Senior Advisor, Process Engineering- Lilly Medicine Foundry

Eli Lilly and Company•Lebanon, IN

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. About the Lilly Medicine Foundry: Lilly recently announced a $4.5 billion investment to create the Lilly Medicine Foundry, a new center for advanced manufacturing and drug development. The first-ever facility of its kind, combining research and manufacturing in a single location, the Medicine Foundry will allow Lilly to further develop innovative solutions to optimize manufacturing processes and increase capacity for clinical trial medicines, while also reducing costs and environmental impact. Organizational Overview: Lilly is currently constructing an advanced research facility for production of API molecules for clinical trials located in Lebanon, IN. This facility is Lilly’s largest investment in a clinical trial manufacturing capacity and is intended to provide APIs for current and future products, including new modalities. This is a unique opportunity to be a part of the startup team for a greenfield manufacturing site, and the successful candidate will help to build the processes and facility to enable a successful startup into GMP manufacturing operations. We are seeking an experienced Advisor in Equipment Development and Process Engineering to support the kilo lab operations for complex therapies including small molecules, peptides, oligonucleotides, and bioconjugates. This position involves leading technical innovation in equipment design, developing predictive modeling capabilities, and establishing scalable manufacturing paradigms for novel therapeutic modalities. Position Summary The Senior Advisor for Kilo Lab Equipment Development & Process Engineering serves as a technical leader responsible for driving innovation in equipment design, rapid prototyping, and scale-up strategies for complex therapeutic manufacturing. This role includes leadership of a small team of 1 to 3 engineers and requires mastery of first principles chemical engineering to develop novel equipment solutions and manufacturing processes. The successful candidate will apply fundamental principles of heat and mass transfer, reaction kinetics, thermodynamics, and transport phenomena to design, prototype, and qualify equipment for complex therapies that integrate biologics and synthetic chemistry. Through rapid prototyping methodologies and predictive modeling, this leader will accelerate equipment development cycles, challenge existing manufacturing paradigms, and establish scalable processes that enable breakthrough therapies to reach patients faster.

Requirements

PhD in Chemical Engineering, or related discipline and a minimum of two years of experience in pharmaceutical, biotech, or CMO environment supporting process engineering and equipment development for drug substance API manufacturing
MS in Chemical Engineering or related discipline with minimum 10 years of relevant experience in pharmaceutical, biotech, or CMO environment supporting process engineering and equipment development for drug substance API manufacturing
BS in Chemical Engineering or related discipline with minimum 12 years of relevant experience in pharmaceutical, biotech, or CMO environment supporting process engineering and equipment development for drug substance API manufacturing

Nice To Haves

Proven track record of challenging and transforming manufacturing paradigms through innovative technical approaches
Proven ability to lead, mentor, and develop technical talent at individual and team levels
Expert-level knowledge in modeling and simulation tools (e.g., Dynochem, Aspen, COMSOL, computational fluid dynamics software)
Deep understanding of reaction kinetics, transport phenomena, thermodynamics, and biophysical characterization
Experience with process analytical technology (PAT) and advanced process control strategies
Proficiency with automation systems (DeltaV), data analytics platforms (OSI-PI), and electronic lab notebooks
Experience with complex therapeutic modalities (biologics, synthetic molecules, conjugates, oligonucleotides, peptides)
Outstanding oral and written communication skills for diverse audiences, from operations staff to executive leadership
Ability to work independently while maintaining strong collaborative relationships

Responsibilities

Lead process engineering and equipment development for complex therapies that integrate both biologics and synthetic chemistry approaches
Apply advanced knowledge of reaction kinetics, molecular interactions, and biophysical properties to develop robust manufacturing processes
Address unique scaling challenges through predictive modeling and mechanistic understanding of multi-modal therapeutic systems
Connect insights from diverse disciplines to solve complex technical challenges
Mentor and guide cross-functional teams in applying systems-thinking approaches to process development
Lead and develop a small team of 1-3 engineers supporting kilo lab equipment development and process engineering activities
Provide technical mentorship and guidance to team members
Coordinate team activities and prioritize work to meet project objectives
Foster a culture of innovation, collaboration, and continuous improvement within the team
Serve as technical expert and advisor to development teams, operations, and senior leadership
Active engagement and communication with HSE, Quality Assurance, Tech Services, Development, Operations, FUME/C&Q, Automation, Maintenance, and Manufacturing teams
Author, review, and approve high-quality technical reports and regulatory submissions
Develop or review project plans and timetables for equipment qualification and process validation
Ensure that people and their environment are safe and that company policies concerning safety are followed
Ensure processing equipment remains compliant with internal Quality System requirements, applicable engineering standards, and cGMP requirements
Demonstrate engagement and employ a quality mindset in all endeavors by proactively identifying quality issues and communicating appropriately
Maintain adequate records and technical notebooks in compliance with regulatory requirements
Establish modeling and simulation as a core capability for accelerating process development and scale-up
Develop predictive models to assess process performance, identify risks, and guide equipment specifications
Lead equipment design, specifications, and qualification for kilo lab operations
Perform comprehensive impact and risk assessments for critical equipment and unit operations
Conduct heat and mass transfer analyses, computational fluid dynamics, and process simulations to ensure successful scale-up
Challenge and redefine manufacturing paradigms that no longer fit emerging therapeutic modalities
Integrate knowledge across chemistry, materials science, and automation to develop innovative manufacturing solutions for advanced therapeutic modalities

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).

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