Post-Doctoral Scientist – Materials Science

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. 

Position Brand Description:

Provides research and technical support for materials and polymer science activities within the Technical Services/Manufacturing Sciences (TS/MS) organization, contributing to the characterization, evaluation, and qualification of materials used across Lilly's pharmaceutical manufacturing platforms.

Key Objectives/Deliverables:

• Conduct independent and collaborative research on materials and/or polymer science relevant to pharmaceutical manufacturing, container closure systems, or drug delivery devices.
• Design, execute, and interpret experiments to characterize material properties (mechanical, chemical, thermal, and surface) and structure-property relationships.
• Build and apply knowledge of materials used in Lilly's parenteral and/or device platforms, including material composition, specifications, and compatibility considerations.
• Investigate material performance, degradation mechanisms, and failure modes; support root cause analyses for material-related issues.
• Collaborate with TS/MS, R&D, and quality scientists to design and execute studies (e.g., extractables/leachable, product compatibility, sterilization compatibility) relevant to pharmaceutical materials.
• Integrate research findings into practical specifications, control strategies, and technical reports.
• Author high-quality technical reports, protocols, and scientific documentation.
• Stay current with emerging materials science research, industry trends, and regulatory expectations relevant to pharmaceutical materials.
• Present research findings to internal stakeholders and, where appropriate, contribute to peer-reviewed publications, patents, or scientific conferences.
• Mentor lab associates and/or students to enhance their technical capabilities, as opportunities arise.
• Ability to work well independently and collaboratively within global, cross-functional teams.

Basic Requirements:

• Ph.D. in Materials Engineering, Biomedical Engineering, Medical Engineering, or a closely related field.
• Demonstrated research experience in materials science and/or polymer science (e.g., through doctoral research).
• Strong understanding of material characterization techniques and structure-property relationships.
• Requires a record of publication in peer-reviewed journals and presentations/posters at scientific conferences.

• 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 Preferences:

• Experience with pharmaceutical materials, container closure systems, or drug delivery devices is a plus.
• Familiarity with GMP-regulated environments and regulatory considerations for pharmaceutical or medical device materials.
• Experience with polymer processing, biocompatibility assessment, or sterilization compatibility (e.g., gamma, e-beam, EtO).
• Ability to work well independently and remotely, as well as in global and multicultural teams.
• Strong problem-solving, analytical, and technical writing/communication skills.
• Ability to design, execute, and critically interpret scientific experiments.

Education Requirements:

Ph.D. in Materials Engineering, Biomedical Engineering, Medical Engineering, or a related scientific/engineering field.

Other Information:

• This Post-Doctoral Scientist position is not permanent. It is for a fixed duration (typically two years, with potential to extend up to a maximum of four years).

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

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.

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