Senior Research Scientist – DMPK

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!

As a Senior Research Scientist – DMPK, you will serve as a subject matter expert in drug metabolism and pharmacokinetics for discovery and pre‑clinical research projects. In this role, you will be responsible for designing and implementing DMPK and PK/PD strategies that guide compound optimization, de‑risking and accelerating early R & D programs through candidate selection and progression into the development pipeline.

• Serve as the PK/DMPK scientific lead across multidisciplinary discovery and pre‑clinical research teams, establishing strategies to guide small and large molecule candidates toward nomination.
• Design, execute, and monitor in vitro DMPK/ADME and in vivo PK/PD profiling studies to evaluate target exposure, bioavailability, metabolism, and drug interaction risks.
• Integrate DMPK findings with pharmacology and toxicology data to build robust lead profiles, perform IVIVC or mechanistic modeling, and drive go/no‑go progression decisions.
• Collaborate cross‑functionally across global R&D and partner with external CROs and academic collaborators to access specialized technologies and advance early pipeline packages.
• Prepare and deliver clear scientific summaries, reports, and presentations on DMPK findings to enable evidence‑based governance decisions.

• Education:
  
  Advanced scientific degree (PhD, PharmD, DVM, or Master’s/Bachelor’s degree with equivalent level of experience) in Pharmacology, Chemistry, Veterinary/Medical Sciences, or related scientific discipline.
• Required Experience:
  
  A minimum of 4 years of experience in pharmaceutical industry or academia in discovery and pre‑clinical DMPK research, with demonstrated experience in both small and large molecule drug development.
• Strong foundational expertise in early‑phase DMPK/ADME characterization, PK/PD data interpretation, and proficiency in PK software tools (such as Phoenix Win Nonlin, Monolix, or equivalent).

• Experience with mechanistic PK modeling and/or physiologically‑based pharmacokinetic (PBPK) modeling.
• Strong chemistry background with understanding of compound structures, classes, and in vitro profiling.
• Familiarity with veterinary drug development and species‑specific considerations in animal metabolism and pharmacokinetics.
• Demonstrated experience managing and collaborating with external contract research organizations (CROs) and academic partners.
• Proven track record of cross‑functional collaboration and delivering clear scientific presentations to diverse technical and non‑technical audiences.

• Travel:
  Up to 10% of domestic and international travel
• Location:
  
  Global Elanco Headquarters
  - Indianapolis, IN
  - Hybrid Work Environment

We offer a comprehensive benefits package focusing on financial, physical, and mental well‑being while…