Advisor - Protein Engineering and CAR Design

Company: Eli Lilly and Company
Location: San Diego
Posted on: November 4, 2025

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. The Biotechnology Discovery Research group at Lilly’s Biotechnology Center in San Diego discovers medicines that address significant unmet needs by integrating biology with innovative scientific capabilities in protein engineering and computational sciences. We collaborate with colleagues in both the discovery and development organizations, including scientists in therapeutic area biology, biomolecule formulation and developability, ADME, Toxicology, PK/PD, Statistics, Computational Biology, clinical development, and more. Our team is seeking a highly motivated scientist with expertise in protein engineering/biochemistry and/or structural biology to join us and to make a difference for patients and the communities we serve! The successful candidate will support and lead efforts to discover, design, and engineer protein therapeutics for desired biological function, potency, time action, stability, developability, and low immunogenicity. Additionally, there will be opportunities to engineer proteins and/or antibodies for targeted delivery of bioconjugates or nucleic acids to cells. If you are a highly motivated teammate, with a passion for goal-oriented scientific research, with a background in structural biology and/or protein engineering and possess a sound practical knowledge of molecular biology and understanding of structure/function relationships we urge you to join the Lilly Team today! Key Responsibilities: Research & Innovation Design, engineer, and optimize novel Chimeric Antigen Receptors (CAR’s) using a combination of structure-guided and experimental/library approaches to improve biological function, potency, time-action, stability, and immunogenicity profiles. Apply knowledge of protein structure–function relationships and structure–activity relationships (SAR) to guide molecular engineering efforts. Lead independent research projects from concept to execution, including critically analyzing experimental results, drawing appropriate conclusions and identifying new strategies to design and optimize novel biotherapeutics. Troubleshoot complex challenges in protein engineering and develop innovative solutions. Advance core capabilities in antibody and protein engineering and contribute to the development of new platform technologies. Collaboration & Leadership Serve as a protein engineering lead on cross-functional project teams, working closely with experts in computational biology, development, manufacturing, and translational teams. Present research findings at internal meetings and contribute to scientific publications and regulatory documents, as appropriate. Mentor junior scientists and research associates to support their technical development and career growth. Stay current with emerging scientific trends and maintain awareness of the competitive landscape in biologics discovery. Basic Qualifications: Ph.D. in protein engineering, protein biochemistry, structural biology, protein biophysics, molecular biology, or related field. Minimum 3 years of postdoctoral experience in CAR-T technologies. Strong foundation in protein structure and function, including demonstrated success in applying rational protein design and experimental approaches in affinity, function or stability engineering. Proficiency in computational tools for structure modeling and analysis (e.g., Rosetta, Schrödinger, Chimera, PyMOL, MOE, AlphaFold). Hands-on experience in molecular cloning and protein engineering. Additional Preferences Postdoctoral or industry experience in protein engineering or structural biology. Basic proficiency in Python and/or R for data analysis, automation of workflows, or integration with bioinformatics tools. Proven track record of scientific productivity (first-author publications, patents, or conference presentations). Excellent analytical and problem-solving skills with attention to detail. Effective written and verbal communication skills and a collaborative, team-oriented mindset. Comprehensive knowledge in protein sciences (cloning, expression, purification, characterization), structural biology, protein-protein interactions, and SAR. Hand-on experience in library design and screening (e.g., phage or yeast display) Understanding of antibody generation and biologics drug discovery research Exposure to AI or machine learning approaches in protein design is a plus. Commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion in the workplace. Desire and commitment to continue learning. Ability to thrive in a fast-paced, dynamic research environment with strong organizational and multitasking skills. Ability to partner with cross-functional colleagues across geographies. Proficiency with scientific software (e.g., Spotfire, JMP) and Microsoft Office applications. 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 $138,000 - $224,400 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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