Scientist - Molecular Biology, Cell Culture Upstream Process Development
Eli Lilly and Company
August 23, 2026
On-site
Indianapolis, IN
Operations
Position Summary:
The Principal Scientist/Sr. Principal Scientist is responsible for upstream process development activities for bioproduct active pharmaceutical ingredients, including cell line development, cell culture process definition and optimization, process robustness studies, process transfers to pilot plant/manufacturing sites, and authoring upstream process development sections of regulatory submissions.
Responsibilities:
- Design and execute upstream development experiments (including protein intermediates for bioconjugation).
- Troubleshoot technical issues and drive innovation projects.
- Collaborate on cross-functional process development teams (BR&D, Discovery, Technical Services for Manufacturing, Manufacturing).
- Support transfer of upstream processes to pilot plant and manufacturing sites.
- Author technical reports and regulatory documents.
- Work with external parties on development, collaborations, and outsourcing.
- Monitor scientific literature/technologies and support implementation.
- Ensure work aligns with Development Quality, Regulatory, HSE, GLP, and GMP requirements.
Basic Requirements:
- BS/MS in Microbiology, Cell Biology, Molecular Biology, Biology, Chemical Engineering, or related field.
- BS with 6+ years or MS with 3+ years relevant industrial experience.
- PhD not considered at this job level.
- Team collaboration and accountability; strong oral/written communication.
- Must be authorized to work in the U.S. full-time; no visa sponsorship.
Additional Skills/Preferences:
- Independent experiment design, data generation/interpretation, and documentation.
- Data science and/or AI/ML experience.
- Cell biology/cell culture/molecular biology with recombinant protein expression.
- Cell line generation and cell culture bioreactor experience.
- Upstream scaling knowledge; statistics for data analysis.
- Problem-solving with minimal supervision.
Benefits (explicitly stated):
- Eligibility for 401(k), pension, vacation, medical/dental/vision/prescription, flexible benefits, life insurance, time off/leave, and well-being benefits.
- Full-time employees may be eligible for a company bonus.
Application instructions:
- If you require accommodation to submit a resume, complete Lilly’s workplace accommodation request form.
The Principal Scientist/Sr. Principal Scientist is responsible for upstream process development activities for bioproduct active pharmaceutical ingredients, including cell line development, cell culture process definition and optimization, process robustness studies, process transfers to pilot plant/manufacturing sites, and authoring upstream process development sections of regulatory submissions.
Responsibilities:
- Design and execute upstream development experiments (including protein intermediates for bioconjugation).
- Troubleshoot technical issues and drive innovation projects.
- Collaborate on cross-functional process development teams (BR&D, Discovery, Technical Services for Manufacturing, Manufacturing).
- Support transfer of upstream processes to pilot plant and manufacturing sites.
- Author technical reports and regulatory documents.
- Work with external parties on development, collaborations, and outsourcing.
- Monitor scientific literature/technologies and support implementation.
- Ensure work aligns with Development Quality, Regulatory, HSE, GLP, and GMP requirements.
Basic Requirements:
- BS/MS in Microbiology, Cell Biology, Molecular Biology, Biology, Chemical Engineering, or related field.
- BS with 6+ years or MS with 3+ years relevant industrial experience.
- PhD not considered at this job level.
- Team collaboration and accountability; strong oral/written communication.
- Must be authorized to work in the U.S. full-time; no visa sponsorship.
Additional Skills/Preferences:
- Independent experiment design, data generation/interpretation, and documentation.
- Data science and/or AI/ML experience.
- Cell biology/cell culture/molecular biology with recombinant protein expression.
- Cell line generation and cell culture bioreactor experience.
- Upstream scaling knowledge; statistics for data analysis.
- Problem-solving with minimal supervision.
Benefits (explicitly stated):
- Eligibility for 401(k), pension, vacation, medical/dental/vision/prescription, flexible benefits, life insurance, time off/leave, and well-being benefits.
- Full-time employees may be eligible for a company bonus.
Application instructions:
- If you require accommodation to submit a resume, complete Lilly’s workplace accommodation request form.