Director / Senior Director, Small Molecule External Innovation
Eli Lilly and Company
6 months ago
Remote friendly (San Diego, CA)
United States
Clinical Research and Development
Sourcing & Evaluation
- Source and evaluate external capabilities, technologies, and assets across all three pillars, drawing on drug discovery expertise and LSMD strategic needs.
- Maintain a structured pipeline of external opportunities (asset acquisitions, research collaborations, discovery partnerships) with clear status tracking, strategic fit assessment, and next steps.
Relationship Building & Ecosystem Engagement
- Build and sustain relationships across biotech, venture capital, academic, and CRO ecosystems to surface aligned opportunities.
- Represent SM E&I at partnering events (JPM, BIO, BioEurope), venture showcases, and scientific conferences.
Due Diligence & Governance
- Lead cross-functional scientific due diligence by coordinating input from medicinal chemistry, computational chemistry, automation, pharmacology, biophysics, and AI/ML.
- Author structured evaluation reports, investment theses, and governance presentations for senior leadership.
Competitive Intelligence & Strategy
- Maintain a living competitive landscape across SM E&I key technology domains (partnership activity, licensing transactions, acquisitions, and emerging science).
- Translate landscape intelligence into actionable strategic recommendations.
Cross-Functional Collaboration
- Partner with Therapeutic Area Search & Evaluate, Lilly Research Labs, Catalyze360, and Corporate BD to ensure portfolio coherence and execution quality.
Basic Qualifications
- PhD (7+ years) or Master’s (10+ years) in pharmaceutical or biotechnology R&D with foundation in drug discovery or translational science.
- 3+ years in external innovation/search and evaluation/business development scouting (or similar) involving systematic evaluation of external scientific opportunities.
Additional Skills/Preferences
- Broad drug discovery literacy (chemistry, biology, pharmacology, AI/ML, automation, translational science) with ability to coordinate/synthesize specialist input.
- Experience leading structured scientific due diligence for licensing/collaboration/investment.
- Strong written communication for evaluation reports/governance materials.
- Familiarity with external biotech/health-tech ecosystem, including venture-backed/early-stage engagement.
- Familiarity with at least two technology areas: macrocyclic drug design, targeted protein degradation, AI/ML-driven drug discovery, automation, protein–protein interaction modulators, DNA-encoded libraries.
- Exposure to deal structures (research collaborations, licensing, option agreements, asset acquisitions).
- Strong business sense; ability to persuade/influence; track record building trust across functions.
- Ability to manage multiple concurrent evaluations; collaborative, high-autonomy team fit.
Additional Information
- Supports work across Diabetes/Obesity/Cardiometabolic, Neuroscience, Immunology, Oncology, Genetic Medicines, Advanced Modalities.
- Up to 40% travel (domestic and international).
Benefits (as explicitly stated)
- Company bonus for full-time equivalent employees (depending on company and individual performance).
- 401(k), pension, vacation; medical/dental/vision/prescription; flexible benefits; life insurance; time off/leave; well-being benefits (EAP, fitness, clubs/activities).
- Source and evaluate external capabilities, technologies, and assets across all three pillars, drawing on drug discovery expertise and LSMD strategic needs.
- Maintain a structured pipeline of external opportunities (asset acquisitions, research collaborations, discovery partnerships) with clear status tracking, strategic fit assessment, and next steps.
Relationship Building & Ecosystem Engagement
- Build and sustain relationships across biotech, venture capital, academic, and CRO ecosystems to surface aligned opportunities.
- Represent SM E&I at partnering events (JPM, BIO, BioEurope), venture showcases, and scientific conferences.
Due Diligence & Governance
- Lead cross-functional scientific due diligence by coordinating input from medicinal chemistry, computational chemistry, automation, pharmacology, biophysics, and AI/ML.
- Author structured evaluation reports, investment theses, and governance presentations for senior leadership.
Competitive Intelligence & Strategy
- Maintain a living competitive landscape across SM E&I key technology domains (partnership activity, licensing transactions, acquisitions, and emerging science).
- Translate landscape intelligence into actionable strategic recommendations.
Cross-Functional Collaboration
- Partner with Therapeutic Area Search & Evaluate, Lilly Research Labs, Catalyze360, and Corporate BD to ensure portfolio coherence and execution quality.
Basic Qualifications
- PhD (7+ years) or Master’s (10+ years) in pharmaceutical or biotechnology R&D with foundation in drug discovery or translational science.
- 3+ years in external innovation/search and evaluation/business development scouting (or similar) involving systematic evaluation of external scientific opportunities.
Additional Skills/Preferences
- Broad drug discovery literacy (chemistry, biology, pharmacology, AI/ML, automation, translational science) with ability to coordinate/synthesize specialist input.
- Experience leading structured scientific due diligence for licensing/collaboration/investment.
- Strong written communication for evaluation reports/governance materials.
- Familiarity with external biotech/health-tech ecosystem, including venture-backed/early-stage engagement.
- Familiarity with at least two technology areas: macrocyclic drug design, targeted protein degradation, AI/ML-driven drug discovery, automation, protein–protein interaction modulators, DNA-encoded libraries.
- Exposure to deal structures (research collaborations, licensing, option agreements, asset acquisitions).
- Strong business sense; ability to persuade/influence; track record building trust across functions.
- Ability to manage multiple concurrent evaluations; collaborative, high-autonomy team fit.
Additional Information
- Supports work across Diabetes/Obesity/Cardiometabolic, Neuroscience, Immunology, Oncology, Genetic Medicines, Advanced Modalities.
- Up to 40% travel (domestic and international).
Benefits (as explicitly stated)
- Company bonus for full-time equivalent employees (depending on company and individual performance).
- 401(k), pension, vacation; medical/dental/vision/prescription; flexible benefits; life insurance; time off/leave; well-being benefits (EAP, fitness, clubs/activities).