Scientific Lead - Global Sample Management
Eli Lilly and Company
August 20, 2026
On-site
Indianapolis, IN
Operations
Position Summary
The Scientific Lead provides operational leadership of Eli Lilly’s Indianapolis sample management site within the Global Sample Management (GSM) organization, leading a team of employees and contractors to deliver consistent, high-quality sample production and data stewardship to discovery teams.
Responsibilities
- Oversee daily sample management operations (compound registration, plate preparation, neat/weigh, liquid handling, sample delivery).
- Act as the primary operational point of contact for Indianapolis-based discovery scientists; triage requests and ensure turnaround commitments.
- Own throughput and processing-time metrics; escalate capacity constraints/disruptions with data and recommendations.
- Maintain readiness of instrumentation/automation; coordinate maintenance, troubleshooting, and vendor engagement.
- Provide day-to-day leadership (scheduling, tasking, feedback, onboarding, development).
- Foster safety, accountability, and continuous improvement.
- Partner on workforce planning, capacity forecasting, and succession.
- Ensure data integrity, quality, and compliance in LIMS and related systems; maintain accurate records and traceability.
- Drive process improvements and implement workflow/automation/robotics enhancements.
- Maintain SOPs and ensure team training to current standards.
- Partner with medicinal chemistry, biology, and computational teams to align GSM capabilities.
- Collaborate network-wide on best practices, transfers, and capacity balancing; represent Indianapolis in projects.
- Contribute to expansion strategy for new modalities.
Basic Requirements
- PhD in chemical/biological/engineering sciences or STEM AND 2+ years hands-on lab experience in compound/sample management; or
- BS/MS in chemical/biological/engineering sciences or STEM AND 5+ years hands-on lab experience in compound/sample management.
Additional Skills/Preferences
- LIMS or comparable sample tracking/inventory systems.
- Experience with lab automation/instrumentation (e.g., liquid handlers, acoustic dispensers, automated storage).
- Experience leading/supervising lab teams.
- High-throughput organization and prioritization.
- Knowledge of high-throughput screening and plate-based assay prep at scale.
- Automation platform experience (e.g., Beckman Echo, Tecan, Hamilton, Azenta) and related control software.
- Experience with CRO logistics; multi-modality sample handling; programming/data/AI tools (e.g., Python, Excel).
- Exposure to regulated/GxP-adjacent environments and data integrity.
Benefits (as stated)
- Eligible for company bonus; 401(k), pension; vacation; medical/dental/vision/prescription; flexible benefits; life/death benefits; time off/leave; well-being benefits.
Application instruction
- If you require accommodation to submit a resume, complete the workplace accommodation request form: https://careers.lilly.com/us/en/workplace-accommodation.
The Scientific Lead provides operational leadership of Eli Lilly’s Indianapolis sample management site within the Global Sample Management (GSM) organization, leading a team of employees and contractors to deliver consistent, high-quality sample production and data stewardship to discovery teams.
Responsibilities
- Oversee daily sample management operations (compound registration, plate preparation, neat/weigh, liquid handling, sample delivery).
- Act as the primary operational point of contact for Indianapolis-based discovery scientists; triage requests and ensure turnaround commitments.
- Own throughput and processing-time metrics; escalate capacity constraints/disruptions with data and recommendations.
- Maintain readiness of instrumentation/automation; coordinate maintenance, troubleshooting, and vendor engagement.
- Provide day-to-day leadership (scheduling, tasking, feedback, onboarding, development).
- Foster safety, accountability, and continuous improvement.
- Partner on workforce planning, capacity forecasting, and succession.
- Ensure data integrity, quality, and compliance in LIMS and related systems; maintain accurate records and traceability.
- Drive process improvements and implement workflow/automation/robotics enhancements.
- Maintain SOPs and ensure team training to current standards.
- Partner with medicinal chemistry, biology, and computational teams to align GSM capabilities.
- Collaborate network-wide on best practices, transfers, and capacity balancing; represent Indianapolis in projects.
- Contribute to expansion strategy for new modalities.
Basic Requirements
- PhD in chemical/biological/engineering sciences or STEM AND 2+ years hands-on lab experience in compound/sample management; or
- BS/MS in chemical/biological/engineering sciences or STEM AND 5+ years hands-on lab experience in compound/sample management.
Additional Skills/Preferences
- LIMS or comparable sample tracking/inventory systems.
- Experience with lab automation/instrumentation (e.g., liquid handlers, acoustic dispensers, automated storage).
- Experience leading/supervising lab teams.
- High-throughput organization and prioritization.
- Knowledge of high-throughput screening and plate-based assay prep at scale.
- Automation platform experience (e.g., Beckman Echo, Tecan, Hamilton, Azenta) and related control software.
- Experience with CRO logistics; multi-modality sample handling; programming/data/AI tools (e.g., Python, Excel).
- Exposure to regulated/GxP-adjacent environments and data integrity.
Benefits (as stated)
- Eligible for company bonus; 401(k), pension; vacation; medical/dental/vision/prescription; flexible benefits; life/death benefits; time off/leave; well-being benefits.
Application instruction
- If you require accommodation to submit a resume, complete the workplace accommodation request form: https://careers.lilly.com/us/en/workplace-accommodation.