Advisor​/Senior Advisor - 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 49,000 employees 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.

Lilly Genetic Medicines (LGM) is an innovation‑focused organization striving to identify, develop and apply the most cutting‑edge technologies to deliver maximum benefit to our patients. The LGM team is looking for a collaborative, creative, and energetic problem solver to join a multidisciplinary team at the front edge of innovation. The successful applicant will accelerate large‑scale oligonucleotide synthesis of internal RNAi‑based clinical candidates and support collaborative projects across the organization.

• Lead the Lilly Genetic Medicines discovery oligosynthesis scale‑up team to accelerate Lilly RNAi Therapeutics from pre‑clinical to clinical development.
• Utilize comprehensive expertise in oligonucleotide synthesis methodologies to support Lilly Genetic Medicines and further develop internal capabilities and team growth through effective coaching, mentorship, and leadership.
• Collaborate with members of the RNAi discovery chemistry teams to validate and execute requirements for oligonucleotide synthesis from 150 µmol to 6 mmol scales including communication of relevant information and results to project leads and/or cross‑functional organizations within Lilly to ensure seamless operation of the scale‑up team.
• Actively support our efforts toward the discovery of lead drug candidates and lead at the interface with our CMC and Development teams to provide essential materials for key studies and effectively communicate technical insights to the development team.
• Demonstrate expertise in modern synthetic organic and nucleic acid chemistry, striving to improve methods, develop new technologies, and address synthetic oligonucleotide challenges across a diverse portfolio.
• Oversee and prioritize the work of scale‑up team members to meet critical timelines.
• Value diverse perspectives and experiences for effective solutions, motivate team members to take initiative, own outcomes, and share expertise on complex technical challenges.
• Guide teams through unclear situations, adapt efficiently to changes, and evaluate and implement effective approaches to completing tasks.

• PhD degree in a relevant scientific discipline with 2 + years of experience (oligonucleotide synthesis experience, solid‑phase synthesis) or MS degree with 5 + years of experience.

• Experience in supervising a team of scientists to evaluate, refine and execute synthetic routes, technologies, and practices to deliver LGM portfolio.
• Experience in troubleshooting and optimizing synthetic protocols on automated solid‑phase synthesis instruments.
• Experience with downstream processing of oligonucleotides including use of chromatographic purification and process TFF systems.
• Ability to function within a highly interdisciplinary environment.
• Excellent written and oral communication skills, good organizational skills, the ability to multitask, and lead a team to deliver on tight deadlines.
• Confident, execution‑focused, and team‑oriented with a desire to thrive in a fast‑paced growing environment.
• Strong laboratory skills and experience with analytical instrumentation such as AKTA, Agilent LC‑MS and UPLC, Vanquish LTQ, Water’s QDA, etc.
• Experience in developing new chromatographic methods (IEX/RP‑HPLC, SPE, LC‑MS).
• Experience in conjugation of novel ligands, including small molecules, peptides, and proteins to oligonucleotides at 5‑25 g scale.

Actual compensation will depend on a candidate’s education, experience, skills, and geographic location. The anticipated wage for this position is $126,000 - $204,600 per year. Lilly reserves the right to amend, modify, or terminate its compensation and benefit programs at its sole discretion.

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.