Lilly Posted July 24, 2026

QSP postdoctoral scientist

Boston, Massachusetts, United States of America FULL_TIME
Drug Discovery & Preclinical Research Intern/Fellow/Postdoc

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, the work is demanding because patients are waiting. We unite caring with discovery to help make life better for people around the world, knowing that every decision, every detail, and every day matters. Headquartered in Indianapolis, Indiana, our over 50,000 employees around the globe take on complex challenges to discover and deliver life-changing medicines, strengthen how health is understood and managed, and support the communities we serve. This is hard, urgent, selfless work, but it’s work worth doing. If you’re driven by purpose and ready to bring your best to work that truly matters for patients, we invite you to join us.

Eli Lilly and Company stands at the forefront of groundbreaking research, with a portfolio spanning small molecules, peptides, antibodies, genetic medicines, RNA therapeutics, and more. Our global PKPD group deploys a powerful suite of model-based approaches, including PBPK, PK/PD, QSP, and pharmacometrics, to shape decisions across this diverse portfolio from early discovery through clinical submission and beyond.

Position Overview:

We are seeking a highly motivated, scientifically curious, and collaborative postdoctoral scientist to join the Global PKPD group working on developing Quantitative Systems Pharmacology (QSP) models. As a hands-on QSP scientist, you will work alongside experienced mentors and cross-functional teams to develop and apply AI-powered QSP models that integrate deep biological knowledge, pharmacology, and preclinical and clinical data to drive pivotal decisions in drug discovery and development.

Primary Responsibilities:

Conduct systematic literature, regulatory, and database searches to compile relevant preclinical and clinical data needed to inform model design and parameterization.

Design and implement an ODE-based QSP model structure that mechanistically captures the relevant drug pharmacokinetics, target/receptor biology, and cellular or physiological dynamics underlying the project's research question.

Perform parameter estimation, model simulations and model analysis to inform drug discovery and/or development programs in a timely manner.

Apply the validated model to generate quantitative insights that inform dosing strategies, risk stratification, or other translational and clinical development questions.

Clearly communicate modeling results to technical and non-technical audiences; collaborate cross-functionally with relevant scientific groups.

Maintain documentation of model development.

Present findings at scientific conferences (e.g., ACoP, PAGE, ASCPT)

Author high quality peer-reviewed scientific articles.

Basic Qualifications:

PhD in quantitative pharmacology, systems biology, biomedical engineering, applied mathematics or related discipline

Experience in developing QSP/mechanistic PKPD models or ODE-based models for biological system

Experience with development of virtual patient populations

Proficiency in R, Matlab/Simbiology, Python, NONMEM, Monolix or other related software for model development

Experience with parameter estimation, sensitivity analysis

Qualified applicants must be authorized to work in the United States on a full-time basis. Lilly will not provide support for or sponsor work authorization or visas for this role, including but not limited to F-1 CPT, F-1 OPT, F-1 STEM OPT, J-1, H-1B, TN, O-1, E-3, H-1B1, or L-1.

Additional Skills/Preferences:

Knowledge in T cell engager bispecifics and immunology

Understanding of PK/PD, pharmacology, drug discovery and development

Enthusiasm for integrating AI/ML tools and emerging technologies into modeling workflows

Strong problem solving skills both independently and collaboratively

Excellent time-management and organizational skills; thrives in a dynamic, fast-paced environment

Ability to clearly communicate scientific concepts and modeling results to multidisciplinary audiences

Strong publication record

Additional Information:

This position is not permanent. It is for a fixed duration of two years with potential to extend to 3 years. You will have opportunities to apply for full-time positions after your duration is complete

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 (AMECA), Black Employees at Lilly (BE@Lilly), Chinese Culture Network (CCN), EnAble, Evolve, Lilly Indian Network (LIN), Organization of Latinx at Lilly (OLA), Pride (LGBTQ+ Allies), Veterans Leadership Network (VLN) and Women’s Initiative for Leading at Lilly (WILL).

Actual compensation will depend on a candidate’s education, experience, skills, and geographic location.  The anticipated wage for this position is

$58,000 - $123,200

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
Intern/Fellow/Postdoc
Function
Drug Discovery & Preclinical Research
Therapeutic area
Not listed
Location
Boston, Massachusetts, United States of America
Employment type
FULL_TIME

How this role compares

Computed from every other active Drug Discovery & Preclinical Research role in our database, not just this employer's listings.

We currently track 56 comparable Intern/Fellow/Postdoc Drug Discovery & Preclinical Research roles across 17 biopharma companies.

56Comparable roles tracked
55Currently active
17Companies hiring similar roles
6Countries represented

Salary context

17 of 56 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 $58,000/yr – $123,200/yr
Lowest disclosed · Associate Scientist I/II, In Vivo Pharmacology · AbbVie $58,656/yr – $99,000/yr
Highest disclosed · Advisor – In Vivo CAR Discovery · Lilly $138,000/yr – $224,400/yr
Peer group range $78,828 – $181,200 (median $90,600)

Where these roles are based

Top locations among the 56 comparable roles

United States49
Germany3
Netherlands1
Switzerland1
India1
Canada1

Seniority mix

56 of 56 peers have a known seniority level

Intern/Fellow/Postdoc33
Associate23

Therapeutic area mix

9 of 56 peers have a known therapeutic area; the rest are genuinely unlabeled, not hidden

Neuroscience3
Oncology2
Cardiovascular / CVRM2
Immunology1
Vaccines & Infectious Disease1

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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.

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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%
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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.