Lilly Posted July 15, 2026

Advisor – Process Engineer. Lilly Medicine Foundry

Lebanon, Indiana, United States of America FULL_TIME
Manufacturing & CMC Associate

Lilly is the source of truth for this posting and owns the application process. We surface normalized context and market comparison you won't find on the original listing.

About this opportunity

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.

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 recently announced a   $4.5 billion   investment to create the Lilly Medicine Foundry, a new center for advanced manufacturing and drug development. The first-ever facility of its kind, combining research and manufacturing in   a single location , the Medicine Foundry will allow Lilly to further develop innovative solutions to   optimize   manufacturing processes and increase capacity for clinical trial medicines, while also reducing costs and environmental impact.

The Lilly Medicine Foundry Process Engineering organization   is responsible for   the chemistry, formulation, analytical, and engineering efforts to support development and scale-up of investigational small molecules to support clinical and toxicology studies through late-stage clinical trials. The Advisor – Process Engineer will serve as a senior technical authority within this organization,   providing   expert-level engineering guidance across the full lifecycle of process development, scale-up, and manufacturing support for the Foundry's small molecule node. This is a unique opportunity to be part of the startup team for a greenfield manufacturing site and to shape the processes, equipment, and engineering culture that will enable a successful transition to GMP manufacturing operations.

Responsibilities

Under the direction of the Process Engineering leadership, the Advisor – Process Engineer:

Understands and   complies with   corporate, divisional, and departmental procedures, including good manufacturing practices, safety, and other applicable regulations, and   participates   in the establishment and maintenance of the Foundry's Quality systems.

Serves as the technical authority for equipment design and scale-up calculations across the Foundry's small molecule node, spanning both established and emerging modalities. Typical responsibilities include:

Leading detailed engineering calculations, heat and mass transfer modeling, and equipment sizing to support the design of production suites for small   molecule ,   peptide , oligonucleotide, and other new modality processes.

Performing and directing rig-fit assessments for incoming processes, using process simulation tools (e.g.,   DynoChem , Aspen) to   validate   that reactor geometries, mixing performance, heat transfer, and pressure ratings are   appropriate for   scale-up to the kilo lab and pilot plant.

Providing   expert guidance on the   selection   and design of reactor systems for a diverse range of chemistries, including batch and semi-batch reactions, continuous flow unit operations, hydrogenation (fixed-bed, slurry, and high-pressure systems), peptide synthesis reactors (SPPS), and oligonucleotide synthesis platforms.

Driving scale-up from laboratory and kilo lab to full pilot plant production, ensuring heat and mass transfer, mixing, and process safety considerations are rigorously evaluated and documented at each scale transition.

Leading P&ID reviews for relevant design packages and communicating design intent and basis across engineering disciplines, vendors, and partner functions.

Developing and   maintaining   manufacturing processes and control strategies for drug substance APIs, with particular emphasis on translating development-scale chemistry into fit-for-purpose equipment specifications.

Providing   expert guidance on the preparation of manufacturing and controls sections of INDs, CTX filings, regulatory submissions, and annual updates.

Authoring and ensuring   timely   completion of high-quality technical reports, basis-of-design documents, and engineering specifications.   Ensures   records and technical notebooks are adequately   maintained .

Demonstrates the Lilly Leadership behaviors, as defined in the Lilly Performance Management system.

Plans and   manages   short-term and long-term development activities within the Process Engineering function. Assigns work, coordinates efforts, evaluates progress, and reviews the activities of engineers and scientists assigned to the group.

Develops and reviews plans and timetables for project work. Recommends resource allocation to   accomplish   projects according to plans, communicates progress, and proposes changes to project timetables,   objectives , or direction.

Takes a leadership role in ensuring departmental compliance with all applicable laws, regulations, guidelines, procedures, and practices governing drug research and development, including departmental and   corporate standard   operating procedures, good manufacturing practices, and safety procedures.

Provides active engagement and communication with cross-functional partners including HSE, Quality Assurance, Tech Services, Development, Operations, FUME/C&Q, Automation, Maintenance, and Manufacturing.

Ensures   that people and their environment are safe and that company policies concerning safety are followed. Leads and   participates   in Process Hazard Reviews, HAZOPs, thermal hazard assessments, and other safety evaluations applicable to high-pressure, flammable, and novel modality processes.

Trains and mentors process engineers at all levels on equipment design principles, scale-up methodologies, GMP procedures, and Foundry-specific technical requirements across modalities.

Basic Qualifications

PhD in Chemical Engineering, Chemistry, Pharmaceutical Sciences, or   a related   discipline. OR

B.S. or M.S. in Chemical Engineering or a related discipline with 10+ years of experience in pharmaceutical, biotech, or CMO process engineering supporting drug substance API development or manufacturing.

Additional Skills and Preferences

Deep technical   expertise   in chemical engineering fundamentals and pharmaceutical process development, including reaction chemistry, crystallization, extraction, distillation, and other unit operations relevant to small molecule API manufacturing.

Strong knowledge of and experience in project management in a cross-functional pharmaceutical development environment.

Demonstrated leadership capabilities, especially in team environments with diverse scientific and engineering disciplines.

