Head of Small Molecule Discovery

Elanco•Indianapolis, IN

7d•Hybrid

About The Position

At Elanco (NYSE: ELAN) – it all starts with animals! As a global leader in animal health, we are dedicated to innovation and delivering products and services to prevent and treat disease in farm animals and pets. At Elanco, we are driven by our vision of Food and Companionship Enriching Life and our purpose – all to Go Beyond for Animals, Customers, Society and Our People. At Elanco, we pride ourselves on fostering a diverse and inclusive work environment. We believe that diversity is the driving force behind innovation, creativity, and overall business success. Here, you’ll be part of a company that values and champions new ways of thinking, work with dynamic individuals, and acquire new skills and experiences that will propel your career to new heights. Making animals’ lives better makes life better – join our team today! Your Role: Head of Small Molecule Discovery As Head of Small Molecule Discovery, you will lead our efforts in identifying and developing novel small molecule therapeutics for animal health. The successful candidate will be a visionary leader, responsible for driving strategic direction, scientific excellence, and operational execution of our small molecule discovery programs from target validation through to candidate selection. This role requires a deep understanding of diverse discovery technologies, a proven track record in drug discovery, and the ability to inspire and mentor a high-performing team.

Requirements

Education: PhD in Medicinal Chemistry, Organic Chemistry, Chemical Biology, or a related scientific discipline.
Experience: Minimum of 7 years of progressive experience in small molecule drug discovery within the pharmaceutical or animal health industry, with a proven track record of advancing compounds through discovery phases.
Demonstrated expertise and hands-on experience with a variety of modern drug discovery technologies, including: Design, synthesis, and screening of DNA-Encoded Libraries (DEL). Application of Artificial Intelligence/Machine Learning (AI/ML) for compound design, property prediction, and data analysis. Strong foundation and practical experience in traditional medicinal chemistry principles, synthetic organic chemistry, and structure-activity relationship (SAR) optimization.
Proven leadership experience, including managing, mentoring, and developing scientific teams with excellent strategic thinking, problem-solving, and decision-making skills.
Outstanding communication, presentation, and interpersonal skills, with the ability to effectively collaborate with diverse internal and external stakeholders.

Nice To Haves

Experience in the animal health sector.
Track record of successful progression of compounds into preclinical or clinical development.
Experience managing external research collaborations (e.g., CROs, academic partnerships).
Strong publication record and/or patent contributions in the field of small molecule drug discovery.

Responsibilities

Provide strategic leadership and scientific oversight for all small molecule drug discovery programs, ensuring alignment with Elanco's R&D pipeline goals.
Lead, manage, and develop a team of talented medicinal chemists and discovery scientists, fostering a culture of innovation, collaboration, and scientific rigor.
Drive the implementation and application of cutting-edge discovery technologies, including DNA-Encoded Libraries (DEL), Artificial Intelligence/Machine Learning (AI/ML) approaches, and advanced medicinal chemistry techniques.
Oversee the design, synthesis, and optimization of novel small molecules, guiding hit identification, lead generation, and lead optimization strategies.
Collaborate cross-functionally with biology, pharmacology, ADME, toxicology, and research / development teams to ensure seamless progression of discovery candidates.
Identify and evaluate new technologies, and external collaboration opportunities to enhance our small molecule discovery capabilities and pipeline.
Ensure robust data analysis, interpretation, and decision-making throughout the discovery process.
Represent Elanco's small molecule discovery efforts internally and externally, including presentations at scientific conferences and interactions with key opinion leaders.
Contribute to the overall discovery strategy and portfolio management, providing expert insights into small molecule opportunities and challenges.