Head of Molecule Discovery

Position: Head of Small Molecule Discovery
Location: Indianapolis

### Job Details####

Job Title:

Head of Small Molecule Discovery  ####

Location:

, , ,  #### Company:  #### Industry Sector:  ####

Industry Type:

#### Career Type:  #### Job Type:Full Time  #### Minimum Years Experience

Required:

N/A  #### Salary:
### Get Job Alerts
** Career Type:*
* ** Country:
** USAI agree to receive alerts from  and to the .Your alert was created successfully.×## General Alert Saved
* The listings below are jobs matching the criteria you've selected for your General Alert on .
Criteria selected was:
* General alert saved for .
* General alert notifications will be sent weekly on Monday.
* Please note that you can only have one general alert active at any given time. Creating a new general alert will override an existing general alert.
* Visit the  to manage your alerts# Head of Small Molecule Discovery| Number of Years

Experience:

|  |

Minimum Education Completed:
|  || Education Major / Discipline Category:
|  | Most Recent / Current Occupation:
|  |
** At Elanco (NYSE: ELAN) - it all starts with animals!*
* ** As a global leader in animal health, we are dedicated to innovation and delivering products and services to prevent and treat disease in farm animals and pets.*
* ** At Elanco, we are driven by our vision of Food and Companionship Enriching Life and our purpose - all to Go Beyond for Animals, Customers, Society and Our People.*
* ** At Elanco, we pride ourselves on fostering a diverse and inclusive work environment. We believe that diversity is the driving force behind innovation, creativity, and overall business success. Here, you'll be part of a company that values and champions new ways of thinking, work with dynamic individuals, and acquire new skills and experiences that will propel your career to new heights.*
* ** Making animals' lives better makes life better - join our team today!*
* ** Your Role:*
* ** Head of Small Molecule Discovery
** As Head of Small Molecule Discovery, you will lead our efforts in identifying and developing novel small molecule therapeutics for animal health. The successful candidate will be a visionary leader, responsible for driving strategic direction, scientific excellence, and operational execution of our small molecule discovery programs from target validation through to candidate selection. This role requires a deep understanding of diverse discovery technologies, a proven track record in drug discovery, and the ability to inspire and mentor a high-performing team.

** Your Responsibilities:*
* * Provide strategic leadership and scientific oversight for all small molecule drug discovery programs, ensuring alignment with Elanco's R&D pipeline goals.
* Lead, manage, and develop a team of talented medicinal chemists and discovery scientists, fostering a culture of innovation, collaboration, and scientific rigor.
* Drive the implementation and application of cutting-edge discovery technologies, including DNA-Encoded Libraries (DEL), Artificial Intelligence/Machine Learning (AI/ML) approaches, and advanced medicinal chemistry techniques.
* Oversee the design, synthesis, and optimization of novel small molecules, guiding hit identification, lead generation, and lead optimization strategies.
* Collaborate cross-functionally with biology, pharmacology, ADME, toxicology, and research / development teams to ensure seamless progression of discovery candidates.
* Identify and evaluate new technologies, and external collaboration opportunities to enhance our small molecule discovery capabilities and pipeline.
* Ensure robust data analysis, interpretation, and decision-making throughout the discovery process.
* Represent Elanco's small molecule discovery efforts internally and externally, including presentations at scientific conferences and interactions with key opinion leaders.
* Contribute to the overall discovery strategy and portfolio management, providing expert insights into small molecule opportunities and challenges.

** What You Need to Succeed (minimum qualifications):**
* *
* Education:

** PhD in Medicinal Chemistry, Organic Chemistry, Chemical Biology, or a related scientific discipline.
* *
* Experience:

** Minimum of 7 years of progressive experience in small molecule drug discovery within the pharmaceutical or animal health industry, with a proven track record of advancing compounds through discovery phases.
* ** Demonstrated expertise and hands-on experience
** with a variety of modern drug discovery technologies, including:
Design, synthesis, and screening of DNA-Encoded Libraries (DEL). Application of Artificial Intelligence/Machine Learning (AI/ML) for compound design, property prediction, and data analysis. Strong foundation and practical experience in traditional medicinal chemistry principles, synthetic organic chemistry, and structure-activity relationship (SAR) optimization.
* ** Proven leadership experience**, including managing, mentoring, and developing scientific teams with excellent strategic thinking, problem-solving, and decision-making skills. Outstanding communication,…