Research Scientist - Product development

Elanco•Fort Dodge, IA

20h•Onsite

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: Research Scientist The Research Scientist (R1 level) in Vaccine Technical Development plays a critical role in effectively and efficiently leading and advancing research and development projects. This position leverages deep technical expertise to ensure projects progress on schedule and within budget, while maintaining high standards of quality, innovation, and collaboration. This role operates within the Process Development/Assay Development (PD/AD) functional group and operates cross-functionally across the Elanco network. The Research Scientist leads multiple large-scale projects, contributes to strategic planning, and drives continuous improvement in technical methodologies. This role also supports the full innovation cycle, contributing to the successful development, validation, and licensure of vaccine products.

Requirements

Ph.D. in a relevant scientific discipline (e.g., Virology, Immunology, Bacteriology, Molecular Biology) with at least 1 year of industry or post-doctoral experience; OR a Master of Science (M.S.) degree with 5+ years of experience in vaccine analytical development.
Proven hands-on expertise in analytical method development (e.g., potency assays, ELISA, viral titration) combined with demonstrated experience leading technical projects in a highly collaborative, cross-functional environment.
Strong verbal and written communication skills with a demonstrated ability to influence technical and business outcomes.

Nice To Haves

Direct experience with the USDA regulatory framework for animal biologics.
A strong background in developing and validating potency assays for licensed vaccines.
Proven success in mentoring and training junior scientific staff.
Experience managing the technical transfer of methods to QC or manufacturing teams.
Demonstrated ability to manage multiple projects concurrently and adapt to shifting priorities.

Responsibilities

Lead projects by developing technical plans, coordinating cross-functional alignment, and ensuring milestone achievement.
Drive innovation by generating new ideas, accelerating timelines, and improving technical approaches.
Design and implement experiments, methods, protocols, and SOPs to support process and assay development improvements.
Perform hands-on laboratory work, including development, optimization, and troubleshooting of new methods and techniques.
Represent Technical Development on project teams, defining goals, making decisions, and securing necessary resources.
Build and maintain strong relationships with internal and external stakeholders to meet project and customer requirements.
Analyze and interpret complex data, providing clear, actionable insights to project teams and leadership.
Independently troubleshoot and resolve complex technical challenges within area of expertise.
Maintain accountability for project deliverables and team commitments, demonstrating Elanco’s values and expected behaviors.
Identify and leverage internal resources to execute projects effectively with minimal reliance on management oversight.