Director/Sr. Director - Medicinal Chemistry (synthetic macrocycles)
Eli Lilly and Company
August 11, 2026
Remote friendly (Indianapolis, IN)
United States
Clinical Research and Development
Director/Senior Director, Medicinal Chemistry
Key Responsibilities:
- Design and synthesize macrocyclic small molecules and macrocyclic peptides to support drug discovery across multiple therapeutic areas
- Apply SAR to drive iterative DMTA cycles, balancing potency, selectivity, and drug-like properties
- Use ADME/DMPK principles to optimize oral bioavailability, metabolic stability, permeability, and PK for macrocyclic and peptidic modalities
- Serve as a subject matter expert; resolve critical scientific challenges and advance programs through key milestones
- Collaborate with Biology, DMPK, Computational Chemistry, and other partners to execute efficient molecule design strategies
- Contribute to program strategy (TPP development and go/no-go frameworks)
- Identify capability gaps and champion new strategies, including AI/ML-enabled design, to improve cycle times and quality
- Communicate scientific findings to internal stakeholders; maintain timely ELN documentation per IP/regulatory requirements
- Lead or contribute to continuous improvement and coaching to strengthen scientific rigor
Basic Qualifications:
- PhD in Medicinal Chemistry/Organic Chemistry/Peptide Chemistry/Chemical Biology or related field with 8+ years drug discovery experience; or BS/MS with 15+ years equivalent experience
Preferred Qualifications:
- Hands-on experience designing/synthesizing macrocyclic peptides or macrocyclic small molecules
- Strong ADME/DMPK foundation (oral bioavailability, metabolic stability, PK/PD relationships)
- Proven multidisciplinary collaboration; experience across therapeutic areas/modalities
- Experience with challenging/undruggable targets and advancing programs to candidate selection
- Track record of publications/patents; excellent written and oral communication
Benefits:
- Eligible for company bonus; 401(k), pension, vacation, medical/dental/vision/prescription benefits, flexible benefits, life insurance/death benefits, time off/leave benefits, well-being benefits
Application instructions: If you require accommodation to submit a resume, complete the workplace accommodation request form (https://careers.lilly.com/us/en/workplace-accommodation).
Key Responsibilities:
- Design and synthesize macrocyclic small molecules and macrocyclic peptides to support drug discovery across multiple therapeutic areas
- Apply SAR to drive iterative DMTA cycles, balancing potency, selectivity, and drug-like properties
- Use ADME/DMPK principles to optimize oral bioavailability, metabolic stability, permeability, and PK for macrocyclic and peptidic modalities
- Serve as a subject matter expert; resolve critical scientific challenges and advance programs through key milestones
- Collaborate with Biology, DMPK, Computational Chemistry, and other partners to execute efficient molecule design strategies
- Contribute to program strategy (TPP development and go/no-go frameworks)
- Identify capability gaps and champion new strategies, including AI/ML-enabled design, to improve cycle times and quality
- Communicate scientific findings to internal stakeholders; maintain timely ELN documentation per IP/regulatory requirements
- Lead or contribute to continuous improvement and coaching to strengthen scientific rigor
Basic Qualifications:
- PhD in Medicinal Chemistry/Organic Chemistry/Peptide Chemistry/Chemical Biology or related field with 8+ years drug discovery experience; or BS/MS with 15+ years equivalent experience
Preferred Qualifications:
- Hands-on experience designing/synthesizing macrocyclic peptides or macrocyclic small molecules
- Strong ADME/DMPK foundation (oral bioavailability, metabolic stability, PK/PD relationships)
- Proven multidisciplinary collaboration; experience across therapeutic areas/modalities
- Experience with challenging/undruggable targets and advancing programs to candidate selection
- Track record of publications/patents; excellent written and oral communication
Benefits:
- Eligible for company bonus; 401(k), pension, vacation, medical/dental/vision/prescription benefits, flexible benefits, life insurance/death benefits, time off/leave benefits, well-being benefits
Application instructions: If you require accommodation to submit a resume, complete the workplace accommodation request form (https://careers.lilly.com/us/en/workplace-accommodation).