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.
We are seeking a highly motivated Scientist to join the Downstream Process Development team. The successful candidate will lead development and optimization of downstream purification processes supporting viral vector programs from research through preclinical development.
The ideal candidate will possess deep technical expertise in downstream purification technologies including ultracentrifugation, chromatography, and tangential flow filtration (TFF), with demonstrated experience driving process development strategies, platform development initiatives, technology implementation, and multi-functional collaboration.
This role requires strong scientific leadership, hands-on technical capability, and the ability to independently lead complex purification development activities in a fast-paced environment.
Key Responsibilities
Lead development, optimization, and scale-up of downstream purification workflows for viral vectors.
Design and implement purification strategieusingng Iodixanol and CsCl density gradient ultracentrifugation, affinity chromatography, ion-exchange chromatography (AEX/CEX), membrane chromatography, and polishing operations.
Lead AKTA-based chromatography workflow development and process intensification initiatives.
Develop scalable downstream platform approaches to support rapid material generation and process consistency across programs.
Independently design experiments, analyze data, interpret results, and present technical conclusions to multi-functional teams and leadership.
Drive troubleshooting, process characterization, and process robustness studies.
Collaborate closely with upstream, analytical, manufacturing, and external partners to support program work and timelines.
Support technology transfer, process documentation, and development reports.
Lead development and optimization of TFF/UFDF workflows for concentration, buffer exchange, formulation, and process scalability.
Mentor junior scientists/engineers and provide technical guidance across purification activities.
Contribute to implementation of new purification technologies, automation tools, and continuous process improvements.
Ensure compliance with safety, documentation, and quality standards.
Basic Qualifications
Bachelor’s degree in biology, biochemistry, chemical engineering, biotechnology, or related scientific field
5+ years(master’s/PhD) with 3+ years, of relevant downstream process development experience in industry
Additional Skills/Preferences:
CsCl and iodixanol ultracentrifugation
Affinity chromatography
Ion-exchange chromatography
TFF/UFDF operations including concentration, diafiltration, and formulation development
AKTA systems and Unicorn software
Strong understanding of process scale-up, platform development, and purification process characterization.
Experience analyzing purification performance and product quality attributes using relevant analytical methods.
Experience in AAV downstream process development and capsid enrichment workflows.
Experience with automated chromatography systems and process intensification strategies.
Experience supporting technology transfer and manufacturing readiness activities.
Familiarity with GMP development environments and regulatory expectations.
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