Director/Sr Director, Injection Physiology & Parenteral Delivery Science

Lilly • Indianapolis, IN

9d • $153,000 - $264,000

About The Position

The Director/Sr Director, Injection Physiology & Parenteral Delivery Science leads Lilly’s injection physiology and parenteral delivery science team. The team studies how injection parameters—including flow rate, volume, viscosity, needle geometry, and injection depth—influence local tissue response, injection-site reactions, drug distribution, and systemic exposure across subcutaneous, intradermal, and intramuscular routes. It develops ex-vivo tissue models, imaging, rheology, and biofluid-dynamics/CFD workflows to enable higher-concentration and higher-volume delivery.

This is a hands-on, senior technical leadership role responsible for setting scientific direction and strategy, prioritizing the team’s portfolio, and providing day-to-day technical guidance, coaching, and mentorship to junior scientists and engineers. The role also represents Lilly with academic, clinical, and regulatory stakeholders and translates injection-physiology knowledge into device-design, formulation, and dose-selection decisions across the development pipeline. The position is accountable for growing team talent and translating mechanistic science into design-control- and clinic-ready delivery solutions.

The role requires 25–50% hands-on laboratory work and 10–15% travel. The anticipated wage is $153,000–$264,000. Full-time equivalent employees are eligible for a company bonus, depending in part on company and individual performance. Lilly also describes a comprehensive benefits program, subject to eligibility and company policies.

Requirements

• Earned PhD in biomedical or mechanical engineering, pharmaceutical sciences, biophysics, or a related field.
• At least 8 years of relevant industry or translational experience in injection physiology, subcutaneous/parenteral delivery, or injection biomechanics.
• Demonstrated depth in tissue-mechanics and fluid-dynamics factors affecting injectability, injection-site response, and systemic exposure.
• Ability to translate preclinical injection-physiology understanding, or a directly comparable delivery-science discipline, into device-design, formulation, or dose-selection decisions.
• Working knowledge of design controls and quality systems in a regulated industry.
• Hands-on effective use of AI/ML-enabled tools, such as large language models, computational modeling copilots, literature-synthesis tools, or data-analysis assistants, to support scientific research, technical writing, and translational planning.
• Demonstrated ability to lead, direct, and develop scientists, including setting technical direction and priorities and growing junior team members’ capabilities, including staff outside a direct reporting line.
• Publication and/or patent record demonstrating recognized technical contribution in injection physiology or parenteral delivery.
• Excellent scientific communication skills with technical and non-technical, internal and external audiences.

Nice To Haves

• Experience building and sustaining external scientific relationships with academic laboratories, consortia, or key opinion leaders, and comfort representing an organization’s technical position externally.
• Experience with ex-vivo tissue models, injection-force or rheology characterization, medical imaging, biofluid-dynamics/CFD modeling (such as COMSOL or equivalent), or human-factors/injection-experience research. This is a plus but is not required when compensated by deep injection-physiology leadership and expertise.

Responsibilities

• Set the scientific vision and multi-year technical strategy for the injection physiology and parenteral delivery science team, prioritize its portfolio across programs, and provide day-to-day direction to scientists and engineers.
• Serve as Lilly’s internal and external technical authority on injection physiology, including injection biomechanics, tissue deformation, injection-site response, and the effects of flow rate, volume, and viscosity on injectability and systemic exposure.
• Lead cross-functional teams in translating mechanistic findings into device and formulation decisions, using AI/ML-enabled modeling and data-analysis tools to accelerate technical decision-making.
• Build and leverage external relationships with academic collaborators, CROs, and regulatory bodies, and represent Lilly’s work in publications, conferences, and regulatory discussions.
• Design and oversee preclinical and clinical injection-physiology study strategies using ex-vivo tissue models, imaging, rheology, and biofluid-dynamics/CFD workflows with internal teams and external partners.
• Use study findings to de-risk device-design and dose-selection decisions; champion breakthrough approaches and make data-driven decisions under scientific and technical ambiguity.
• Coach, mentor, and develop team members by setting development goals, reviewing scientific work, and building junior scientists’ capabilities.
• Identify and lead scientific or process improvements drawing on expertise across the broader DDCS technical portfolio.

Benefits

• Company bonus for eligible full-time equivalent employees, depending in part on company and individual performance.
• Company-sponsored 401(k).
• Pension.
• Vacation benefits.
• Medical, dental, vision, and prescription drug benefits, subject to eligibility.
• 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: Director
• Education Level: Ph.D. or professional degree