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.

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.

We have a long history in the Diabetes Obesity and Complications TA of addressing the needs of individuals living with diabetes by providing breakthrough therapies that result in significant improvements in the lives of patients. One hundred years ago, we were the first company to make insulin commercially available, and since then, we have worked relentlessly to improve the lives of patients with Type 1 and Type 2 diabetes. Our commitment to innovation in diabetes is strong, and we strive to continue building our leadership through innovation with the goal of breakthrough medicines for patients.

Position Overview: We are seeking a highly skilled and motivated PhD level scientist to join our Diabetes team. This position will play a key role in implementing iPSC gene editing capabilities at Lilly Seaport Center and will contribute to the development of the next generation of islet cell therapies. The advisor will also apply iPSC-derived platforms to novel target discovery and validation. Successful candidates will have extensive experience with human iPSC culture, gene editing, molecular biology and assay development, as well as bridging R&D and GMP gene-editing. This position will report to Director – Islet Cell Therapy, Stem Cell Biology and Cell Engineering.

Key Responsibilities:

Lab-based role focused on establishing iPSC platform capabilities, including advancing iPSC gene-editing and cell line development toward GMP operation.

Develop and optimize workflows for iPSC gene-editing using existing and novel genome editing tools, including guide RNA design, RNP delivery, clone characterization, and banking.

Clone characterization via a multitude of assays such as flow cytometry, DNA-based assays, ddPCR, and next-generation sequencing (NGS).

Execution of genome editing of iPSC in GMP facilities to create clinical cell lines.

Evaluate and design mitigating mechanisms to ensure genomic stability of the iPSC lines.

Implement high throughput CRISPR and compound screens.

Design and implement safety switch strategies for cell therapy products. 

Execute routine directed differentiation of iPSC lines towards islet cells and characterize drug product attributes

Collaborate with cross-functional teams to transition from research to GMP-grade reagents and processes and actively participate in bridging R&D and GMP editing.

Stay current with advancements in gene editing technologies and apply them to ongoing projects.

Ensure all gene editing activities comply with relevant regulatory guidelines and standards. Maintain excellent scientific documentation, prepare reports, present in meetings and contribute to SOP and batch record development.

Contribute to the preparation of regulatory documents, including INDs, BLAs, and other necessary documentation.

Demonstrate ability to work effectively with management and influence team members across multidisciplinary teams while prioritizing multiple projects and meeting deadlines

Basic Qualifications:

Ph.D. in Biology, Bioengineering, or a related field with 2+ years of relevant industry experience in stem cell gene editing and cell therapy.

Hands-on experience with human iPSC culture, gene editing, and molecular biology techniques.

Additional Skills/Preferences:

Proficiency in gene editing, including design, optimization, and validation of guide RNAs. Hands-on experience with delivery methods for gene editing tools.

Expertise in next-generation sequencing (NGS) techniques for detecting on-target and off-target editing events.

Familiarity with bioinformatics tools for analyzing gene editing outcomes and off-target effects.

Strong understanding of genomic stability assessments and off-target analysis.

Excellent communication and interpersonal skills, with the ability to work effectively in a team-oriented environment.

Proven track record of successful project management and meeting deadlines in a research setting.

Hands-on experience in transitioning research-grade processes to GMP-grade operation is highly desirable.

Additional information

Position located in Boston, MA. This is a full-time position requiring weekend cell culture responsibilities on a rotational basis.

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

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.

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