Scientific Director - Sustainable Peptide Process Chemistry – SMDD

Company: Eli Lilly and Company
Location: Indianapolis
Posted on: January 13, 2026

Job Description:

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. At Lilly, we serve an extraordinary purpose. We make a difference for people around the globe by discovering, developing and delivering medicines that help them live longer, healthier, more active lives. Not only do we deliver breakthrough medications, but you also can count on us to develop creative solutions to support communities through philanthropy and volunteerism. Position Summary: Help shape the future of sustainable peptide development and bring life-changing incretin therapies to patients around the world! An exciting opportunity is available for a highly skilled and experienced scientist with expertise in peptide process chemistry to join the Synthetic Molecule Design and Development (SMDD) division at Eli Lilly and Company. You will be part of a dynamic, cross-functional department focused on sustainable synthetic peptide development and commercialization. In this role, you’ll lead a variety of peptide commercialization projects, collaborate with global partners, and help advance next-generation, sustainable approaches to peptide manufacturing. This includes process development for Mounjaro and the commercial process development of multiple incretin peptide candidates progressing toward market launch. Lilly is a global leader in incretin-based therapies, with a rapidly expanding portfolio that is transforming the treatment of diabetes, obesity, and related metabolic diseases. By joining this team, you will play a key role in shaping the future of this industry-leading pipeline and enabling access to breakthrough peptide medicines worldwide. We’re looking for an innovative and energetic peptide chemist with a strong leadership background and deep industry knowledge. You’ll work closely with a growing team of chemists, analysts, and engineers to design efficient synthetic routes and optimize commercial processes — helping to deliver the next generation of peptide therapies to patients around the world. Responsibilities: Lead a team of peptide chemists in designing and developing sustainable synthetic peptide processes. Provide oversight for multi-kg scale peptide process development at contract manufacturing organizations (CMOs) and lead internal development activities. Educate and mentor CMOs on best practices for greener peptide development and manufacturing. Present research findings at internal forums and external conferences; publish in high-quality, peer-reviewed journals. Communicate both the technical and business implications of research outcomes clearly and effectively. Apply expertise in Tag-Assisted Liquid-Phase Peptide Chemistry to enable scalable and efficient peptide synthesis. Top Candidates Will: Demonstrate excellence in multiple modes of peptide synthesis, including hybrid SPPS/LPPS chemistry. Have experience leading teams of scientists in peptide route development. Enable the design, development, and implementation of sustainable, innovative processes for complex peptide synthesis, with a focus on PFAS-free conditions. Implement green chemistry and engineering solutions to improve the environmental footprint of peptide manufacturing and reduce Process Mass Intensity (PMI). Possess familiarity with chromatography, mass spectrometry, optical spectroscopy, and peptide automation. Exhibit strong technical problem-solving ability and an intrinsic motivation to succeed in team environments. Have a track record of innovative scientific research, demonstrated by publications in high-quality, peer-reviewed journals and presentations at external conferences. Basic Qualifications: Ph.D. in Chemistry or related field with 7 years of pharmaceutical industry experience, or B.S./M.S. in Chemistry with 12 years of relevant experience in industry or academia. Additional Preferences: Strong interpersonal skills and a sustained track record of collaboration. Ability to learn and apply new technical knowledge to meet evolving project needs. Demonstrated flexibility, prioritization skills, and the ability to work effectively in dynamic environments. Proven leadership capabilities, especially in cross-functional or global team settings. Ability to balance multiple priorities and navigate ambiguity effectively. A dditional Information: Physical Demands/Travel: The physical demands of this job are consistent with a lab and office environment . Travel: 0–10% The physical demands here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Work Environment: This position’s work environment is in a laboratory and office environment. The work environment characteristics described here are representative of those an employee encounters while performing the essential functions of this job. *To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform the role and responsibilities satisfactorily. The requirements listed above are representative of the knowledge, skill, and/or ability required. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions. Lilly is dedicated to helping individuals with disabilities to actively engage in the workforce, ensuring equal opportunities when vying for positions. If you require accommodation to submit a resume for a position at Lilly, please complete the accommodation request form ( https://careers.lilly.com/us/en/workplace-accommodation ) for further assistance. Please note this is for individuals to request an accommodation as part of the application process and any other correspondence will not receive a response. 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. Our employee resource groups (ERGs) offer strong support networks for their members and are open to all employees. Our current groups include: Africa, Middle East, Central Asia Network, Black Employees at Lilly, Chinese Culture Network, Japanese International Leadership Network (JILN), Lilly India Network, Organization of Latinx at Lilly (OLA), PRIDE (LGBTQ Allies), Veterans Leadership Network (VLN), Women’s Initiative for Leading at Lilly (WILL), enAble (for people with disabilities). Learn more about all of our groups. Actual compensation will depend on a candidate’s education, experience, skills, and geographic location. The anticipated wage for this position is $148,500 - $257,400 Full-time equivalent employees also will be eligible for a company bonus (depending, in part, on company and individual performance). In addition, Lilly offers a comprehensive benefit program to eligible employees, including eligibility to participate in a company-sponsored 401(k); pension; vacation benefits; eligibility for medical, dental, vision and prescription drug benefits; flexible benefits (e.g., healthcare and/or dependent day care flexible spending accounts); life insurance and death benefits; certain time off and leave of absence benefits; and well-being benefits (e.g., employee assistance program, fitness benefits, and employee clubs and activities).Lilly reserves the right to amend, modify, or terminate its compensation and benefit programs in its sole discretion and Lilly’s compensation practices and guidelines will apply regarding the details of any promotion or transfer of Lilly employees. WeAreLilly

Keywords: Eli Lilly and Company, Muncie , Scientific Director - Sustainable Peptide Process Chemistry – SMDD, Science, Research & Development , Indianapolis, Indiana