Position Summary We are seeking an energetic, detail-oriented
Senior Analyst to join our
Molecular Pharmacology team within Research and Breakthrough Innovation at our Indianapolis global headquarters. In this hands-on laboratory role, you will integrate molecular biology techniques with tissue culture to establish new cell lines, maintain existing cell lines, and execute cell-based assays supporting discovery research programs.
Working collaboratively, you will help generate and maintain new cell lines, and execute a variety of cellular assays (e.g., cell viability, reporter gene expression, pathway modulation, and cytotoxicity). This role is critical to delivering consistent, high-quality molecular and cellular pharmacology data that directly drives Elanco's discovery pipeline milestones.
Key Responsibilities - Molecular Biology & Cell Line Engineering Support: Apply core molecular biology techniques (e.g., DNA/RNA isolation, PCR/RT-qPCR, gel electrophoresis, plasmid preparation, restriction digestion, transient transfection, or viral transduction) to support the generation, validation, and characterization of engineered cell lines and reporter systems.
- Establish & Maintain Cell Lines: Establish, expand, validate, and bank new mammalian cell lines from internal or external sources; optimize initial culture parameters and establish baseline growth conditions to support pharmacology workflows.
- Cell-Based Pharmacology Assay Execution: Execute established cell-based assays in 96-well and 384-well formats to measure biological and pharmacological activity, including cell proliferation, cytotoxicity, reporter gene readouts, and signaling pathway activation.
- Data Capture & Analysis: Process raw assay data using standard software tools (e.g., GraphPad Prism, Microsoft Excel), calculate concentration-response curves (IC50 / EC50), verify data quality, and summarize results for discovery project teams.
- Documentation & Data Integrity: Accurately document experimental protocols, molecular designs, cell passage histories, and assay results within the Electronic Lab Notebook (ELN) in compliance with company data standards.
Required Qualifications - Bachelor's Degree (B.S.) in Molecular Biology, Cell Biology, Biochemistry, Pharmacology, or a related biological sciences field with 4+ years of hands-on laboratory experience; OR
- Master's Degree (M.S.) in a related biological sciences field with 0-2 years of laboratory experience.
- Demonstrated hands-on proficiency in routine molecular biology techniques (e.g., PCR/qPCR, DNA/RNA extraction, plasmid preparation, transfection/transformation).
- Hands-on proficiency in aseptic technique, routine mammalian cell culture maintenance, and establishing/thawing new cell lines.
- Practical experience executing multi-well plate cellular assays using microplate detection formats (luminescence, fluorescence, absorbance).
- Proficiency with standard data analysis software (e.g., GraphPad Prism, Excel) and Electronic Lab Notebooks (ELN).
- High attention to detail, laboratory organization, and consistency in experimental execution.
- Ability to work collaboratively and communicate effectively within a multi-disciplinary research team.
Preferred Qualifications - Hands-on experience with stable cell line generation (e.g., lentiviral transduction, selection marker screening, or single-cell cloning).
- Experience establishing or handling diverse cell types (e.g., adherent, suspension, reporter lines, or primary cell models).
- Familiarity with basic cell-based assay troubleshooting and standard pharmacology/screening quality metrics
- Strong communication and teamwork skills to collaborate across discovery project teams.
Don't meet every single requirement? Studies have shown underrepresented groups are less likely to apply to jobs unless they meet every single qualification. At Elanco we are dedicated to building a diverse and inclusive work environment. If you think you might be a good fit for a role but don't necessarily meet every requirement, we encourage you to apply. You may be the right candidate for this role or other roles!
Elanco Benefits and Perks:We offer a comprehensive benefits package focusing on financial, physical, and mental well-being while encouraging our employees to pursue our purpose! Some highlights include:
- Multiple relocation packages
- Two weeklong shutdowns (mid-summer and year-end) in the US (in addition to PTO)
- 8-week parental leave
- 9 Employee Resource Groups
- Annual bonus offering
- Flexible work arrangements
- Up to 6% 401K matching
