Elanco · 1 day ago
Senior Research Scientist: Insilico Prediction Platform Lead
Indianapolis, IN
Full-time
Onsite
Senior Level, Lead/Staff
8+ years expElanco is a global leader in animal health, dedicated to innovation in products and services for farm animals and pets. The In Silico Structural & Property Prediction Platform Leader will drive the strategy and development of AI and ML-powered prediction models to accelerate drug discovery across Elanco's research portfolio.
ManufacturingPetSupply Chain Management
Responsibilities
Develop and execute the technical strategy for Elanco’s structural and property prediction platform in alignment with key scientific and therapeutic priorities
Evaluate, select, and implement advanced AI/ML models—including generative, diffusion-based, deep learning, and graph-based approaches—to support small and large molecule discovery
Lead the integration of new computational and automation capabilities into existing discovery workflows and research pipelines
Establish standards and best practices for model ingestion, benchmarking, validation, deployment, reproducibility, and scientific data integrity
Build scalable workflows and automated processes that streamline predictive modeling and improve scientific throughput
Continuously evolve the platform by incorporating stakeholder feedback, monitoring performance indicators, and tracking scientific and technological advancements
Qualification
Required
Education: Bachelor's, Master's, or PhD in molecular biology, biotechnology, bioengineering, bioinformatics, cheminformatics, computational biology, data science, or a related scientific discipline
Experience: 8+ years in computational drug discovery, including at least 5 years leading AI/ML or automation-focused projects or platforms within pharmaceutical or biotech R&D
Demonstrated success developing, applying, and deploying advanced computational and automated workflows that accelerate drug discovery, with meaningful impact in large molecule programs
Ability to translate complex computational concepts into clear, actionable insights for multidisciplinary scientific and business partners
Preferred
Expertise developing, benchmarking, automating, and deploying state-of-the-art AI/ML models, including deep learning, generative models, diffusion models, GNNs, and transformer-based architectures
Strong scientific programming experience (Python, R, or C++), including building, optimizing, and productionizing cheminformatics and bioinformatics workflows using tools such as RDKit, TensorFlow, PyTorch, Benchling (or similar), AlphaFold, Protein LLMs, Schrödinger, Chai, and Boltz; experience with Git-based CI/CD and reproducibility frameworks
Deep understanding of the drug discovery pipeline, including ADME/Tox, PK/PD modeling, SAR/QSAR, data analysis, protein engineering, molecular modeling, molecular dynamics/simulation, and structure-based design. Experience in animal health is a plus
Proven leadership and communication skills with a track record of influencing interdisciplinary scientific and technical teams and presenting complex modeling concepts to diverse audiences
Hands-on experience building scalable or cloud-based computational and automation platforms supporting virtual screening, high-throughput modeling, large-scale data analysis, and ML model training
Benefits
Multiple relocation packages
Two week-long shutdowns in the US (mid-summer and year-end), in addition to PTO
8-week parental leave
9 Employee Resource Groups
Annual bonus offering
Flexible work arrangements
Up to 6% 401(k) matching
Company
Elanco
Elanco is an animal health company that manufactures and markets a diverse range of products to promote animal health and well-being.
5001-10000 employees
H1B Sponsorship
Elanco has a track record of offering H1B sponsorships. Please note that this does not
guarantee sponsorship for this specific role. Below presents additional info for your
reference. (Data Powered by US Department of Labor)
Distribution of Different Job Fields Receiving Sponsorship
Represents job field similar to this job
Trends of Total Sponsorships
2025 (9)
Funding
Current Stage
Public CompanyTotal Funding
$252.86MKey Investors
AncoraBill & Melinda Gates Foundation
2023-12-30Post Ipo Equity· $250M
2018-09-19IPO
2017-05-24Grant· $2.86M
Leadership Team
Dave Kinard
Executive Vice President Human Resources, Corporate Affairs & Administration
Jennifer Black
Senior Director, Global Indirect Procurement
Recent News
2026-01-03
2025-12-18
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