Molecular Biology Automation Lead

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.

About the Role

We are seeking a highly motivated Molecular Biology Automation Lead to drive the development and implementation of cutting-edge automation solutions for high-throughput molecular biology workflows. This role is pivotal in bridging wet-lab biology with automation engineering—designing scalable, accurate, and efficient systems for molecular cloning, protein expression, and purification.

The ideal candidate will bring at least 5 years of hands-on experience in molecular biology and protein production, combined with deep expertise in laboratory automation. If you are passionate about transforming biological research through automation, this is your opportunity to make a significant impact.

Key Responsibilities

• Design and execute high-throughput molecular workflows, including cloning (Gibson, restriction-based, Golden Gate etc.), DNA preparation, sequence analysis, and construct screening.
• Develop and optimize scalable protein expression systems (bacterial, mammalian, insect) for recombinant protein, antibody, and membrane protein production. Strong experience in expression troubleshooting and optimization.
• Perform and automate high-throughput protein purification, including affinity chromatography, IEX and SEC.
• Integrate and operate robotic platforms and liquid handling systems to streamline gene to protein workflows.
• Collaborate with automation, informatics, and data science teams to support closed-loop, AI-guided experimentation.
• Ensure data quality, reproducibility, and proper documentation; drive continuous process optimization.
• Develop robust data management strategies, including LIMS integration, to support automation workflows.
• Evaluate and adopt emerging automation technologies to advance molecular biology capabilities.
• Ensure compliance with lab safety and regulatory requirements for automated systems.
• Occasional domestic or international travel may be required.

Qualifications & Experience

• Ph.D. in Molecular Biology, Synthetic Biology, Bioengineering, Biochemistry, or related fields.
• 7+ years of hands-on lab experience in molecular cloning, protein expression, and purification in an HTE environment.
• Proficiency with automation platforms (e.g., Tecan, Hamilton, Labcyte Echo) and automation workflow development is a plus.
• Proven expertise in recombinant protein/antibody production and purification techniques.
• Familiarity with protein analytics (SDS-PAGE, Western blot, HPLC, Octet/Biacore, MS, IEF).
• Strong lab automation protocol design, analytical and troubleshooting skills for optimizing automated protocols.
• Working knowledge of LIMS and digital lab infrastructure.
• Experience operating or integrating automated instruments (e.g., qPCR, NGS, flow cytometry)
• Excellent communication and teamwork abilities for cross-functional collaboration.

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 ) 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 does not discriminate on the basis of age, race, color, religion, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, national origin, protected veteran status, disability or any other legally protected status.

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