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Job description
At Lilly, the work is demanding because patients are waiting. We unite caring with discovery to help make life better for people around the world, knowing that every decision, every detail, and every day matters. Headquartered in Indianapolis, Indiana, our over 50,000 employees around the globe take on complex challenges to discover and deliver life-changing medicines, strengthen how health is understood and managed, and support the communities we serve. This is hard, urgent, selfless work—but it’s work worth doing. If you’re driven by purpose and ready to bring your best to work that truly matters for patients, we invite you to join us.
Position Summary
The Psychiatry and Neuronal Health group at Eli Lilly is seeking a highly motivated Postdoctoral Research Fellow to join an active in vivo pharmacology program studying reward, arousal, and stress-related neural circuitry. The successful candidate will apply circuit-level tools, including fiber photometry, microdialysis, and behavioral pharmacology models, to characterize neuromodulatory signaling relevant to CNS drug discovery.
Key Responsibilities
Design and execute in vivo experiments in rodent behavioral models relevant to CNS drug discovery, including chronic IV self-administration, extinction, and cue-induced reinstatement paradigms
Perform rodent survival surgeries: stereotaxic viral injection, IV catheter implantation, and fiber optic cannula placement
Perform single- and dual-site in vivo fiber photometry recordings (genetically encoded calcium and/or neuropeptide biosensors) to characterize real-time circuit dynamics during behavior, including during cue-triggered reinstatement testing
Conduct in vivo microdialysis paired with LC/MS or immunoassay quantification to measure neurotransmitter/neuropeptide efflux across relevant brain nuclei
Apply circuit-dissection techniques to map projections and test causal sufficiency/necessity in the behaviors under study
Perform multiplex fluorescence and routine histological experiments
Characterize sleep/arousal architecture (EEG/EMG) as relevant to project needs
Support processing and molecular analysis of human postmortem brain tissue, including coordination with external tissue repositories
Analyze and interpret multimodal datasets (behavioral, neurochemical, imaging, transcriptomic) using established computational pipelines
Author manuscripts for peer-reviewed publication and present findings at internal reviews and external scientific conferences
Maintain rigorous documentation, IACUC protocol compliance, and data integrity standards
Required Qualifications
Ph.D. (or equivalent) in Neuroscience, Pharmacology, Behavioral Neuroscience, or a closely related field, completed within the last 1–3 years (or near completion)
Hands-on experience with in vivo fiber photometry (calcium/neuropeptide sensor recording, signal processing, and analysis)
Demonstrated expertise in rodent stereotaxic surgery , viral vector delivery, and fiber optic cannula implantation
Experience with rodent operant/behavioral pharmacology models (IV self-administration, extinction, and/or cue reinstatement paradigms strongly preferred; IV catheterization experience a plus)
Familiarity with in vivo microdialysis and downstream analytical quantification (HPLC/LC-MS or similar)
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
Working knowledge of reward, arousal, and/or stress-related neurocircuitry
Proficiency in behavioral pharmacology and rodent handling (rat and/or mouse)
Strong quantitative/analytical skills (MATLAB, Python, or R for photometry/behavioral data analysis)
Track record of first-author publications in peer-reviewed journals
Excellent written and verbal communication skills
Experience with optogenetics and/or chemogenetics for circuit manipulation
Experience with unbiased stereology
Experience with multiplex fluorescence and in situ hybridization
Experience with dual-site or multi-site simultaneous fiber photometry recording
Experience with EEG/EMG sleep-wake scoring and vigilance state analysis
Experience with genetically encoded biosensors
What We Offer
A mentored postdoctoral appointment with a defined project, dedicated supervisor, and co-supervisor support
Access to Lilly's internal drug discovery infrastructure, compound libraries, and cross-functional scientific expertise
Strong publication support and encouragement to present at national/international conferences
Competitive stipend and benefits per Lilly postdoctoral program guidelines
Clear pathway for scientific development toward independent research or industry drug discovery careers
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 (AMECA), Black Employees at Lilly ( ), Chinese Culture Network (CCN), EnAble, Evolve, Lilly Indian Network (LIN), Organization of Latinx at Lilly (OLA), Pride (LGBTQ+ Allies), Veterans Leadership Network (VLN) and Women’s Initiative for Leading at Lilly (WILL).
Actual compensation will depend on a candidate’s education, experience, skills, and geographic location. The anticipated wage for this position is
$58,000 - $123,200
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.
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Worksite address
indianapolis, IN, 46262, US
Who can apply
Review the original listing for work authorization, qualifications and employer requirements.