Scientific Lead, Discovery Oncology

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. 

Job title: Scientific Lead

Location: Lilly Oncology, South San Francisco, CA, USA

About Lilly Oncology:

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.

Position Summary:

We are seeking an outstanding scientist with a proven track record of scientific accomplishment to join our dynamic discovery oncology team in South San Francisco. You will support lab-based research projects aimed at identifying and validating novel druggable targets across small molecules and biologic platforms, with a focus on understanding cancer-relevant signal transduction pathways.

The ideal candidate brings hands-on expertise studying signal transduction mechanisms in cancer cells, a demonstrated ability to drive projects forward independently, and strong evidence of scientific excellence through publications or prior contributions to drug discovery. You will thrive in a collaborative, fast-paced environment where innovation and scientific rigor drive success. This role offers significant career growth potential within a world-leading pharmaceutical organization.

Key Responsibilities:

• Maintain and generate diverse mammalian cell models for target validation studies

• Design and establish novel cellular assays to validate targets and support hit-to-lead progression

• Execute and optimize high-throughput screening assays to support compound evaluation

• Troubleshoot experimental challenges systematically and iteratively improve assay performance

• Investigate cancer-relevant signal transduction pathways and protein interactions to support target validation

• Apply multi-omics approaches (proteomics, genomics, transcriptomics) to decipher mechanisms of action and identify pharmacodynamic biomarkers

• Analyze, interpret, and communicate complex scientific data to cross-functional teams

• Generate data-driven insights to support go/no-go decision-making on projects

• Learn and implement new techniques and technologies to advance ongoing discoveries

• Actively contribute to team discussions and propose experimental strategies

• Collaborate effectively across functional groups (chemistry, bioinformatics, translational research) to accelerate project progression

• Maintain excellent scientific documentation and organize data for regulatory compliance

Required Qualifications and Background:

• Ph.D. in biology, cancer biology, molecular biology, cell biology, biochemistry, or related discipline, with 5+ years of hands-on lab-based experience

• Strong background in cancer biology with hands-on experience studying signal transduction pathways, protein interactions, or cancer cell biology mechanisms

• Proven track record of scientific excellence through peer-reviewed publications, successful project outcomes, or contributions to drug discovery/target validation efforts

• Hands-on experience designing, executing, and interpreting proof-of-concept experiments and early-stage projects to validate scientific hypotheses

• Expertise in routine molecular and cellular biology techniques

• Proficiency with cell culture, cell-based assays, and data analysis

• Excellent collaborative and interpersonal skills to work with cross-functional teams and independently drive projects forward

• Highly organized, detail-oriented, self-motivated with strong documentation skills and ability to manage multiple concurrent projects effectively

• Outstanding communication, writing, and presentation skills are a must