Sr. Advisor, Molecular Pharmacology – Neuroscience

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. Overview: Centessa Pharmaceuticals, a wholly owned subsidiary of Eli Lilly and Company, is a clinical-stage company developing orexin receptor 2 (OX2R) agonists as a new class of medicines for the treatment of narcolepsy and potentially other sleep-wake disorders. Centessa’s lead investigational candidate – cleminorexton (formerly ORX750) – is being developed for narcolepsy type 1, narcolepsy type 2, and idiopathic hypersomnia. Centessa's OX2R agonist portfolio includes additional clinical and preclinical-stage assets with potential utility across a broader range of neurological, neurodegenerative, and neuropsychiatric conditions. Headquartered in Boston, Massachusetts, Centessa was recognized as a Great Place to Work ® in 2026. Position Summary: We are seeking an experienced, collaborative, and scientifically rigorous contributor (at the Associate Director level) to provide scientific leadership for molecular pharmacology activities supporting neuroscience discovery and development programs. The successful candidate will bring a strong foundation in pharmacology and apply broad scientific expertise to address questions related to compound pharmacology, receptor and target biology, signaling mechanisms, and translation across relevant experimental systems. The ideal candidate will combine deep scientific expertise with curiosity, strategic thinking, and the ability to identify and implement experimental approaches that address evolving program needs. The individual will work collaboratively across multidisciplinary teams and with internal and external scientific partners to develop pharmacology strategies, guide experimental work, interpret complex data, and advance therapeutic programs. Responsibilities Provide scientific leadership and strategic direction for molecular pharmacology activities supporting neuroscience discovery and development programs Develop pharmacology strategies and experimental plans to address key questions related to compound activity, receptor and target biology, signaling, mechanism of action, and translation Design, guide, and interpret pharmacological studies using recombinant, endogenous, native, or other relevant experimental systems Guide advanced characterization of therapeutic compounds using appropriate functional, binding, mechanistic, cellular, molecular, or translational approaches Apply expertise in molecular pharmacology and receptor biology to identify scientific questions and experimental approaches that can inform program decisions Integrate pharmacological and biological data across experimental systems and disciplines to develop clear scientific conclusions and recommendations Collaborate closely with medicinal chemistry, in vivo pharmacology, DMPK, translational sciences, and other scientific partners to advance program objectives Establish productive scientific partnerships with internal collaborators and external research organizations; provide appropriate scientific direction while leveraging complementary expertise Identify, troubleshoot, and resolve complex scientific and experimental challenges Mentor scientists and contribute to a collaborative environment characterized by scientific rigor, intellectual curiosity, and high-quality execution · Evaluate emerging technologies, methodologies, and scientific approaches and apply them where they can meaningfully advance research programs · Communicate scientific strategy, results, and recommendations effectively to multidisciplinary project teams and research leadership Basic Requirements: · PhD in Pharmacology, Neuroscience, or a closely related scientific discipline with substantial experience in supporting drug discovery research · 6+ years of experience within the biopharmaceutical industry · Strong foundation in molecular pharmacology, with expertise in one or more areas such as receptor pharmacology, GPCR biology, cellular signaling, mechanistic pharmacology, neuroscience, or related disciplines · Broad understanding of experimental approaches used to characterize compound pharmacology, receptor and target biology, and biological mechanisms · Experience developing scientific strategy and independently addressing complex experimental and drug discovery questions · Demonstrated ability to integrate data across experimental systems and scientific disciplines · Experience directing collaborative research activities involving internal and/or external scientific partners · Demonstrated ability to mentor and develop scientists · Ability to operate effectively in a dynamic, multidisciplinary research environment and manage multiple scientific priorities · Excellent scientific judgment, communication, collaboration, and problem-solving skills Additional Preferences: · Intrinsically curious and deeply passionate about the work we do. · Embrace ambiguity and push for new practices and technologies. · Adaptive problem solver - turn issues into opportunities and translates ideas into solutions, even when the path isn’t clear. · Leverage technical depth and a growth mindset to make impact; imagine what’s possible and pursue it with intention and energy. · Demonstrate curiosity and drive self-identified innovation, especially in the exploration of artificial intelligence and digital. 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