Senior Director, Mechanical & Materials Engineering | Drug Delivery Devices & Combination Products

Lilly • Indianapolis, IN

4d • $163,500 - $239,800 • Hybrid

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.

Organization Overview:
Delivery, Devices & Connected Solutions (DDCS) is responsible for the design, development, and lifecycle management of drug delivery devices, digital solutions, and connected systems that enable Lilly’s medicines. Within DDCS, Delivery Systems & Technology provides the core engineering leadership for device platforms, materials, and system architectures. The Mechanical & Materials organization plays a critical role in ensuring robust, compliant, and scalable delivery system solutions through strong mechanical design, materials science, and testing capabilities.

Position Overview:
Help shape how the world’s leading medicines reach patients. We are seeking a PhD-credentialed engineering leader to own the mechanical design, materials science, and verification testing capabilities behind Lilly’s drug delivery devices and combination products. Leading a global team of roughly 40 engineers, you will set technical strategy, drive a right-the-first-time quality culture, and deliver platform-based solutions that enable predictable, scalable execution across the DDCS portfolio. You will partner across Systems, Manufacturing, Quality, and digital teams to manage technical risk, advance capability transformation, and bring next-generation delivery platforms to life. If you are energized by complex, regulated engineering challenges with a direct line to patient impact, this role offers the scope, the team, and the platform to make it happen.

Requirements

• PhD in Mechanical Engineering, Biomedical Engineering, or Materials Science (or a closely related engineering discipline) required.
• 5+ years of progressive leadership experience in mechanical and/or materials engineering for complex, regulated products.
• Demonstrated experience leading sizable engineering organizations (on the order of 40 or more people) and large, geographically distributed cross-functional teams.
• Strong understanding of regulated product development, verification testing, and manufacturing interfaces.

Nice To Haves

• Direct experience developing drug delivery devices, injectables, or combination products in a regulated (FDA/ISO 13485) environment.
• Deep knowledge of materials science, mechanical architectures, and manufacturing processes.
• Experience managing external testing partners and supplier networks.
• Strong systems thinking and executive-level communication skills.
• Proven ability to drive transformation while delivering results.

Responsibilities

• Set and own the mechanical and materials technical strategy, aligned with DDCS platform, sustainability, and delivery objectives.
• Establish and maintain engineering standards, governance, and best practices for mechanical and materials development.
• Champion a right-the-first-time mindset across the M&M organization, with accountability for reducing deviations and improving execution discipline.
• Actively monitor deviations and quality signals to identify themes, drive corrective actions, and review progress through established governance forums.
• Partner closely with Quality, Manufacturing, and Systems teams to proactively manage technical and compliance risk.
• Advance M&M capability improvement initiatives in alignment with established transformation maps, including regular reviews, updates, and progress tracking.
• Lead and optimize internal and external GMP testing capabilities supporting Design Verification and Stability studies.
• Establish effective governance and performance metrics with external testing partners.
• Drive readiness of testing sites, SOP updates, and operational coordination across the testing network.
• Enable improved scheduling, workload management, and data flow across testing activities.
• Grow and expand the platform management initiative across DDCS delivery systems, fostering platform thinking in data, designs, and deliverables.
• Ensure Mechanical & Materials leadership and support for critical programs, including successful delivery of Boone platform devices through DV, RS, and subsequent phases.
• Balance near-term execution needs with longer-term platform and capability investments to support the DDCS portfolio.
• Model and reinforce DDCS @ Work expectations, including safety, inclusion, and effective use of digital tools.
• Build strong talent pipelines, develop future leaders, and create an inclusive environment where teams can perform at their best.
• Leverage digital tools and automation to improve efficiency, data integrity, and decision-making across the organization.

Benefits

• company bonus
• company-sponsored 401(k)
• pension
• vacation benefits
• 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
• 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: Director
• Education Level: Ph.D. or professional degree