Principal Research Scientist - Medicinal Chemist

At Elanco (NYSE: ELAN) – it all starts with animals!

As a global leader in animal health, we are dedicated to innovation and delivering products and services to prevent and treat disease in farm animals and pets.

At Elanco, we are driven by our vision of Food and Companionship Enriching Life and our purpose – all to Go Beyond for Animals, Customers, Society and Our People.

At Elanco, we pride ourselves on fostering a diverse and inclusive work environment.

We believe that diversity is the driving force behind innovation, creativity, and overall business success.

Here, you’ll be part of a company that values and champions new ways of thinking, work with dynamic individuals, and acquire new skills and experiences that will propel your career to new heights.

Making animals’ lives better makes life better – join our team today!

Your Role: Principal Research Scientist - Medicinal Chemist

As a Principal Research Scientist in Medicinal Chemistry, you will be a key figure in our small molecule drug discovery engine, guiding the design and synthesis of innovative medicines that improve the health and well-being of animals.

You will apply your scientific expertise to advance multiple therapeutic programs, from lead generation to development candidate selection.

Partnering with a global, cross-functional team of scientists, you will leverage cutting-edge technologies like AI/ML and DNA-Encoded Libraries to solve complex chemical challenges.

This is an exciting opportunity to make a significant impact on our discovery portfolio and help shape the future of our growing research team in Indianapolis.

Your Responsibilities:

● Drive the design and optimization of novel small molecules by leveraging advanced synthetic strategies and integrating biological, pharmacological, and ADME/PK data to guide structure–activity relationship (SAR) campaigns

● Lead medicinal chemistry initiatives within multidisciplinary teams, partnering with Biology, Pharmacology, DMPK, Toxicology, and Computational Sciences to drive the strategic progression of drug discovery programs.

● Serve as a key medicinal chemistry figure on multidisciplinary project teams, collaborating with partners in Biology, Pharmacology, DMPK, Toxicology, and Computational Sciences to strategically advance discovery programs.

● Direct synthetic chemistry efforts with external Contract Research Organizations (CROs) and internal partners, ensuring the efficient execution of project goals and timelines.

● Leverage cutting-edge drug discovery technologies, including DNA-Encoded Libraries (DEL), computational chemistry, and AI/ML-enabled tools, to accelerate hit identification and lead optimization.

● Drive IP strategy by exploring novel chemical space and developing patent applications in collaboration with the IP team.

● Promote scientific excellence and data integrity while providing mentorship and technical guidance to junior scientists, fostering a culture of innovatio...