RNA Automation Project Lead
Eli Lilly · Shanghai
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.
RNA Automation Project Lead
Location: Shanghai
Job Type: Full-time
About the Role
We are seeking a seasoned, highly experienced RNA Automation Project Lead to own end-to-end planning, execution, and delivery of complex laboratory automation initiatives across our RNA therapeutics R&D pipeline. Serving as the core technical and project leadership anchor, you will drive innovation and scale intelligent, high-throughput automation systems to transform traditional RNA research workflows.
You will lead cross-functional collaboration among internal RNA scientists, assay developers, automation engineers, IT/informatics teams, and external partners to design, validate, and deploy robust automated solutions that significantly improve assay efficiency, data accuracy, reproducibility, and scalability. You will take full ownership of project timelines, resource allocation, risk mitigation, and stakeholder communication to ensure consistent delivery of high-impact automation outcomes.
The ideal candidate brings 10+ years of comprehensive hands-on R&D experience spanning RNA synthesis, cell biology, NGS sequencing, and analytical characterization, paired with proven expertise in laboratory automation design and project delivery. If you are passionate about leading digital and automated transformation for RNA therapeutic discovery, this senior role will enable you to drive strategic, company-level impact.
Key Responsibilities
- Define, design, and execute end-to-end roadmaps for integrated RNA automation workflows, covering core capabilities including RNA extraction, RT-qPCR quantification, siRNA/miRNA synthesis, LC-MS analytical testing, and high-throughput NGS sample preparation and sequencing.
- Lead the re-engineering and full automation of manual RNA protocols, substantially reducing manual labor, eliminating systematic human error, and elevating overall process consistency and experimental reproducibility.
- Lead cross-functional technical teams including RNA synthesis scientists, cell biologists, analytical scientists, assay developers, and process engineers to translate scientific requirements into stable, scalable, and production-grade automated lab solutions.
- Establish standardized operating procedures (SOPs) for all automated RNA workflows, and lead technical training and capability building for lab operation teams to ensure safe, compliant, and efficient instrument utilization.
- Oversee integration, validation, and daily operation of robotic liquid handling platforms and automated instruments to streamline end-to-end RNA R&D pipelines.
- Partner closely with automation engineering, informatics, and data science teams to enable closed-loop, data-driven, AI-empowered experimentation for continuous RNA workflow iteration.
- Own end-to-end data quality control, experimental reproducibility, and technical documentation; lead ongoing process assessment, troubleshooting, and continuous optimization of automated systems.
- Develop and implement standardized data management frameworks and drive LIMS integration to enable full digital traceability and intelligent operation of automated RNA workflows.
- Evaluate benchmark and introduce cutting-edge automation and RNA technological innovations to continuously upgrade organizational RNA biology and analytical capabilities.
- Ensure all automated workflows and instrument operations strictly comply with global lab safety standards and internal R&D compliance requirements.
- Collaborate and align with global LAL sites (Boston, Indianapolis, San Diego) to establish cross-site unified workflow standards, automation specifications, and quality metrics.
- Maintain regular global cross-team synchronization and project governance; support occasional domestic and international business travel as required.
Qualifications & Requirements
- Ph.D. in Molecular Biology, Synthetic Biology, RNA Biology, Biochemistry, Analytical Science, or related life science disciplines.
- 10+ years of hands-on pharmaceutical/biotech R&D experience in RNA research, covering RNA extraction, RT-qPCR, siRNA/miRNA synthesis, NGS method development and sequencing, LC-MS analytical testing, and automated lab system deployment.
- Comprehensive understanding of end-to-end RNA research principles spanning synthesis, biology, cellular functional validation, sequencing profiling, and analytical characterization; fully aware of critical technical pitfalls in RNA sample handling, processing, and data interpretation.
- Proven hands-on experience with mainstream automation platforms (Tecan, Hamilton, Labcyte Echo) and independent automation workflow design, deployment, and validation is strongly preferred.
- Familiar with multi-omics analytical tools including RNA-seq, single-cell RNA-seq, qPCR, Northern blot, and Western blot, with strong capability for result analysis and scientific interpretation.
- Excellent independent troubleshooting, protocol optimization, and systematic problem-solving skills for complex automated RNA workflows.
- Solid experience integrating and operating automated core instruments including qPCR and NGS sequencing platforms.
- Hands-on experience with Design of Experiments (DOE) and statistical analysis for systematic assay and workflow optimization.
- Working proficiency in Python, C# or other scripting languages for automated instrument control and experimental data analysis is a plus.
- Prior formal project leadership experience in biotech/pharma automation or RNA therapeutic R&D is highly preferred.
- Exceptional cross-functional communication, global stakeholder alignment, and team leadership skills to drive cross-site project delivery.
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.
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