Advisor, Drug Product Process Development

At Lilly, the work is demanding because patients are waiting. We unite caring with discovery to help make life better for people around the world, knowing that every decision, every detail, and every day matters. Headquartered in Indianapolis, Indiana, our over 50,000 employees around the globe take on complex challenges to discover and deliver life-changing medicines, strengthen how health is understood and managed, and support the communities we serve. This is hard, urgent, selfless work, but it’s work worth doing. If you’re driven by purpose and ready to bring your best to work that truly matters for patients, we invite you to join us.

Overview:

At Lilly, we serve an extraordinary purpose. We make a difference for people around the globe by discovering, developing and delivering medicines that help them live longer, healthier, more active lives. Not only do we deliver breakthrough medications, but you also can count on us to develop creative solutions to support communities through philanthropy and volunteerism.

Orna Therapeutics, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Eli Lilly and Company, is an innovative biotechnology startup based in Watertown, MA, committed to developing groundbreaking therapies for diseases that current approaches cannot address. With our pioneering circular RNA technology, developed at MIT, we are at the forefront of advancing the next generation of RNA therapeutics. Our state-of-the-art expression and delivery platform positions us to tackle complex diseases, including B cell-driven autoimmune disorders, B cell malignancies, sickle cell disease, and beyond.

Position Summary:

The successful candidate will design, execute, and oversee experiments for the technical development and scale-up of lipid nanoparticle (LNP) drug product processes. This role offers a unique opportunity to independently drive LNP platform science within Orna, identify knowledge gaps, and translate cutting-edge formulation science into robust, scalable manufacturing processes.

The ideal candidate will have a strong background in carrier-based drug product development, process optimization, scale-up, and technical transfer. They will possess excellent oral and written communication capabilities, demonstrate strong collaboration and interpersonal skills, and be adept at problem solving in a fast-paced, innovation-driven environment.

Responsibilities:

The successful candidate will design, execute, and oversee experiments for the technical development and scale-up of lipid nanoparticle (LNP) drug product processes. This role offers a unique opportunity to independently drive LNP platform science within Orna, identify knowledge gaps, and translate cutting-edge formulation science into robust, scalable manufacturing processes.

The ideal candidate will have a strong background in carrier-based drug product development, process optimization, scale-up, and technical transfer. They will possess excellent oral and written communication capabilities, demonstrate strong collaboration and interpersonal skills, and be adept at problem solving in a fast-paced, innovation-driven environment.

Basic Requirements:

PhD, MS, or BS degree in chemical engineering, biomedical engineering, pharmaceutical sciences, chemistry, biology, or a related field with the following years of industry experience: PhD 0-5 years, MS 7+ years, or BS 10+ years.

Demonstrated hands-on experience in formulation and process development particularly in carrier-based or complex drug product systems (e.g., lipid nanoparticles, liposomes, emulsions, microspheres, or other advanced delivery platforms).

Working knowledge of fluid mixing dynamics, particle self-assembly, and surface chemistry concepts, including common characterization methods (e.g. DLS, Ribogreen, Cryo-EM etc.)

Track record of independently designing and executing experiments; ability to proactively identify scientific knowledge gaps and propose structured plans to address them.

Additional Preferences:

Experience with multiple filtration technologies such as TFF hollow fibers, flat sheets, and depth filtration a plus.

Experience working within a matrixed CMC environment, including cross-functional collaboration with manufacturing, analytical development, and formulation development teams.

Strong oral and written communication skills; ability to present complex technical information clearly to diverse audiences.

Organized, collaborative, and able to effectively partner with a diverse group of scientists, engineers, and external stakeholders.

Proven ability to work on cross-functional teams in a fast-paced, dynamic environment, managing multiple priorities simultaneously.

Detail-oriented, self-motivated, and enthusiastic about taking on new scientific and technical challenges.

Additional Information:

Physical Demands/Travel:

The physical demands of this job are consistent with a lab environment.  

Travel: The physical demands here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job.

Work Environment:

This position’s work environment is in a laboratory environment.

The work environment characteristics described here are representative of those an employee encounters while performing the essential functions of this job.

*To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform the role and responsibilities satisfactorily. The requirements listed above are representative of the knowledge, skill, and/or ability required. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

Lilly is dedicated to helping individuals with disabilities to actively engage in the workforce, ensuring equal opportunities when vying for positions. If you require accommodation to submit a resume for a position at Lilly, please complete the accommodation request form ( https://careers.lilly.com/us/en/workplace-accommodation ) for further assistance. Please note this is for individuals to request an accommodation as part of the application process and any other correspondence will not receive a response.

Lilly is proud to be an EEO Employer and does not discriminate on the basis of age, race, color, religion, gender identity, sex, gender expression, sexual orientation, genetic information, ancestry, national origin, protected veteran status, disability, or any other legally protected status.

Our employee resource groups (ERGs) offer strong support networks for their members and are open to all employees. Our current groups include: Africa, Middle East, Central Asia (AMECA), Black Employees at Lilly (BE@Lilly), Chinese Culture Network (CCN), EnAble, Evolve, Lilly Indian Network (LIN), Organization of Latinx at Lilly (OLA), Pride (LGBTQ+ Allies), Veterans Leadership Network (VLN) and Women’s Initiative for Leading at Lilly (WILL).

Actual compensation will depend on a candidate’s education, experience, skills, and geographic location.  The anticipated wage for this position is

$141,000 - $206,800

Full-time equivalent employees also will be eligible for a company bonus (depending, in part, on company and individual performance). In addition, Lilly offers a comprehensive benefit program to eligible employees, including eligibility to participate in a company-sponsored 401(k); pension; vacation benefits; eligibility for medical, dental, vision and prescription drug benefits; flexible benefits (e.g., healthcare and/or dependent day care flexible spending accounts); life insurance and death benefits; certain time off and leave of absence benefits; and well-being benefits (e.g., employee assistance program, fitness benefits, and employee clubs and activities).Lilly reserves the right to amend, modify, or terminate its compensation and benefit programs in its sole discretion and Lilly’s compensation practices and guidelines will apply regarding the details of any promotion or transfer of Lilly employees.

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