Principal Scientist - Data Foundry Scientific Developer

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 Small Molecule Discovery is an organization purpose-built to create molecules that make life better for people. We focus on using cutting edge science to unlock new approaches that can treat people suffering from diseases with poor treatment options. We continually challenge ourselves to deliver molecules that can provide breakthrough efficacy with the highest possible safety margins. We are dedicated to optimizing our mindset, technology, and processes for faster, more nimble execution. Our success is built on a culture that empowers innovative problem solving through open collaboration and individual accountability.

Discovery Technology and Platforms is a newly established function within this organization. Its mission is to accelerate molecule discovery by building highly optimized foundational platforms, streamlining lab operations through advanced technologies and data connectivity, and intentionally investing in novel technologies and capabilities.

Data Foundry

Data Foundry is a multidisciplinary team dedicated to enabling and accelerating molecule discovery through scalable and reproducible data generation, fueled by advanced scientific programming, research informatics and automation solutions. The team also leads the design, implementation and validation of AI agent-compatible automation systems.

Position Summary:

The Scientific Systems group within the Data Foundry is seeking a talented scientific programmer to join our dynamic team. This role bridges the gap between laboratory science and computational innovation, building fit-for-purpose data infrastructure and analytical pipelines that drive scientific discovery. This role will collaborate with foundational platforms and partner with Tech@Lilly and the Advanced Intelligence team (AI@Lilly) to ensure project data and software solutions are fully leveraged to facilitate scientific innovation and decision-making across the portfolio.

Key Responsibilities

• Design, develop, and maintain data retrieval, cleaning, and processing pipelines for complex scientific datasets
• Collaborate with multidisciplinary teams to translate scientific requirements into technical solutions
• Implement scalable computational workflows for chemistry and biology research applications
• Develop and optimize software tools and automation scripts to enhance research productivity
• Ensure data integrity, quality control, and reproducibility across scientific computing systems
• Participate in agile development cycles with iterative improvement and rapid prototyping
• Document technical processes and provide training support to research teams

Required Qualifications

• BS/MS in Chemistry, Biology, Biochemistry, Computational Biology, Cheminformatics, Computer Science or related field with 5+ years scientific programming experience) with understanding of experimental data types and workflows
• Proficiency in multiple programming languages including Python, RESTful API, Java, C#, and SQL and Strong scientific prototyping/scripting
• Pharmaceutical and/or Biotech Research Industry Experience is required

Preferred Qualifications

• Python Back-end or Web development experience is highly desirable
• Hands-on experience with popular cheminformatics systems such as RDKit, Schrdinger Suite, or MOE (Molecular Operating Environment)
• Experience of integration of Benchling functions
• Experience with scientific data standards and ontologies
• Knowledge of cloud computing platforms (AWS, Azure, Google Cloud Platform)
• Familiarity with version control systems (Git) and CI/CD practices
• Experience with data visualization and analysis tools
• Background in machine learning or statistical modeling for scientific applications
• Experience with Linux environments and bash scripting
• Familiarity with agile methodologies and collaborative development practices
• Strong learning agility with willingness to adopt new technologies, languages, and tools to accomplish objectives
• Not afraid to step outside comfort zone and learn what's needed to get the job done
• Excellent interpersonal and communication skills, with a track record of effective scientist engagement

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 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
$87,000 - $193,600

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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