Engineer - Drug Substance Synthetic Molecule Design and Development
Eli Lilly and Company
August 24, 2026
On-site
Indianapolis, IN
Other
Position Responsibilities
- Generate process design and unit operation knowledge based on engineering principles for small molecules and other emerging therapeutic modalities.
- Ensure successful scale-up of processes through fundamental engineering principles and equipment knowledge.
- Design and execute laboratory experiments (manual and automated high- and low-throughput reactors) for crystallization process design and optimization.
- Develop drug substance processes and manufacturing technologies; define API physical properties for the drug product and design crystallization processes to meet physical property and chemical purity requirements.
- Leverage and develop PAT, continuous processing, mechanistic models, and novel formulation platforms to create robust crystallization processes that enhance or tailor API physical properties.
- Apply engineering and business principles to design and characterize synthetic processes; use numerical modeling to characterize reaction kinetics, mechanisms, and separations.
- Create solutions to improve existing processes and develop novel ones.
- Transfer process technical information to internal/external manufacturing sites; provide technical oversight to external partners.
- Author and maintain laboratory notebooks and technical reports.
- Design process and equipment flow strategies and ensure appropriate equipment selection.
- Stay current on new technology; propose and implement new equipment and processing technologies.
- Use technology to improve safety, quality, and productivity.
- Publish research externally via peer-reviewed articles and conferences.
Minimum Qualifications
- B.S. or M.S. in chemical engineering or closely related engineering field.
- Authorized to work in the United States full-time; Lilly does not sponsor visas.
Additional Skills/Preferences
- Hands-on synthetic organic chemistry experience.
- Crystallization process design fundamentals (heat/mass transfer, thermodynamics, kinetics, separations, drying, milling, mixing theory, experimental design).
- PAT and analytical techniques (image analysis, IR, Raman, FBRM; XRPD, DSC, TGA, particle sizing, microscopy).
- Problem solving; strong written/verbal communication; teamwork; prioritize multiple activities; handle ambiguity.
Additional Information
- Travel: 0–10%.
- Location: Indianapolis, IN (Lilly Technology Center – North).
Benefits
- Anticipated wage: $66,000–$171,600. Eligible for company bonus and comprehensive benefits (e.g., 401(k), pension, vacation, medical/dental/vision/prescription, flexible benefits, life insurance, time off/leave, well-being).
- Generate process design and unit operation knowledge based on engineering principles for small molecules and other emerging therapeutic modalities.
- Ensure successful scale-up of processes through fundamental engineering principles and equipment knowledge.
- Design and execute laboratory experiments (manual and automated high- and low-throughput reactors) for crystallization process design and optimization.
- Develop drug substance processes and manufacturing technologies; define API physical properties for the drug product and design crystallization processes to meet physical property and chemical purity requirements.
- Leverage and develop PAT, continuous processing, mechanistic models, and novel formulation platforms to create robust crystallization processes that enhance or tailor API physical properties.
- Apply engineering and business principles to design and characterize synthetic processes; use numerical modeling to characterize reaction kinetics, mechanisms, and separations.
- Create solutions to improve existing processes and develop novel ones.
- Transfer process technical information to internal/external manufacturing sites; provide technical oversight to external partners.
- Author and maintain laboratory notebooks and technical reports.
- Design process and equipment flow strategies and ensure appropriate equipment selection.
- Stay current on new technology; propose and implement new equipment and processing technologies.
- Use technology to improve safety, quality, and productivity.
- Publish research externally via peer-reviewed articles and conferences.
Minimum Qualifications
- B.S. or M.S. in chemical engineering or closely related engineering field.
- Authorized to work in the United States full-time; Lilly does not sponsor visas.
Additional Skills/Preferences
- Hands-on synthetic organic chemistry experience.
- Crystallization process design fundamentals (heat/mass transfer, thermodynamics, kinetics, separations, drying, milling, mixing theory, experimental design).
- PAT and analytical techniques (image analysis, IR, Raman, FBRM; XRPD, DSC, TGA, particle sizing, microscopy).
- Problem solving; strong written/verbal communication; teamwork; prioritize multiple activities; handle ambiguity.
Additional Information
- Travel: 0–10%.
- Location: Indianapolis, IN (Lilly Technology Center – North).
Benefits
- Anticipated wage: $66,000–$171,600. Eligible for company bonus and comprehensive benefits (e.g., 401(k), pension, vacation, medical/dental/vision/prescription, flexible benefits, life insurance, time off/leave, well-being).