Senior Principal Scientist – Process Chemist

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.

Reporting to the Senior Advisor—Chemist, the Senior Principal Scientist - Chemist will be responsible for leading efforts in designing and planning syntheses, purifications, and characterization of organic molecules from R&D through early and late phase clinical stages. The candidate will work closely with partner organizations and vendors to advance Lilly's radioligand precursor programs and ensure that radioligand precursors and standards are available as required to support manufacture and testing of downstream radioligand products.

The Senior Principal Scientist – Chemist will serve as a technical expert working with external partners and internal stakeholders, working closely with discovery, pre‑clinical, translational, quality and regulatory teams to ensure targets meet phase‑appropriate requirements and program timelines. This position will be within the Precursor team which is part of the Early Phase CMC group.

• Design and oversee the synthesis, purification, and characterization of radioligand precursors and related compounds, ensuring all synthesized compounds meet phase‑appropriate specifications and quality standards throughout development, from R&D through early and late phase clinical stages.
• Act as the primary point of contact and technical expert in directing CDMOs and other vendors on the design and synthesis of raw materials and radioligand precursors; establish and maintain collaborative relationships to ensure timely delivery of quality compounds that meet overall program goals and timelines.
• Work seamlessly with discovery, pre‑clinical, translational, quality, and regulatory teams to align compound specifications with phase‑appropriate requirements and support regulatory submissions and compliance activities.
• Monitor and evaluate project budgets, tasks, and timelines; identify potential risks and propose mitigation plans to ensure deadlines are met and resources are used efficiently.
• Ensure adherence to all applicable GLP/GMP principles, regulatory guidelines, company policies, and quality standards; embody and promote a quality‑first culture with a "right‑the‑first‑time" approach across all activities.
• Provide clear, concise verbal and written reports, technical documentation, and presentations to management and cross‑functional teams; effectively communicate complex chemical information to both technical and non‑technical audiences.
• Remain engaged in fast‑paced team environments, execute with a sense of urgency, and perform additional duties as assigned to support program objectives.

• Master's degree in organic chemistry, medicinal chemistry, organometallic chemistry or related field (PhD's will not be considered for this position).
• 2+ years of experience in modern synthetic chemistry, including designing and executing multi‑step syntheses, purification techniques (e.g., chromatography, crystallization), and characterization techniques including HPLC, NMR, MS, etc.
• Demonstrated ability to work effectively in multi‑disciplinary team settings and manage relationships with external partners and vendors
• Ability to execute with high attention to detail, strong organizational skills, and extreme sense of urgency.
• Strong oral and written communication skills with ability to articulate complex scientific concepts clearly
• Strong scientific, analytical, and project management skills
• Proficiency with Microsoft 365 (Excel, Word, PowerPoint)
• 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…