Scientist – Chemical Hazards Laboratory SMDD Foundry Readiness

Company: Eli Lilly and Company
Location: Indianapolis
Posted on: January 31, 2026

Job Description:

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. Lilly’s Synthetic Molecule Design and Development (SMDD) is involved in key activities for the development of active pharmaceutical ingredients and formulated drug products from pre-clinical phases through commercialization of drug substances and drug products for small molecules, synthetic oligonucleotides, and synthetic peptides. Our scientists develop key technical and business solutions across the portfolio using their deep technical expertise to speed up testing of the clinical hypothesis and overall drug development. SMDD tackles this diversity of responsibilities by recognizing that an even greater diversity of talents and cultures is necessary to deliver the next generation of life changing medicines to patients. Chemical Hazards Lab (CHL) The Chemical Hazards Lab (CHL) within the Process Design and Development division of Synthetic Molecule Design and Development (SMDD) at Eli Lilly and Company provides thermal and dust hazard analyses for products and processes using rigorous experimental design and execution in conjunction with established methods for assessing thermal stability. The majority of the CHLs activity is related to small molecule development assets, although consultation and services are also provided to other Lilly Divisions (e.g., Manufacturing, pilot-plants, kilo-labs, Biologics R&D, Discovery Chemistry, and External Manufacturing). The CHL workflow includes internal experimental activities (calorimetry, SADT Determination, flash point determination, Fall hammer tests), oversight of outsourced thermal testing activities (Dust explosivity, Vent Sizing, UN explosivity), and collaborating with SMDD scientists to design, develop, and execute inherently safe processes with Lilly Manufacturing or in our third party supplier network. Job Requirements Process Safety Design, Development, Testing and Consulting Help ensure that people and their environment are safe and that company policies concerning safety are followed. Understand and comply with corporate, divisional, and departmental procedures, including good manufacturing practices, safety, and other applicable regulations, and participate in the establishment and maintenance of PRD Quality systems. Develop or review plans and timetables for project work. Updates and communicates progress, and proposes changes in project timetables, objectives, or direction. Set up, operate, maintain, troubleshoot, calibrate and adjust the process safety testing equipment to ensure they are kept at optimal conditions to perform, or work with outside vendors to do the same. This will include, but not limited to, RC1 and EasyMax for reaction calorimetry, as well as DSC and ARC for screening. Manage outsourcing of specialized safety testing as needed (e.g. dust hazard testing) Document scientific procedures and results in laboratory notebooks, or other designated forms and author, review or approve scientific reports. Prepare reports summarizing safety testing data and recommendations. Execute projects in a timely manner, with attention to detail and follow through. Evaluate potential new equipment and techniques. Develop technical proficiency, think independently, exercise sound judgment that corresponds with experience, and adheres to safe work practices. Pursue a career path with an emphasis on continuous learning and growth in new scientific fields and/or improving level of competency in field of expertise. Minimum Qualifications BS/MS in organic or analytical chemistry, chemical engineering, pharmaceutical science or related fields with 1yr lab experience in process safety and lab experimentation. Additional Skills/Preferences Strong technical skills to solve problems to supply value and to impact business area and/or function. Experience in synthetic molecule drug substance process development tools including HPLC, GC, IR. Experience with evaluating process safety including risks of thermal decomposition, gas generation, vent sizing, static/conductivity, or dust explosivity; industrial hygiene risk assessments. Basic knowledge of dust explosivity (Kst and Pmax) tests/test methods applicable to commercial scale process safety analysis and shipping practices. Knowledge and experience for data interpretation and analysis of experimental results as applied to process safety assessments. Experience with commercial manufacturing scale process design and impact on safe operating conditions. Experience in health and safety in manufacturing Demonstrated leadership capabilities especially in a team environment. Good interpersonal skills and demonstrate collaborative abilities (internally and externally). Good verbal and written communication skills. Demonstrated success in persuasion, influence, and negotiation skills to support decision making along with mentoring skills Good interpersonal skills and demonstrate collaborative abilities (internally and externally). Passion for chemical process safety or safety in general Additional Information: Location: Indianapolis, IN LTC-N Travel: less than 10% 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 Network, Black Employees at Lilly, Chinese Culture Network, Japanese International Leadership Network (JILN), Lilly India Network, Organization of Latinx at Lilly (OLA), PRIDE (LGBTQ Allies), Veterans Leadership Network (VLN), Women’s Initiative for Leading at Lilly (WILL), enAble (for people with disabilities). Learn more about all of our groups. Actual compensation will depend on a candidate’s education, experience, skills, and geographic location. The anticipated wage for this position is $65,250 - $169,400 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

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