Good interpersonal skills and   demonstrated   collaborative abilities with internal and external partners.

Demonstrated success in persuasion, influence, and negotiation with stakeholders at all levels of the organization.

Excellent verbal and written communication skills, with the ability to convey complex technical information to diverse audiences including operations staff, management, and regulatory agencies.

Breadth of   previous   SMDD or equivalent pharmaceutical R&D and manufacturing experience preferred.

Preferred experience with cGMP manufacturing and process support in a pilot plant or clinical manufacturing environment.

Ability to prioritize multiple activities simultaneously and manage ambiguity in a fast-paced startup environment.

Ability to influence others and promote a positive, high-performance work environment.

Demonstrated initiative and risk-taking in tackling novel technical challenges.

Demonstrated technical   proficiency   and ability to translate technical and scientific information into actionable plans, resource strategies, and project budgets.

Experience with process simulation tools (e.g.,   DynoChem , Aspen) and process control systems (e.g.,   DeltaV ) preferred.

Other Information

Initial location at Parkwood West, Indianapolis, IN.

Permanent location at the Lilly Medicine Foundry, Lebanon, Indiana.

Limited domestic and international travel (   required .

Role requires the ability to work in 24-hour manufacturing and laboratory environments.

Role is classified at the R5 (Advisor) level within Lilly's Engineering job family.

Lilly is an EEO/Affirmative Action Employer and 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.

#WeAreLilly

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

$129,000 - $189,200

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

Job details

Seniority
Associate
Function
Manufacturing & CMC
Therapeutic area
Not listed
Location
Lebanon, Indiana, United States of America
Employment type
FULL_TIME

How this role compares

Computed from every other active Manufacturing & CMC role in our database, not just this employer's listings.

We currently track 240 comparable Associate Manufacturing & CMC roles across 48 biopharma companies.

240Comparable roles tracked
227Currently active
48Companies hiring similar roles
22Countries represented

Salary context

71 of 240 peers report a salary range (USD, annualized)

Peers share this role's job function and a matching or adjacent seniority level -- not necessarily the same therapeutic area or country.

This roleSubject $129,000/yr – $189,200/yr
Lowest disclosed · Associate Operator - 2nd Shift · Mylan Technologies, Inc. $30,000/yr – $49,000/yr
Peer group range $39,500 – $186,200 (median $156,390)

Where these roles are based

Top locations among the 240 comparable roles

United States141
India36
Ireland11
Singapore7
China's Mainland6
Netherlands5

+ 16 more countries

Seniority mix

240 of 240 peers have a known seniority level

Manager165
Associate67
Intern/Fellow/Postdoc8

Therapeutic area mix

0 of 240 peers have a known therapeutic area; the rest are genuinely unlabeled, not hidden

No peers with a known therapeutic area yet.

Similar opportunities

The closest matches from our peer group, ranked by how similar they are, not how well you'd qualify for them -- treat this as market context, not a guaranteed shortlist; a weak match is labeled as one below.

60%similar
Lilly Boston, Massachusetts, United States of America Associate
Same function Same seniority Same country
60%similar
Lilly Indianapolis, Indiana, United States of America Associate
Same function Same seniority Same country
60%similar
Lilly Indianapolis, Indiana, United States of America Associate
Same function Same seniority Same country
60%similar
Merck Rahway, New Jersey, United States of America Associate
Same function Same seniority Same country
60%similar
Lilly Indianapolis, Indiana, United States of America Associate
Same function Same seniority Same country
60%similar
Lilly Indianapolis, Indiana, United States of America Associate
Same function Same seniority Same country

How we calculate "similar"

No black box, no LLM guesswork: a deterministic score built from four normalized attributes. Here's this role's own peer group at different match levels, so you can see the mechanism, not just the result.

Every comparison starts from the same 100-point budget: 25 for working in the same function, 40 for the same therapeutic area, 20 for the same or adjacent seniority, 15 for the same country. A dimension we can't confirm on both sides contributes nothing, never a guess, never a free pass.

60%
Advisor, Downstream Process Development – Viral Vectors
Lilly · Boston, Massachusetts, United States of America · Associate
Function Therapeutic area Seniority Country
60%
Biologics Process Research & Development, Associate Scientist
Merck · Rahway, New Jersey, United States of America · Associate
Function Therapeutic area Seniority Country
60%
Research Associate - RNA Synthesis Platform Development
Sanofi Vaccines US Inc. · Waltham, United States · Associate
Function Therapeutic area Seniority Country
60%
Process Development Associate, Synthetic and Bioconjugation Scale-Up Technologies (SBST) (1 of 2)
Regeneron Pharmaceuticals, Inc (USA) · Tarrytown, United States · Associate
Function Therapeutic area Seniority Country
Unmatched or unknown dimensions score exactly the same: 0 points, never a partial guess. A role we know almost nothing about beyond its function bottoms out at 25%; it never inflates to 100% just because there's little to compare against. Seniority uses a defined ladder (Associate → Manager → Associate Director → Senior → Principal → Director → Senior Director → Executive/VP) so "Director" and "Senior Director" count as adjacent, but "Director" and "Executive/VP" do not.