Scientist​/Associate Scientist – Nucleotide​/Oligonucleotide Chemistry

At Lilly, we unite caring with discovery to make life better for people around the world. We are a global healthcare leader headquartered in Indianapolis, Indiana. Our employees around the world work to discover and bring life-changing medicines to those who need them, improve the understanding and management of disease, and give back to our communities through philanthropy and volunteerism. We give our best effort to our work, and we put people first.

We’re looking for people who are determined to make life better for people around the world.

We serve an extraordinary purpose. For more than 140 years, we have worked diligently to discover medicines that make life better. These discoveries start in Lilly Research Laboratories, where our scientists work to create new medicines that will help solve our world’s greatest health challenges. At the Lilly Innovation Center in Boston, Massachusetts, we explore how next generation therapeutics, new technologies, data analytics and new care models can improve patient health and the healthcare system.

Our Genetic Medicine team in Boston shares a passion for challenging conventional wisdom and creating an environment that embraces creative, break-through concepts. The Center offers a start-up environment with large company support. It is located in the heart of Massachusetts’ exploding science and technology cluster and is within walking distance of some of the best academic and industry innovators in the world.

The successful candidate will have a strong research track record in synthetic organic chemistry/chemical biology/biotechnology and be analytically minded, systematic, and embrace data-driven decision making. The scientist will collaborate with multidisciplinary teams across key Lilly therapeutic areas (e.g. neuroscience, diabetes, immunology) to perform synthesis and related experiments to aid development of RNA oligonucleotide drug candidates for the next generation of RNA therapies.

• Perform synthesis and chromatographic purification of innovative phosphoramiditemonomers, and carry out conjugation of novel ligands—such as small molecules and peptides—to oligonucleotides for targeted delivery.

• Design and execution of automated workflows for synthesizing, purifying, and analyzing ASOs, siRNAs, SSOs, and related oligonucleotides across various chemistries and scales using advanced instrumentation platforms.

• Apply analytical techniques including UV-Vis spectroscopy, NMR, HPLC, and LC-MS to evaluate both crude and purified synthetic compounds.

• Interpret and organize analytical data and research outcomes for presentation to project teams.

• Support resolution of technical issues and contribute scientific and technical insights to ongoing projects.

• Provide strategic input into experimental planning, integrated data analysis, and effective communication of results to scientific teams and leadership.

• Maintain meticulous records of experimental procedures and key steps to ensure reproducibility, including accurate documentation in electronic lab notebooks in accordance with Lilly’s quality standards.

• Assist with general lab operations such as ordering supplies, preparing reagents, and maintaining equipment.

• Collaborate closely with colleagues across multiple sub-teams within the Lilly LGM group.

• Adhere strictly to all health and safety protocols.

• Demonstrate a strong commitment to fostering a diverse and inclusive laboratory environment every day.

• Bachelor's or Master's Degree in chemistry, biochemistry, pharmacology, or related scientific field

• 1+ years of work experience in an academic laboratory, or preferably in an industrial setting

• Demonstrated expertise in organic synthesis and advanced chromatographic purification techniques is essential. Prior experience with the synthetic manipulation of nucleosides, nucleotides, phosphoramidites is highly desirable.

• Hands‑on experience in conjugation and bioconjugation chemistry; familiarity with solid‑phase synthesis methods for oligonucleotides or peptides is a plus.

• Proven laboratory proficiency with analytical instruments such as HPLC and…