Director - In Vivo Pharmacology

Overview

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 put people first and are looking for individuals determined to make life better for people around the world.

We are excited to invite a passionate, visionary scientific leader to join our Neuroscience Next Generation Therapeutics (NGTx) team as Director of In Vivo Pharmacology. If you’re driven by discovery and eager to make a profound impact on the future of neuroscience, this is your opportunity to lead breakthrough innovation and shape the next chapter in life-changing medicines. Located at Lilly's brand-new state-of-the-art Boston Seaport Innovation Center, our dynamic team advances cutting-edge therapeutic modalities to deliver medicines for patients with neurodegenerative and chronic pain disorders. We collaborate with internal and external partners to rapidly translate breakthrough science into clinical candidates. In this pivotal role, you will lead a team of talented scientists conducting preclinical pharmacology studies that are critical to advancing our pipeline, designing and executing in vivo studies that demonstrate proof of concept, characterize pharmacodynamic responses, and support candidate selection for clinical development.

Key Responsibilities

Scientific Leadership : Provide strategic direction and scientific oversight for all in vivo pharmacology activities, ensuring alignment with Neuroscience portfolio priorities and organizational goals

Lead the design, execution, and interpretation of preclinical efficacy studies

Drive scientific rigor and innovation in study design, incorporating emerging technologies and methodologies appropriate for novel modalities

Serve as the in vivo pharmacology expert on cross-functional project teams, influencing key decisions on candidate progression

Team Leadership & Development

Mentor, coach, and retain a high-performing team of in vivo pharmacologists and research scientists

Foster a culture of scientific excellence, collaboration, and continuous learning

Provide career development guidance and create opportunities for team growth

Manage resource allocation and prioritization across multiple projects

Strategic Contributions

Contribute to target validation and candidate selection decisions through expert pharmacology assessment of novel therapeutic modalities

Partner with Discovery Research and Clinical Development to ensure seamless translation from preclinical to clinical studies

Identify and implement new technologies, models, and capabilities to strengthen in vivo pharmacology platform for CNS therapeutics

Represent the organization at scientific conferences and maintain external collaborations with academic and industry partners

Operational Excellence

Ensure studies are conducted in compliance with animal welfare regulations and institutional guidelines

Manage departmental budget and external vendor relationships

Drive operational efficiency and speed while maintaining scientific quality

Establish and track key performance metrics for the team

Basic Qualifications

PhD in Neuroscience or related scientific field

5+ years of pharmaceutical / biotechnology experience with significant expertise in in vivo pharmacology

Minimum 3 years of people management experience, including leading scientists and building teams

Additional Skills / Preferences

Deep understanding of drug discovery and development processes

Proven track record of contributing to successful preclinical candidate nominations

Excellent communication and cross-functional collaboration skills

Demonstrated ability to influence and make strategic decisions in a matrixed, fast-paced environment

Expertise in neurological disorders, particularly chronic pain and neurodegenerative disease

Knowledge of novel therapeutic modalities such as siRNAs and other genetic medicines

Familiarity with CNS drug delivery approaches and challenges

Understanding of translational biomarker strategies for neurological disorders

Knowledge of regulatory requirements for IND-enabling studies

Track record of innovation in preclinical model development or methodology

Experience working in innovation-focused or startup-like environments

Strong publication record in peer-reviewed journals

Additional information

5-10% travel

What We Offer

Opportunity to impact millions of patients' lives through innovative medicines for critical unmet needs

Collaborative, mission-driven culture with world-class scientists at our state-of-the-art Boston Seaport Innovation Center

Fast-paced, entrepreneurial environment with the resources and stability of a leading pharmaceutical company

Support for professional development and career growth

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 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 $163,500 - $281,600. 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.

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