At Lilly, the work is demanding because patients are waiting. We unite caring with discovery to help make life better for people around the world, knowing that every decision, every detail, and every day matters. Headquartered in Indianapolis, Indiana, our over 50,000 employees around the globe take on complex challenges to discover and deliver life-changing medicines, strengthen how health is understood and managed, and support the communities we serve. This is hard, urgent, selfless work-but it's work worth doing. If you're driven by purpose and ready to bring your best to work that truly matters for patients, we invite you to join us.

Organization Overview

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.

TDA Postdoctoral Program Overview

The TDA Postdoctoral Program creates opportunities for talented Ph.D. scientists to expand their scientific expertise while working under the direct supervision of a Lilly scientist:

• Opportunities to work on projects that encompass exploratory research, new technologies and/or novel methods to advance research and development
• Scientific, technical and real-world skills training
• Connection with other postdocs, Lilly scientists and research leaders
• Presentation at internal research forums and opportunities to publish
• 2-year program with possible extensions
• Conference attendance sponsorship

As part of Lilly's commitment to innovation, selected candidates will have the opportunity to build fluency with AI tools used across the business. We expect selected candidates to approach these tools with curiosity, apply critical thinking to AI-assisted work, and always prioritize accuracy, confidentiality, and ethical standards in how they use them. Additional opportunities include providing exposure to senior leadership, participation in scientific and development workshops.

Position Summary

Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS) is a rapidly progressive and fatal neurodegenerative disease for which significant unmet medical need remains. Lilly is committed to advancing research and development efforts to better understand disease biology, identify therapeutic targets, and support the discovery of potential treatments.

The TDA Postdoctoral Scientist will contribute to research at the intersection of disease biology and drug discovery, supporting efforts across early-stage research and development. Under the supervision of a Lilly scientist, the postdoctoral fellow will engage in studies aimed at understanding disease mechanisms and supporting the advancement of therapeutic approaches.

The role may also include engagement with the broader scientific and patient communities, consistent with Lilly's commitment to advancing scientific understanding and improving patient outcomes.

Duties and Responsibilities

ALS Disease Biology & Drug Discovery

• Investigate ALS disease mechanisms across multiple biological axes, including neurodegeneration, motor neuron biology, neuroinflammation, and disease progression
• Contribute to target identification, validation, and prioritization within Lilly's ALS drug discovery portfolio
• Support translational research efforts linking ALS disease biology to drug R&D candidate progression
• Design and execute experiments to evaluate therapeutic interventions in relevant ALS disease models
• Use, refine, and/or develop cellular models of neurodegeneration pathology and ALS biology
• Test interventions to identify those with the greatest ability to restore cellular function
• Employ methodologies including, but not limited to, immunostaining, microscopy, and PCR
• Develop and adapt custom methodology for novel materials and experimental needs

Scientific Communication & Knowledge Generation

• Conduct rigorous literature review and interpretation across ALS biology, disease mechanisms, and drug discovery
• Interpret complex datasets and contribute to written reports, white papers, and peer-reviewed scientific publications
• Present findings at internal research forums, external scientific conferences, and cross-functional team meetings
• Write and update experimental protocols and technical procedures to support project development and knowledge transfer

ALS Patient Advocacy & External Collaboration

• Actively engage with ALS patient advocacy organizations as a representative of Lilly's research efforts, building relationships that inform and enrich the field
• Participate in joint initiatives, working groups, or research collaborations with ALS advocacy groups to advance patient-centered research priorities
• Collaborate with ALS researchers at academic institutions, medical centers, and research consortia worldwide
• Represent Lilly's ALS program at external forums, patient advocacy events, and scientific symposia
• Integrate patient and caregiver perspectives into research planning and communication activities

Cross-functional Collaboration

• Collaborate with Lilly scientists, research leaders, and fellow postdoctoral scientists across Molecule Discovery and beyond
• Engage with cross-functional teams spanning biology, chemistry, translational medicine, and clinical development as appropriate
• Other duties as defined by supervisor/mentor and department needs

Education & Experience

• Ph.D. in Molecular Biology, Neuroscience, Biochemistry, or a closely related field
• Demonstrated expertise in ALS disease biology or related neurodegenerative disease research
• Proven experience in the biology and pathology of neurodegeneration in general and ALS in particular
• Minimum of 3 years of experience with molecular biology techniques (including time in Ph.D. training)
• Proven experience in reviewing and interpreting scientific literature
• Proven experience in clinical settings

An equivalent combination of education and experience may be accepted in lieu of the above.

Basic Qualifications

• Enrolled in a Ph.D. or MD/Ph.D. program with a concentration in Biology, Biochemistry, Neurodegeneration, Physiology, Pathology, or a related discipline
• Expected graduation by August 2027
• 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 authorization or visas for this role, including but not limited to F-1 CPT, F-1 OPT, F-1 STEM OPT, J-1, H-1B, TN, O-1, E-3, H-1B1, or L-1

Additional Skills/Preferences

• Prior experience engaging with patient advocacy organizations, disease foundations, or external research consortia is a plus
• AI/ML applied to biology or drug discovery
• Biological testing of compounds
• Protein expression, purification, characterization, and formulation
• Fundamental disease mechanism understanding
• Fundamental clinical understanding
• Relevant clinical experience in neurodegeneration

Additional Information

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 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.

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 (AMECA), Black Employees at Lilly (BE@Lilly), Chinese Culture Network (CCN), EnAble, Evolve, Lilly Indian Network (LIN), Organization of Latinx at Lilly (OLA), Pride (LGBTQ+ Allies), Veterans Leadership Network (VLN) and Women's Initiative for Leading at Lilly (WILL).

Actual compensation will depend on a candidate's education, experience, skills, and geographic location. The anticipated wage for this position is
$58,000 - $123,200

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