Synthetic Chemist High Potency Lab - Lilly Medicine Foundry

Eli Lilly and Company • Indianapolis, IN

5d • Hybrid

About The Position

Lilly is investing $4.5 billion to create the Lilly Medicine Foundry in Lebanon, Indiana, a new center for advanced manufacturing and drug development. This facility, the first of its kind, will combine research and manufacturing to optimize processes, increase capacity for clinical trial medicines, reduce costs, and minimize environmental impact. The Process Translation and Execution (PTE) team is responsible for translating API/DS process knowledge into clinical supply readiness, overseeing technology transfer, implementing control strategies, and ensuring right-first-time clinical manufacturing for various modalities. During the Foundry Construction and Project Delivery/Startup Phase (2025-2028), roles will be dynamic as a new organization is built, systems and business processes are implemented, and site culture is established. This period offers a unique opportunity for learning, growth, and impact, requiring collaboration, creativity, and resilience. We are seeking passionate and agile synthetic chemists to join the PTE team and contribute to the Lilly Medicine Foundry's vision.

Requirements

• B.S. or M.S. in chemistry, chemical engineering, or related field.
• 3+ years of experience in synthetic chemistry and/or manufacturing environments involving synthetic small molecule API or drug substance.
• High potency chemical synthesis is preferred.
• Working knowledge of organic chemistry and mechanisms and application to reaction improvement and optimization.
• Experience with synthetic chemistry techniques used for developing and scaling-up chemical reactions.
• Proficiency with the purification of chemicals via extraction, crystallization, chromatography, and distillation.
• Comfortable working with larger sized glass equipment.
• Highly motivated, able to learn rapidly, and demonstrates strong attention to detail.
• Has experience creating batch records and conducting scale-up experiments according to those records.
• Ability to prioritize multiple activities and manage ambiguity.
• Experience with a variety of analytical techniques: HPLC/UPLC, LC-MS, GC, NMR, IR, KF, XRPD, etc.
• Process quantification and acquiring mass balance for products and by-products.
• Demonstrated ability to drive projects and accept change.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills for technical report writing, presentations, and effective collaboration across teams.
• Familiarity with crystallization and understanding of polymorphism and particle size control, and safe handling of solids/dry end processing.
• Problem-solving skills: Proven ability to analyze data, perform root cause analysis, and resolve complex technical challenges.
• Ability to work cross-functionally across disciplines and levels with engineers, analytical chemists, chemical technicians, safety and quality representatives.

Nice To Haves

• Experience using process chemistry concepts is a plus.

Responsibilities

• Synthetically evaluate and facilitate the transfer of chemical processes for highly potent molecules from development laboratories to pilot plant operations (including kilo-scale and isolator production environments).
• Enable the successful transition to early-phase cGMP manufacturing of grams to kilogram quantities of API required for clinical trial supply.
• Perform synthetic chemistry and assess synthetic routes from early phase process research and development labs.
• Familiarity with performing chemistry in an isolator/glovebox.
• Experience working with highly potent molecules.
• Evaluate the safety of incoming procedures in collaboration with the safety group and process engineering.
• Order and stage chemicals.
• Obtain reference materials and participate in setting up analytical methods.
• Reprocess and analyze analytical data to make fact-based decisions.
• Summarize and present chemistry and challenges efficiently.
• Perform familiarization reactions to ensure plant readiness of process steps including chemical reactions, distillations, extractions, and crystallization/isolations at the Lilly Medicine Foundry.
• Perform use-tests of key raw materials and document Definitive Lab Trials of processes to confirm plant readiness.
• Maintain a well-organized and detailed lab notebook with accurate descriptions of the chemistry, observations, and organized analytical data to enable the preparation of technical packages/technical transfers and accurate replication in receiving labs.
• Author and review technical documents, including tech transfer plans, standard operating procedures (SOPs), batch records, campaign summary reports, and deviation reports.
• Apply scientific knowledge to identify areas for improvement and implement new technologies or procedures.
• Contribute to process troubleshooting and investigations by supporting process deviations, quality events, and non-conformances.
• Collaborate with teams to perform root cause analysis (RCA) and develop effective corrective and preventive actions (CAPAs).

Benefits

• Company bonus (depending, in part, on company and individual performance).
• 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
• 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: Associate degree