Post-doctoral Scientist - GPCR Structural Pharmacology

  • Lilly
  • San Diego, California
  • Full Time

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. Were looking for people who are determined to make life better for people around the world.

Are you looking to make a significant difference by contributing to drug discovery for diabetes and obesity?

We are seeking a highly motivated and ambitious post-doctoral scientist to join our research team. The successful candidate will contribute to groundbreaking research aimed at significantly impacting metabolic health. The project focuses on elucidating the structure-function relationship of G protein-coupled receptor (GPCR) complexes associated with metabolic disorders, utilizing state-of-the-art structural, biochemical, and pharmacological methodologies. This position is ideal for a GPCR enthusiast eager to expand their knowledge and skills as it offers an exceptional opportunity to gain expertise in cryoEM technology for solving GPCR complex structures, while receiving mentorship from a multidisciplinary team of scientists dedicated to advancing drug discovery. We are committed to fostering a collaborative and supportive environment where you can thrive and achieve your research goals.

In this role, you will:

  • Purify GPCR complexes for structural studies

  • Investigate the downstream receptor signaling pathways using biochemical assays and cell-based pharmacological studies.

  • Conduct structure-function studies to uncover the mechanism of receptor signaling using pharmacological tools.

  • Learn and apply cryoEM technique for solving GPCR structures

  • Present findings at conferences and publish in high quality peer-reviewed journals.

Basic Qualifications

  • Ph.D. in Biochemistry, pharmacology, Structural Biology or biomedical-related discipline (degree must be awarded by start date).

  • Hands-on experience with GPCR is strongly required.

Physical Qualifications

  • Must be able to lift and move laboratory equipment or solutions weighing up to 20 pounds.

Additional Preferences

If you are described with these skills, you could be a great fit for the role:

  • Self-directed and highly motivated individual who wants to learn new techniques while continually pursuing research and publication goals.

  • Experience with GPCR purification is strongly preferred.

  • Excellent communicator (oral and written) with presentation experience, along with a strong publication record.

  • Candidates with previous experience in GPCR pharmacology, BRET assays, receptor signaling assays and GPCR purification are encouraged to apply

  • Experience with cryo-EM is a plus.

Additional Information

  • Successful candidate will be primarily located at Lilly Biotechnology Center (LBC), San Diego, CA, however, some work will be conducted at Lilly Research laboratories, Indianapolis, IN.

  • This position is part of Lilly's post-doctoral training program, which provides an exceptional environment and the opportunity for professional growth through learning, collaboration, networking, and mentorship from Lilly's leading scientists, aimed at facilitating groundbreaking discoveries.

  • This position is not permanent. It is for a fixed duration of two years with potential for extension for additional one year. You will have opportunities to apply for full time positions after your duration is complete.

About Eli Lillys Postdoctoral Scientist Program

When it comes to research and development, our goal is to discover and deliver innovative medicines that make life better for people around the world. Its challenging, expensive and often filled with failure. But even when we fail, we advance medical science and understanding by learning more about diseases, biology and chemistry ultimately bringing new solutions one step closer to reality.

Over the course of our history, we have shed light on some of the toughest health care problems known to man diabetes, heart disease, infectious diseases, neuroscience disorders, cancer and more. We could not pursue this without our research and development team.

Postdoctoral scientists help us continue this pursuit. During your experience you will get:

  • Top industry research experience

  • Mentoring by some of Lillys top scientists

  • Laboratory and classroom training and education to further your development

  • Collaboration and networking across dozens of postdoctoral scientists and other researchers

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 ( ) 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), Womens Initiative for Leading at Lilly (WILL), enAble (for people with disabilities). Learn more about all of our groups.

Actual compensation will depend on a candidates education, experience, skills, and geographic location. The anticipated wage for this position is

$58,000 - $100,320

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 Lillys compensation practices and guidelines will apply regarding the details of any promotion or transfer of Lilly employees.

#WeAreLilly

Job ID: 480679634
Originally Posted on: 6/10/2025

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