Senior Research Scientist - Protein Production Team Lead

• Education: Ph.D. in Biochemistry, Molecular Biology, Chemical Engineering, Pharmaceutical Sciences, or a closely related scientific discipline.
• Technical Experience: A minimum of 3+ years of hands-on experience in the biopharmaceutical industry or a post-doctoral setting with definitive expertise in mammalian protein expression (e.g., transient expression in CHO, HEK293) and multi-step protein purification (e.g., Affinity, IEX, SEC) using automated chromatography systems (e.g., ÄKTA FPLC).
• Project Leadership: Experience directing multi-person scientific workflows and mentoring laboratory scientists.

• Team Leadership: Prior experience in a formal team lead or people management role.
• Complex Modalities: Direct experience engineering, expressing, and purifying complex biologics (e.g., bispecific antibodies, multi-domain fusion proteins, or difficult-to-express antigens).
• High-Throughput Automation: Familiarity with liquid handlers, automated multi-channel purification systems, or high-throughput titer screening.
• Immunology Background: Solid understanding of antibody biology, immunology, and the structural determinants of developability and stability.
• Matrix Influence: Proven ability to influence cross-functional stakeholders across Discovery, Analytical Development, and Formulation in a fast-paced environment.

As a Senior Research Scientist and Protein Expression & Purification Team Lead in our Transitional and Early Development group, you will play a central leadership role in discovering, generating, and optimizing the next generation of recombinant protein biotherapeutics, including monoclonal antibodies, fusion proteins, and novel vaccine antigens for animal health. In this hybrid laboratory-based and team leadership role, you will direct and expand a team of scientists responsible for the end-to-end protein generation workflow—from DNA construct design through downstream purification and lot-release testing—to enable critical pre-clinical animal studies.

• →Team Leadership & People Management: Lead, mentor, and develop a team of laboratory scientists focused on the end-to-end protein generation workflow, establishing workload priorities and resource allocation.
• →Portfolio & Project Leadership: Serve as the protein sciences subject matter expert (SME) across multiple concurrent biotherapeutic and vaccine discovery projects, providing technical leadership, timelines, and risk mitigation strategies.
• →Workflow Design & Execution: Direct the end-to-end protein generation workflow, from expression plasmid design and transient expression in mammalian systems (HEK293, CHO) to multi-step purification strategies utilizing ÄKTA systems and UNICORN software.
• →Analytical Characterization & Material Release: Oversee a suite of in-process and lot-release analytics (e.g., CE-SDS, HPLC, BLI/Octet, endotoxin) to ensure the delivery of high-purity, low-bioburden protein lots for pre-clinical studies.
• →Process Innovation & Documentation: Identify and implement platform improvements, including high-throughput systems and automation, while maintaining exemplary data integrity through electronic lab notebooks (ELNs) and technical reports.

• Location: Global Elanco Headquarters – Indianapolis, IN - Hybrid Work Environment
• Travel: Up to 10% annually to external partners, conferences, or manufacturing sites.

Don’t meet every single requirement? Studies have shown underrepresented groups are less likely to apply to jobs unless they meet every single qualification. At Elanco we are dedicated to building a diverse and inclusive work environment. If you think you might be a good fit for a role but don't necessarily meet every requirement, we encourage you to apply. You may be the right candidate for this role or other roles!