Advisor, Drug Product Process Development

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.

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. Orna Therapeutics, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Eli Lilly and Company, is an innovative biotechnology startup based in Watertown, MA, committed to developing groundbreaking therapies for diseases that current approaches cannot address. With our pioneering circular RNA technology, developed at MIT, we are at the forefront of advancing the next generation of RNA therapeutics. Our state-of-the-art expression and delivery platform positions us to tackle complex diseases, including B cell-driven autoimmune disorders, B cell malignancies, sickle cell disease, and beyond.

Summary: The successful candidate will design, execute, and oversee experiments for the technical development and scale-up of lipid nanoparticle (LNP) drug product processes. This role offers a unique opportunity to independently drive LNP platform science within Orna, identify knowledge gaps, and translate cutting-edge formulation science into robust, scalable manufacturing processes. The ideal candidate will have a strong background in carrier-based drug product development, process optimization, scale-up, and technical transfer. They will possess excellent oral and written communication capabilities, demonstrate strong collaboration and interpersonal skills, and be adept at problem solving in a fast-paced, innovation-driven environment.

The successful candidate will design, execute, and oversee experiments for the technical development and scale-up of lipid nanoparticle (LNP) drug product processes. This role offers a unique opportunity to independently drive LNP platform science within Orna, identify knowledge gaps, and translate cutting-edge formulation science into robust, scalable manufacturing processes. The ideal candidate will have a strong background in carrier-based drug product development, process optimization, scale-up, and technical transfer. They will possess excellent oral and written communication capabilities, demonstrate strong collaboration and interpersonal skills, and be adept at problem solving in a fast-paced, innovation-driven environment.

PhD, MS, or BS degree in chemical engineering, biomedical engineering, pharmaceutical sciences, chemistry, biology, or a related field with the following years of industry experience: PhD 0-5 years, MS 7+ years, or BS 10+ years. Demonstrated hands-on experience in formulation and process development particularly in carrier-based or complex drug product systems (e.g., lipid nanoparticles, liposomes, emulsions, microspheres, or other advanced delivery platforms). Working knowledge of fluid mixing dynamics, particle self-assembly, and surface chemistry concepts, including common characterization methods (e.g. DLS, Ribogreen, Cryo-EM etc.) Track record of independently designing and executing experiments; ability to proactively identify scientific knowledge gaps and propose structured plans to address them. Additional