Principal Scientist, External Innovation – Infectious Disease & Vaccines.
Elanco
August 10, 2026
On-site
Indianapolis, IN
Clinical Research and Development
Your Role: Senior Advisor, External Innovation
Responsibilities:
- Identify and evaluate external assets and technologies focused on infectious diseases, novel vaccine platforms, and future solutions for both pet and farm animals.
- Lead landscaping of opportunities and coordinate deep technical assessments with internal teams (R&D, Marketing, Legal, and global strategy) to ensure timely evaluation.
- Establish and manage key relationships with biotechnology, academic, and pharmaceutical partners to build the external innovation pipeline.
- Create proposals for funding and governance, including scientific de-risking strategies and high-level business plans aligned with target product profiles.
- Provide strategic go/no-go recommendations and timely updates on external innovation efforts and project progress.
What You Need to Succeed (minimum qualifications):
- Education: Advanced degree in life sciences (PhD or DVM).
- Experience: 7+ years in external innovation, technology scouting, or alliance management; R&D project leadership in animal health (animal health/pharma/biotech).
- Expertise: Deep scientific expertise in infectious diseases, vaccines, or related immunology/virology; ability to guide cross-functional evaluations from identification to strategic recommendation.
What will set you apart (preferred qualifications):
- Competitive intelligence/therapeutic-area landscape building using biotech, pharma, and consulting tools (incl. visualization).
- Experience with RNA technology, novel expression platforms for vaccines/biologics, and/or nucleic acid targeted delivery.
- Existing network in academia/biotech/pharma.
- Direct experience in Farm Animal health industry.
Additional Information:
- Travel: 20–30%
- Location: Global Elanco Headquarters – Indianapolis, IN (On-site)
Elanco Benefits and Perks (highlights):
- Multiple relocation packages; two weeklong shutdowns; 8-week parental leave; 9 Employee Resource Groups; annual bonus offering; flexible work arrangements; up to 6% 401K matching.
Responsibilities:
- Identify and evaluate external assets and technologies focused on infectious diseases, novel vaccine platforms, and future solutions for both pet and farm animals.
- Lead landscaping of opportunities and coordinate deep technical assessments with internal teams (R&D, Marketing, Legal, and global strategy) to ensure timely evaluation.
- Establish and manage key relationships with biotechnology, academic, and pharmaceutical partners to build the external innovation pipeline.
- Create proposals for funding and governance, including scientific de-risking strategies and high-level business plans aligned with target product profiles.
- Provide strategic go/no-go recommendations and timely updates on external innovation efforts and project progress.
What You Need to Succeed (minimum qualifications):
- Education: Advanced degree in life sciences (PhD or DVM).
- Experience: 7+ years in external innovation, technology scouting, or alliance management; R&D project leadership in animal health (animal health/pharma/biotech).
- Expertise: Deep scientific expertise in infectious diseases, vaccines, or related immunology/virology; ability to guide cross-functional evaluations from identification to strategic recommendation.
What will set you apart (preferred qualifications):
- Competitive intelligence/therapeutic-area landscape building using biotech, pharma, and consulting tools (incl. visualization).
- Experience with RNA technology, novel expression platforms for vaccines/biologics, and/or nucleic acid targeted delivery.
- Existing network in academia/biotech/pharma.
- Direct experience in Farm Animal health industry.
Additional Information:
- Travel: 20–30%
- Location: Global Elanco Headquarters – Indianapolis, IN (On-site)
Elanco Benefits and Perks (highlights):
- Multiple relocation packages; two weeklong shutdowns; 8-week parental leave; 9 Employee Resource Groups; annual bonus offering; flexible work arrangements; up to 6% 401K matching.