Biologist - Psychiatry, Pain and Neuronal Health Discovery

Biologist - Psychiatry, Pain and Neuronal Health Discovery Employer Eli Lilly and Company Location Indianapolis, Indiana Start date May 11, 2026 View more categories View less categories Discipline Science/R D , Biology Required Education Masters Degree/MBA Position Type Full time Hotbed BioMidwest , Best Places to Work Apply now Save job Click to add the job to your shortlist You need to sign in or create an account to save a job. Send job Job Details Company Job Details 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. We are seeking a highly motivated and technically skilled Associate Scientist to join our Neuroscience Discovery team. This role is central to advancing drug target identification and validation programs in CNS diseases — with a primary focus on psychiatric disorders including schizophrenia, substance use disorders, and major depressive disorder. The successful candidate will be an experienced, hands-on scientist capable of independently designing and executing rodent in vivo studies and quantitative immunohistochemistry workflows at high throughput. You will work closely with a multidisciplinary team — but must be able to drive experiments forward with minimal supervision and take ownership of high-volume, multi-cohort study execution. Key ResponsibilitiesIn Vivo Rodent Studies (Required) Plan, execute, and manage rodent behavioral and pharmacological studies relevant to CNS disease models (e.g., addiction, schizophrenia, depression/anxiety) Perform or support stereotaxic surgeries including intracranial injections, cannulations, and viral vector delivery (AAV) Conduct tissue collection, necropsy, and biofluid sampling from in vivo studies Manage and execute high-volume, multi-cohort studies with rigorous attention to timelines, animal welfare, and data quality Operate independently within IACUC-approved protocols and proactively troubleshoot experimental issues Immunohistochemistry & Imaging (Required) Independently execute quantitative immunohistochemistry (IHC) and immunofluorescence (IF) workflows on rodent and human postmortem brain tissue Perform high-throughput IHC across large cohorts with consistent, reproducible staining quality Operate fluorescence and confocal microscopy platforms and perform rigorous image acquisition Apply image analysis software (e.g., HALO, Imaris, ImageJ) for quantitative endpoint extraction Perform and/or support RNAscope in situ hybridization for gene expression studies Molecular & Biochemical Assays Conduct standard molecular and biochemical assays including Western blot, ELISA, and qPCR Prepare tissue lysates, homogenates, and samples for downstream molecular analyses Maintain rigorous sample tracking and experimental documentation Collaboration & Scientific Communication Partner closely with senior scientists and cross-functional colleagues to align on study design and experimental priorities Present experimental results at team meetings with clear, data-driven interpretation Contribute to research documentation including protocols, study reports, and internal presentations Support external academic collaborations and vendor interactions as needed Basic Qualifications MS in Neuroscience, Biology, Pharmacology, or a closely related discipline. Phd candidates will not be considered at this time. 2-5 years of hands-on laboratory experience, with demonstrated expertise in both in vivo rodent work and immunohistochemistry 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. Preferred Qualifications Proven ability to independently execute complex, multi-step experimental workflows Experience working with CNS disease models or CNS-relevant biological questions Experience with psychiatric or neurological disease models: substance use disorders (opioid, alcohol), schizophrenia, or depression/anxiety Hands-on experience with fiber optic implantation Experience with chemogenetic (DREADD) or optogenetic approaches Familiarity with synaptic biology, neuroimmune interactions, or complement-mediated mechanisms Experience with postmortem human brain tissue processing and staining Proficiency with HALO, Imaris, or similar image analysis platforms Track record of managing and executing high-throughput or high-volume experimental cohorts Strong organizational skills with experience maintaining detailed lab notebooks and experimental records in a regulated or GLP-adjacent environment Demonstrated ability to balance independent work with collaborative team science 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 $65,250 - $169,400 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 Company Science has been our calling from the beginning. Colonel Eli Lilly founded the company in 1876 and charged employees to "take what you find here and make it better and better." More than 147 years later, we remain committed to his vision through every aspect of our business and the people we serve, starting with discovering the best treatments for those who take our medicines and extending to health care professionals, employees and the communities in which we live. Moreover, you can also count on the team at Lilly to be incredibly civic-minded, supporting our communities through philanthropy, volunteerism, and a creative and innovative can-do spirit. Company info Location 893 S Delaware St Indianapolis Indiana 46285 United States Share this job Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Apply now Send job Apply now Save job Click to add the job to your shortlist You need to sign in or create an account to save a job. Get job alerts Create a job alert and receive personalized job recommendations straight to your inbox. Create alert