Director/Senior Director - New Target Validation
About The Position
Lilly Immunology is seeking an accomplished Director or Senior Director for New Target Validation within Discovery Immunology. The role provides scientific and strategic leadership for biological strategy and translational readiness, guiding target identification through mechanistic validation. The successful candidate will draw on deep scientific judgment in functional genomics, phenotypic and mechanistic discovery, and physiologically relevant primary human model systems, while working across internal functions and with external collaborators such as CROs, academic groups, and technology partners. The position leads through influence across cross-functional discovery teams and communicates with senior management and governance. It develops workplans and data packages to support confident target nomination, modality selection, and early portfolio advancement in immunology.
Requirements
- Ph.D. in Molecular Genetics and Immunology.
- 8–10 years of drug development experience, with a strong research focus including asthma, atopic dermatitis, and rheumatologic diseases.
Nice To Haves
- Demonstrated leadership in developing high-performing teams by coaching, mentoring, and empowering diverse talent to grow in capability, influence, and leadership impact.
- Proven track record of generating data packages that increase confidence in mechanism of action and target engagement requirements for advancing validated targets into lead generation or candidate selection.
- Strong interpersonal skills and demonstrated ability to make data-driven decisions and find innovative solutions to scientific and operational obstacles within a matrix environment.
- Excellent written and verbal communication skills, including communicating upward to senior leadership and governance and presenting complex scientific data to diverse audiences.
Responsibilities
- Define and lead end-to-end new target validation strategy, spanning genetic perturbation, pathway deconvolution, cellular pharmacology, and translational model design.
- Drive development of novel human systems for target validation, including organs-on-chip, ex vivo human model systems, iPSC, and HSC engineering.
- Integrate multimodal profiling—including imaging, transcriptomics, cytokine, and proteomics readouts—from internal and external partners to strengthen human disease relevance and predictive validity.
- Communicate workplans that support scientific decision-making across multidisciplinary project teams and establish robust biological rationale, mechanism-of-action understanding, and data-supported progression criteria.
- Train discovery biologists in molecular biology designs and building functional assays.
- Guide cross-functional project teams through influence in a matrixed organization.
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, such as 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.
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What This Job Offers
Job Type
Full-time
Career Level
Director
Education Level
Ph.D. or professional degree
