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.

When it comes to research and development, our goal is to discover and deliver innovative medicines that make life better for people around the world. It’s challenging, expensive and often filled with failure. But even when we fail, we advance medical science and understanding by learning more about diseases, biology and chemistry – ultimately bringing new solutions one step closer to reality.

We are seeking an ambitious post-doctoral scientist, with strong synthetic organic research and communication skills, to contribute to the development of innovative technical solutions and developing next-generation solutions for oligonucleotide synthesis and purification. In this role, you will:

Design, develop, and execute multi-step organic syntheses to support our pipeline of innovative oligonucleotide molecules.Focus on overcoming current bottlenecks in the synthesis and purification of complex short and long RNA sequences, as well as chemically diverse constructs, by leveraging advanced chemical techniques.Collaborate within an interdisciplinary team spanning organic and analytical chemistry, chemical biology, and purification development. Work closely with experts in oligonucleotide synthesis and process engineering, supported by advanced facilities, cutting-edge instrumentation, and strong mentorship.Identify areas of key need across clinical development and champion creative solutions to address those needs. Maintain external awareness and learn to benefit the organization.Present findings at conferences and publish in high quality peer-reviewed journals.

Basic Qualifications

PhD in Chemistry or related field (PhD degree expected before Dec 2025).Ability to identify and exploit new scientific concepts, employ strong problem-solving skills, and be self-motivated and adaptable. Strong background in synthetic organic and/or oligonucleotide chemistry. Knowledge of fundamental structural/molecular properties of organic molecules/oligonucleotides, equilibrium and kinetic principles, and their application in reaction development and improvement. Experience with characterization of organic/peptide products by NMR, HPLC, and MS. 

Additional Skills/Preferences

If you are described with these skills, you could be a great fit for the role:

Design and execute synthetic routes for small molecules, intermediates, or complex organic compounds.Optimize reaction conditions to improve yield, selectivity, and scalability.Expertise in various synthetic organic chemistry methods and techniques.Present data and findings in team meetings and contribute to scientific discussions.Stay current with the latest advancements in synthetic methodology and relevant literature.Excellent oral and written communicator with presentation experience, along with a strong publication record.Proficient in data analysis and reportingMaintain detailed records of experiments, observations, and results in electronic lab notebooks (ELNs).Strong interpersonal skills and experience in collaborative, multidisciplinary team environments. Ensure compliance with safety protocols and contribute to a culture of laboratory safety.

About Eli Lilly’s Postdoctoral Scientist Program
 

When it comes to research and development, our goal is to discover and deliver innovative medicines that make life better for people around the world. It’s challenging, expensive, and often filled with failure. But even when we fail, we advance medical science and understanding by learning more about diseases, biology, and chemistry – ultimately bringing new solutions one step closer to reality.

Over the course of our history, we have shed light on some of the toughest health care problems known to man – diabetes, heart disease, infectious diseases, neuroscience disorders, cancer, and more. We could not pursue this without our research and development team.

Postdoctoral scientists help us continue this pursuit. During your experience you will get:

Top industry research experience

Mentoring by some of Lilly’s top scientists  

Laboratory and classroom training and education to further your development

Collaboration and networking across dozens of postdoctoral scientists and other researchers

Additional Information

Positions Location: Indianapolis, Indiana.This position is not permanent. It is for a fixed duration of two years with the potential to extend to 3 years and a maximum of 4 years. You will have opportunities to apply for full-time positions after your duration is complete.

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

$58,000 - $100,320

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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