Discovery Lab Automation & Integration Lead

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.
** About the Role
** We are seeking a highly motivated Discovery Lab Scientific Operations Lead to establish and operate a state-of-the-art laboratory in Shanghai. This role will lead the purchasing, installation, and qualification of biological/chemical instruments, build operational infrastructure, and support day-to-day lab operations. The successful candidate will also partner closely with Lilly’s global Agentic Lab network to integrate AI technologies and advanced automation systems that transform how we discover medicines.

The ideal candidate will bring at least 5 years of deep biology/chemistry expertise, hands-on experience in discovery research laboratories, and knowledge of biology and chemistry workflows. If you are passionate about transforming pharmaceutical research through automation, this is your opportunity to make a significant impact.###
** Key Responsibilities
**** Discovery Lab Setup & Commissioning
*** Lead the planning, purchasing, and installation of novel automation instruments, including protein expression systems, high-throughput protein purification systems, etc.
* Design efficient lab layouts to maximize workflow integration, automation, and safety.
* Collaborate with global engineering, procurement, and IT teams to ensure seamless alignment with Lilly Agentic Lab infrastructure and standards.
** Lab Operations Leadership
*** Oversee daily laboratory operations, including scheduling, maintenance, troubleshooting, and vendor management.
* Establish and enforce SOPs, safety protocols, and quality standards in alignment with global Lilly practices.
* Manage inventory, consumables, and supply chains to ensure uninterrupted research activities.
* Ensure compliance with Lilly’s data integrity and quality systems.
** Agentic Automation & AI Integration
*** Partner with automation engineers and data scientists to integrate laboratory instruments into the Agentic Lab digital ecosystem.
* Enable AI-assisted workflows to accelerate assay development, compound profiling, and decision-making.
* Support the continuous improvement of digitally connected lab operations and real-time data analytics.
** Scientific & Technical Support
*** Provide biological/chemical assay development expertise to discovery scientists and automation engineers.
* Collaborate with global discovery teams to harmonize lab automation workflows and achieve cross-site operational consistency.
* Drive training, knowledge sharing, and best-practice adoption within Shanghai agentic lab and global Lab network.###
** Qualifications & Experience
***
* Required:

*** Ph.D. in Biology, Biochemistry, Pharmacology, or a related life sciences field.
* 7+ years of experience in drug discovery or preclinical research laboratories.
* Proven track record of managing structural biology/analytical/chemical/automation instruments (e.g., Western blot, HPLC, Octet/Biacore, Tecan, Hamilton) and supporting lab operations.
* Familiarity with global R&D operations and SOP alignment across multinational sites.
* Fluent in English and Mandarin; excellent written and verbal communication.
** Preferred:
*** Experience in integrating drug discovery instruments into automated platforms.
* Experience with lab automation and high-throughput protein/antibody production and purification workflows.
* Strong project management skills with the ability to lead cross-functional initiatives.
* Solid understanding of biology and chemistry testing and characterization.###
** Why Join Us
*** Be a pioneer in building Lilly’s Agentic Lab Shanghai, a core lab in our global discovery ecosystem.
* Shape the future of drug discovery automation…