Director/Sr. Director - In Vitro Biology, ASCVD and Lipid Biology

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.  Location: Indianapolis, IN (Onsite) About the Team At Lilly, we unite caring with discovery to make life better for people around the world. The Cardiovascular and Renal Research (CVR) group discovers and advances biologic, small-molecule, nucleic-acid, biologic, and gene-editing therapeutics for atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ASCVD) and chronic kidney disease. We work with partners across Lilly to understand the biology underlying disease and to develop breakthrough therapies that address its root cause.

We are seeking an experienced lab head to lead an In Vitro Biology laboratory supporting our ASCVD and Kidney Health portfolio. The successful candidate will have previously led a laboratory, managed and mentored direct reports, and advanced multiple assets from target validation through clinical candidate selection. In this role, they will set the in vitro strategy for multiple programs, lead a team of scientists to build the biochemical and cell-based assays, implement them so they run reliably at the scale each project needs, and use them to validate targets and select clinical development candidates against rigorous timelines. They will partner closely with in vivo pharmacology, medicinal chemistry, biotherapeutics, genetic medicines, translational science and clinical colleagues to influence portfolio decisions across CVR. , They will evaluate external innovation opportunities to bolster the portfolio of projects Key Responsibilities Lead the laboratory. Lead and manage an in vitro biology laboratory . Set scientific direction and priorities, allocate scientists and resources across programs, and ensure data quality, compliance and lab safety. Drive therapeutic development to clinical candidate selection. Design the in vitro biology strategy for multiple discovery programs from target validation through lead optimization and candidate selection; define screening cascades, go/no-go criteria and candidate-profile requirements; make clear, data-driven recommendations to advance or stop projects. Build screening assays. Direct the design, development and optimization of cell-based, biochemical, enzymatic and binding assays for ASCVD and Kidney Health targets, and remain hands-on where expertise is needed. Example assay types include enzyme kinetics and inhibitor characterization (IC50/Ki, mechanism of inhibition), protein–protein and ligand–receptor binding (SPR, BLI, FP, TR-FRET, AlphaScreen, ELISA-based), and cell-based functional assays (lipoprotein uptake/secretion, lipid handling, hepatocyte and macrophage foam-cell models, endothelial and vascular smooth-muscle assays, reporter and target-engagement assays). Oversee molecular and biochemical readouts on cell and tissue samples (qPCR/ddPCR, western blot, ELISA/MSD, lipid quantitation, flow cytometry, high-content imaging) and ensure rigorous data analysis and interpretation. Implement assays to progress projects. Ensure assays move from concept to routine operation: define acceptance criteria and controls, qualify reagents and cell systems, establish plate-based workflows on automated liquid-handling and multi-mode detection platforms. Use appropriate AI tools to accelerate data analysis and quality assurance. Validate targets for ASCVD event reduction. Lead in vitro target-validation strategy using