Scientific Director — Synthetic Process Chemistry; Peptides & Molecules

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.

The Synthetic Molecule Design and Development (SMDD) organization is responsible for the development of synthetic drug substances and drug products from the pre‑clinical phase through commercialization. Our scientists and engineers develop innovative technical solutions to advance an existing portfolio that includes small molecules, synthetic peptides, oligonucleotides, and other emerging therapeutic modalities to help bring the next generation of life‑changing medicines to patients.

Join the process chemistry team behind Mounjaro and Zepbound — two of the most impactful medicines in the world — and help shape the next generation of breakthroughs, including retatrutide, Lilly’s first‑in‑class GIP/GLP‑1/glucagon triagonist. An exciting opportunity is available for a highly skilled and experienced scientist with expertise in synthetic process chemistry to join SMDD at Eli Lilly and Company. You will be part of a dynamic, cross‑functional department supporting one of the most productive peptide portfolios in the industry, spanning Discovery through Commercial phase, at the forefront of sustainable peptide development and commercialization.

Our core commercial strategy centers on traditional Liquid Phase Peptide Synthesis (LPPS) — applying small molecule‑inspired fragment condensation chemistry to manufacture complex peptides like those found in Mounjaro and Zepbound at global scale. Sustainability is not an afterthought here — it is a strategic imperative embedded in everything we do, from reducing Process Mass Intensity (PMI) and eliminating hazardous reagents to publishing green chemistry innovations and leading industry‑wide initiatives through the ACS GCI Pharmaceutical Roundtable and IQ consurtium.

In this role, you will lead peptide commercialization projects built on this proven platform, championing greener process design at every stage. You will work closely with a growing team of chemists, analysts, and engineers to design synthetic routes, optimize condensation chemistry, and set a new standard for responsible peptide manufacturing.

This role operates in a highly collaborative environment with key partners across the United States, Asia, and Europe. Critically, this is a hands‑on scientific role — the successful candidate will be expected to work at the bench alongside their team, not only direct from the sidelines. Technology developed in this role will feed directly into Lilly’s Medicines Foundry, a state‑of‑the‑art manufacturing facility coming online in Lebanon, Indiana within the next two years, giving this position rare end‑to‑end impact from laboratory discovery through commercial production.

• Serve as a hands‑on scientific leader — personally conducting bench‑level LPPS and condensation chemistry development while leading and mentoring a team of peptide chemists across commercial and pipeline programs.
• Lead internal technology development and coordinate the transfer of early‑phase processes to Lilly’s Medicines Foundry (Lebanon, Indiana) — a next‑generation facility supporting Phase 1 and 2 (and potentially Phase
  3) clinical supply. For late‑phase programs, collaborate with Lilly’s internal and external Manufacturing groups to transfer processes for validation at internal facilities or external CMO partners.
• Educate and guide CMO partners in best practices for greener peptide development and manufacture.
• Engage with Lilly’s Development and Manufacturing organizations to develop a deep understanding of new initiatives and drive continuous improvement in existing scientific processes.
• Implement…