Post Doctoral Scientist - Molecular Pharmacology

Overview

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.

Post-Doctoral Scientist - Molecular Pharmacology

• Conduct innovative molecular pharmacology studies to characterize the mechanisms of action of GPCR ligands across multiple receptor systems of therapeutic relevance.
• Work with and be mentored by industry-leading molecular pharmacologists, structural biologists, computational scientists, and medicinal chemists.
• Present findings at internal and external scientific meetings and publish extensively in high-quality peer-reviewed journals.

This position provides the opportunity to conduct cutting-edge research with world-class industry resources and technology, while gaining direct experience of the drug discovery process. The candidate will develop deep expertise in quantitative GPCR pharmacology at the intersection of molecular pharmacology, structural biology, and disease biology.

• PhD in pharmacology, biochemistry, biophysics, molecular biology, or a closely related life science discipline

with all completed requirements by October 2026

• Qualified applicants must be authorized to work in the United States on a full-time basis. Lilly will not provide support for or sponsor work authorization or visas for this role, including but not limited to F-1 CPT, F-1 OPT, F-1 STEM OPT, J-1, H-1B, TN, O-1, E-3, H-1B1, or L-1

• Training or background in membrane receptor biology, receptor pharmacology, signal transduction, or quantitative pharmacology would be advantageous
• Self-directed and highly motivated, with a commitment to pursuing both technical excellence and publication goals
• Excellent communicator (oral and written) with a strong or developing publication record
• Proficient in data analysis, graphing, and scientific reporting (e.g., Graph Pad Prism, Python, Excel, PyMOL, MOE)
• Experience with ligand binding techniques (competition, saturation, kinetic assays) in live cell or membrane formats
• Experience with cell-based GPCR signaling assays, including cAMP, IP1, β-arrestin recruitment, intracellular calcium measurement, or phosphoprotein measurement
• Familiarity with quantitative pharmacological modelling or kinetic simulation approaches
• Experience with mammalian cell culture and standard molecular biology techniques
• Understanding or practical experience of modern structural and computational biology approaches
• Interest in the mechanistic and theoretical foundations of receptor pharmacology

• This is an onsite position based in Indianapolis, Indiana
• This position is not permanent. It is a fixed-term position up to 2 years with a possible 2 year extention.

When it comes to research and development, our goal is to discover and deliver innovative medicines that make life better for people around the world. It’s challenging, expensive, and often filled with failure — but even when we fail, we advance medical science and understanding, ultimately bringing new solutions one step closer to reality.

Postdoctoral scientists help us continue this pursuit. During your experience you will receive:

• Top industry research experience in a world-class molecular pharmacology environment
• Mentoring by some of Lilly’s leading scientists in GPCR biology, structural pharmacology, and quantitative modelling
• Laboratory and professional training to further your scientific and career development
• Collaboration and networking across a vibrant community of postdoctoral scientists and research colleagues

Lilly is dedicated to helping…