Research Advisor - Computational Biology

Eli Lilly and Company • San Diego, CA

1d

About The Position

At Lilly, we unite caring with discovery to make life better for people around the world. We are a global healthcare leader headquartered in Indianapolis, Indiana. Our employees around the world work to discover and bring life-changing medicines to those who need them, improve the understanding and management of disease, and give back to our communities through philanthropy and volunteerism. We give our best effort to our work, and we put people first. We’re looking for people who are determined to make life better for people around the world. At Lilly, we unite caring with discovery to make life better for people around the world. We are a global healthcare leader headquartered in Indianapolis, Indiana. Our employees work to discover and bring life-changing medicines to those who need them, improve the understanding and management of disease, and give back to our communities through philanthropy and volunteerism. We give our best effort to our work, and we put people first. We’re looking for people who are determined to make life better for people around the world. We are seeking a highly motivated computational biology scientist to lead and contribute to high‑impact research in RNA therapeutics. The Lilly Genetic Medicine (LGM) team is an innovation‑driven organization focused on developing and applying advanced modeling technologies to maximize patient benefit. Our data science, computational, and AI/ML group partners closely with experimental scientists across disciplines, playing a central role in study design, modeling, and data analysis to accelerate the pace of drug discovery. Responsibilities: In this role, you will be responsible for modeling and mechanistically understanding the end‑to-end processes from RNA drug administration to pharmacological effects in target tissues. The successful candidate will work closely with global experimental and computational scientists, statisticians, and data scientists to identify critical experimental data, design studies, perform modeling and simulation analyses, and interpret results to improve biological understanding and inform the design of future RNA therapeutics.

Requirements

• PhD in computational biology, systems biology, biophysics, pharmacology, toxicology, or related field

Nice To Haves

• Demonstrated expertise in modeling software packages and experience modeling complex biological processes
• Familiarity with RNA therapeutics-related assays and datasets (preferred; candidates with strong modeling backgrounds from adjacent therapeutic modalities are encouraged to apply)
• Deep knowledge of pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics, including drug exposure, potency, and durability across human and animal tissues.
• Strong programming skills in Python, R, or similar languages
• Excellent written and oral communication skills with ability to present complex data to diverse audiences
• Demonstrated ability to work collaboratively in cross-functional team environments
• Self-directed and highly motivated individual who wants to learn new techniques
• Proficient in data analysis, interpretation, and reporting
• Strong problem-solving skills and ability to troubleshoot issues
• Understanding of the biological principles underlying RNA therapeutics
• Demonstrated knowledge of genetics and molecular biology, and physiology, particularly as related to RNA therapeutics
• Experience with PBPK modeling tools (e.g., SimCyp, GastroPlus) or familiarity with oligonucleotide-specific ADME properties
• Experience with uncertainty quantification, Bayesian approaches, or sensitivity analysis for biological models
• Experience designing computational workflows that integrate with automated experimental platforms

Responsibilities

• Collaborate effectively with scientists across RNA therapeutics, LRL and IT organizations to contribute to drug discovery efforts
• Utilize internal and external data for tissue-level modeling to support RNA drug discovery and development programs
• Establish a computational platform for multi-scale modeling at whole-body and tissue scales
• Identify key factors that impact RNA drug potency and off-target liability, and develop methods to enable identification of optimal combinations of chemistry and sequence
• Generate visualizations and reports to communicate results to stakeholders
• Participate in scientific discussions and present results to the project and management teams

Benefits

• Full-time equivalent employees also will be eligible for a company bonus (depending, in part, on company and individual performance). In addition, Lilly offers a comprehensive benefit program to eligible employees, including eligibility to participate in a company-sponsored 401(k); pension; vacation benefits; eligibility for 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; and 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: Mid Level
• Education Level: Ph.D. or professional degree