Advisor – In Vivo CAR Discovery
Eli Lilly and Company
August 22, 2026
Remote friendly (Boston, MA)
United States
Clinical Research and Development
Role Overview
Senior individual-contributor Advisor in Lilly’s Drug Discovery organization focused on discovery of novel in vivo CAR products. Screen, test, and discover CAR candidates by designing and driving in vitro and in vivo studies, leading screening and down-selection, and translating data into progression decisions. Partner with LNP and RNA delivery experts; provide immunology expertise, lead cross-functional teams, and mentor scientists.
Key Responsibilities
- Serve as immunology subject-matter expert for in vivo CAR programs (CAR biology, immune-cell function, determinants of success).
- Collaborate with LNP/RNA delivery experts to define/refine CAR product designs; apply immunology requirements while understanding delivery rationale.
- Advance in vivo CAR strategies (including LNP-delivered constructs) by designing/running studies evaluating in situ CAR generation, expression, and efficacy.
- Design and implement in vitro and in vivo assays to characterize CAR activity (potency, cytotoxicity, antigen specificity, persistence) and drive construct optimization.
- Lead screening and down-selection across CAR candidate panels (criteria, assays, data packages).
- Translate datasets into go/no-go recommendations for senior governance/portfolio review.
- Lead discovery biology on cross-functional teams aligning partners around scientific strategy.
- Mentor/develop scientists; maintain external scientific leadership (publications, conferences, collaborations, IP/partnering).
Basic Qualifications
- PhD in Immunology, Cell Biology, Molecular Biology, or closely related field.
Preferred Qualifications
- Post-PhD immunology research experience.
- Track record in target identification/validation (publications, patents, or pipeline contributions).
- Hands-on immune cell biology and modern target-discovery approaches (functional genomics, single-cell technologies, primary human cell assays).
- Experience leading biology workstream from target validation through candidate progression.
- Knowledge of multiple therapeutic modalities and modality selection informed by target biology.
- Strong cross-functional influence without direct authority.
- Disease-area depth in autoimmunity and/or inflammation.
Senior individual-contributor Advisor in Lilly’s Drug Discovery organization focused on discovery of novel in vivo CAR products. Screen, test, and discover CAR candidates by designing and driving in vitro and in vivo studies, leading screening and down-selection, and translating data into progression decisions. Partner with LNP and RNA delivery experts; provide immunology expertise, lead cross-functional teams, and mentor scientists.
Key Responsibilities
- Serve as immunology subject-matter expert for in vivo CAR programs (CAR biology, immune-cell function, determinants of success).
- Collaborate with LNP/RNA delivery experts to define/refine CAR product designs; apply immunology requirements while understanding delivery rationale.
- Advance in vivo CAR strategies (including LNP-delivered constructs) by designing/running studies evaluating in situ CAR generation, expression, and efficacy.
- Design and implement in vitro and in vivo assays to characterize CAR activity (potency, cytotoxicity, antigen specificity, persistence) and drive construct optimization.
- Lead screening and down-selection across CAR candidate panels (criteria, assays, data packages).
- Translate datasets into go/no-go recommendations for senior governance/portfolio review.
- Lead discovery biology on cross-functional teams aligning partners around scientific strategy.
- Mentor/develop scientists; maintain external scientific leadership (publications, conferences, collaborations, IP/partnering).
Basic Qualifications
- PhD in Immunology, Cell Biology, Molecular Biology, or closely related field.
Preferred Qualifications
- Post-PhD immunology research experience.
- Track record in target identification/validation (publications, patents, or pipeline contributions).
- Hands-on immune cell biology and modern target-discovery approaches (functional genomics, single-cell technologies, primary human cell assays).
- Experience leading biology workstream from target validation through candidate progression.
- Knowledge of multiple therapeutic modalities and modality selection informed by target biology.
- Strong cross-functional influence without direct authority.
- Disease-area depth in autoimmunity and/or inflammation.