Principal Scientist/Sr. Principal Scientist - Bioconjugation Process Development

Company: Eli Lilly and Company
Location: Indianapolis
Posted on: April 1, 2026

Job Description:

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. Bioproduct Research and Development (BRD) is the large-molecule process development organization within Lilly. BRD is responsible for material and data generation to support clinical trials and commercialization of biologic therapeutics such as mAbs and bioconjugates. Our team works to accelerate the development and manufacturing of new bioconjugate medicines for our patients. We perform innovative and cutting-edge research to deliver bioconjugation processes, knowledge, and best practices to support clinical trials and commercialization for antibody-drug conjugates (ADCs), antibody-peptide conjugates (APCs), and antibody-RNA conjugates (ARCs/AOCs). We collaborate with our Synthetic Molecule Design and Development (SMDD), discovery, and biologics development colleagues to advance this exciting class of new drugs and seek fundamental learning and platform approaches to their development. Position Summary: Our bioconjugation team is tasked with establishing the infrastructure required to conduct detailed process development and glean fundamental understanding related to bioconjugate synthesis. A successful applicant will have experience with synthetic organic chemistry or biochemistry and have the drive to learn about bioconjugation principles to produce ADCs and similar modalities. We have an expanding and diverse portfolio of bioconjugates that require improved process understanding and development methods. Responsibilities: Establish a productive laboratory program by directly designing and executing internal research plans, collaborate with teammates to analyze the results, form conclusions, propose logical next steps, and report findings to a larger team. Learn and apply new skills such as bioconjugation, purification screening, OFAT and Design of Experiment methodology, and analytical sample analysis. Operate at the interface between disciplines and departments to quickly move from one scientific challenge to another while navigating ambiguity. Perform fundamental and detailed studies of each process step for bioconjugation development. Perform scale-up demonstrations of bioconjugation processes and purifications to provide material and information for development purposes. Propose and test new methods to achieve bioconjugation and bioconjugate development. Collaborate and share findings with partners. Strong oral and written communication skills are expected. Perform necessary documentation work such as electronic notebook maintenance, report authoring and regulatory/manufacturing documentation. Bring new and useful concepts, methods, and ideas for how research can be improved and share these to make our group better. Demonstrate learning agility across modalities (e.g. small molecule, peptide and oligonucleotide). Help formulate commercial manufacturing strategy and collaborate with manufacturing partners to deliver robust processes that are ultimately suitable for large-scale production. Basic Requirements: BS with 6 years of relevant experience or Master’s degree with 3 years of relevant experience in synthetic organic chemistry, biochemistry, chemical biology, chemical engineering or related field. Qualified applicants must be authorized to work in the United States on a full-time basis. Lilly will not provide support for or sponsor work authorization or visas for this role, including but not limited to F-1 CPT, F-1 OPT, F-1 STEM OPT, J-1, H-1B, TN, O-1, E-3, H-1B1, or L-1 Additional Skills/Preferences: Experience with small molecule organic synthesis, knowledge of reaction mechanisms, and design of reactions. Experience with performing bioconjugation reactions at small-scale. Knowledge of basic antibody class, structure, and function. Knowledge of and hands-on experience with analytical methods used for small molecules and biomolecules (RP-HPLC, SEC, IEX, HIC, LC-MS, CE-SDS). Good interpersonal skills and a persistent tendency for collaboration. Demonstrated self-initiative and appropriate risk-taking behaviors. Ability to prioritize multiple activities and thrive in a setting that requires quick movement between scientific challenges and comfort with ambiguity. An active scientific curiosity and interest in complementary disciplines within the pharmaceutical industry. Hands-on experience with liquid chromatography: bioconjugate purification and familiarity with chromatography systems. Additional Information: Potential exposure to chemicals, allergens, and loud noises. Travel: 0–10% Full time salaried position. Located in Indianapolis, Indiana, Lilly Technology Center – North. Experienced candidates are encouraged to apply. The incoming level will be commensurate with experience. Lilly is dedicated to helping individuals with disabilities to actively engage in the workforce, ensuring equal opportunities when vying for positions. If you require accommodation to submit a resume for a position at Lilly, please complete the accommodation request form ( https://careers.lilly.com/us/en/workplace-accommodation ) for further assistance. Please note this is for individuals to request an accommodation as part of the application process and any other correspondence will not receive a response. Lilly is proud to be an EEO Employer and does not discriminate on the basis of age, race, color, religion, gender identity, sex, gender expression, sexual orientation, genetic information, ancestry, national origin, protected veteran status, disability, or any other legally protected status. Our employee resource groups (ERGs) offer strong support networks for their members and are open to all employees. Our current groups include: Africa, Middle East, Central Asia Network, Black Employees at Lilly, Chinese Culture Network, Japanese International Leadership Network (JILN), Lilly India Network, Organization of Latinx at Lilly (OLA), PRIDE (LGBTQ Allies), Veterans Leadership Network (VLN), Women’s Initiative for Leading at Lilly (WILL), enAble (for people with disabilities). Learn more about all of our groups. Actual compensation will depend on a candidate’s education, experience, skills, and geographic location. The anticipated wage for this position is $65,250 - $169,400 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).Lilly reserves the right to amend, modify, or terminate its compensation and benefit programs in its sole discretion and Lilly’s compensation practices and guidelines will apply regarding the details of any promotion or transfer of Lilly employees. WeAreLilly

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