Associate Scientist - Technology Development and mRNA Sciences

Company: Eli Lilly and Company
Location: Boston
Posted on: February 1, 2026

Job Description:

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. We’re looking for people who are determined to make life better for people around the world. Organization Overview Verve Therapeutics, a wholly owned subsidiary of Eli Lilly & Company within Lilly Research Labs, is a clinical-stage genetic medicines company established with a mission to solve the global health epidemic of cardiovascular disease. Founded by world-leading experts in cardiovascular medicine, human genetics and gene-editing, Verve is pioneering a new approach to the care of cardiovascular disease, potentially transforming treatment from chronic management to single-course gene editing medicines. The company’s initial three programs – VERVE-101, VERVE-102, and VERVE-201 – target genes that have been extensively validated as targets for lowering low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C), a root cause of cardiovascular disease. VERVE-101 and VERVE-102 are designed to permanently turn off the PCSK9 gene in the liver and are being developed initially for heterozygous familial hypercholesterolemia (HeFH) and ultimately to treat atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ASCVD) patients not at goal on oral therapy. VERVE-201 is designed to permanently turn off the ANGPTL3 gene in the liver and is initially being developed for homozygous familial hypercholesterolemia (HoFH) and ultimately to treat patients with refractory hypercholesterolemia. In 2024, Verve was named a Top Place to Work by The Boston Globe for the fourth consecutive year. Verve is headquartered in Boston, Massachusetts. Help us expand the scope of what gene editing can accomplish by tapping into your expertise in molecular and biochemical techniques to develop novel CRISPR-based technologies. We will use pioneering equipment to design, create, and test nucleic acid-based constructs alongside PhD level teammates with combined 40 years of industry and academic experience. This highly cross-functional role requires an individual who wants to broaden their expertise across various scientific disciplines by simultaneously collaborating with multiple departments within and outside of the organization. A successful candidate will be one who is motivated by curiosity, a desire to inspire others, and contribute to technology development efforts. Mechanistic understanding of gene regulatory circuits and ability to think at the systems biology level to control expression will prove indispensable for this role. We will be spending 90% of our time on site, where you will work alongside your mentor to design and implement experiments. It is expected that the candidate exhibit a growth mindset and begin to generate their own own hypotheses, eventually taking ownership of projects as they progress through their career. Responsibilities Investigate methods for precision-based genome editing tools Knowledge of gene regulation and gene regulatory elements is a plus Contribute to the design, production, and analytical characterization of mRNA constructs to improve efficacy, safety, and stability Perform routine cell culture and in vitro cellular assays to evaluate gene editing materials Collaborate with cross-functional teams in analytical development, formulation, and preclinical research to support matrixed evaluations of editing technologies Write protocols; perform experiments; organize, analyze, and interpret data; and document work in an electronic lab notebook Summarize results in presentations and technical reports for internal partners Assist with laboratory operations, including ordering supplies, preparing reagents, and maintaining a safe, efficient, and well-organized laboratory Skills & Qualifications B.S. or M.S. in biological sciences, chemistry, biomedical engineering, chemical engineering, or a related field, with 2 years of academic or industry lab based experience 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 and or visas for this role. Additional Skills/Preference Direct experience with CRISPR-based gene editing, mRNA design/synthesis, NGS, cell culture, and protein structure function relationships Direct experience with in vitro transcription, plasmid design/synthesis, capillary electrophoresis, spectroscopy, ELISA, Western blotting, and nucleic acid extraction/purification Strong diligence, critical thinking, and troubleshooting skills Proven ability to communicate and collaborate Prior experience with protein engineering, especially in the gene editing field Non-viral delivery of large molecularly diverse cargo into cells Experience using automation to enhance output Proficiency in RNA chemistry and metabolism Deep understanding of Eukaryotic DNA repair mechanisms 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 ( https://careers.lilly.com/us/en/workplace-accommodation ) 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), Women’s Initiative for Leading at Lilly (WILL), enAble (for people with disabilities). Learn more about all of our groups. Actual compensation will depend on a candidate’s education, experience, skills, and geographic location. The anticipated wage for this position is $71,250 - $187,000 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. WeAreLilly

Keywords: Eli Lilly and Company, Warwick , Associate Scientist - Technology Development and mRNA Sciences, Science, Research & Development , Boston, Rhode Island