification, functional characterization techniques and protein biochemistry methods.
• Deep knowledge and understanding of molecular biology techniques.
• Proficient in experimental design, assay execution, troubleshooting, data analysis, and data interpretation.
• Knowledge of lab automation systems to streamline the experimental protocols and create workflows.
• Basic understanding of computational and AI/machine learning techniques used for the development and engineering of oral macrocyclic peptides.
• Understanding the whole drug discovery process including lead generation and lead optimization and will partner with cross functional groups including other areas within molecule discover, therapeutic areas, ADME, nonclinical safety assessment and PK/PD.
• Open, transparent and able to communicate equally well with employees, team members and cross-functional and/or senior leadership.
• Must be an excellent team player, strong attention to detail, strong problem-solving skills, a high level of learning agility, with the ability to lead within a globally matrixed organization and across functions.
• Ability to think strategically, actively identifying gaps in competencies or capabilities within the organization and taking initiative to drive continuous improvement across Protomer.
• Be on site five days a week to support all the team efforts on location in Pasadena, CA.
• Be a great team player and contribute towards team goals and objectives.

Nice To Haves

• Work experience and research background on oral macrocycles, oral permeability and potency assays for macrocyclic peptides is highly desired.

Responsibilities

• Contribute as the lead biochemist and assay biologist for the team on macrocyclic discovery, contributing both insight and developing strategy for assays for various efforts in the group
• Work on (both directionally and operationally) molecule testing efforts from lead identification to lead optimization and contribute along the way to phase 1 and beyond
• Provide assay development expertise, and support for macrocyclic peptide discovery projects
• Provide biological insight based on detailed biology of various targets to better focus molecule discovering efforts that are informed based on the biology of the targets
• Develop methodologies, protocols and run SPR and other protein binding assays for characterization of compounds
• Characterize complete functionality of protein reagents, provide both insight and oversight into quality and tracking of protein reagents, be able to independently lead a small team of biochemists and biologists to support a large molecule discovery group with various targets and assets at different stages of discovery
• Learn about and enhance the platform technology efforts at Protomer to accelerate assays and biochemical workflows including automation
• Work collaboratively in the group to achieve a common goal but also provide independent perspective and scientific rationale and contribute to strategy and execution.
• Take on dedicated efforts towards targets of high conviction and utilize speed and prioritization to advance assay efforts both at Protomer and wider Lilly groups and through collaboration with the rest of research organization
• Inspire people to collaborate in inventing great medicines by removing barriers, committing to high quality scientific hypotheses, and accelerating where possible.
• Keep safety as a top priority at all times, striving toward a proactive safety culture.
• Be a good team player and work effectively, responsibly and professionally with colleagues at Protomer and across Lilly.

Benefits

• company bonus (depending, in part, on company and individual performance)
• company-sponsored 401(k)
• pension
• vacation benefits
• 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
• 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: Senior
• Education Level: Ph.D. or professional degree