Sr Principal/Advisor

Indianapolis, Indiana

Eli Lilly and Company
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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.


The QA Flow Mentor provides technical leadership and expertise for production operations in the areas of: Coaching and Mentoring Front Line Process QA Reps, Developing and Sustaining Process Knowledge, Process & Equipment Support, Process Optimization & Continuous Improvement, Developing and Sustaining Quality Systems, and Adherence to Business Systems.


Key Objectives/Deliverables:


Coach and Mentor Front-Line QA Reps

  • Lead Qualification efforts for new frontline QA reps.
  • Coach and mentor front-line process QA reps in aspects of fundamental QA support including process understanding (both theoretical and practical), problem solving, project management, and deviation resolution.
  • Related experiences with troubleshooting bio-purification and traditional unit operations such as chromatography, tangential flow filtration, fermentation, homogenization, evaporation, mixing, and distillation.
  • Champion the application of statistical thinking and use of data to monitor process performance and make risk-based QA decisions.
  • Support and peer review root cause analysis around operational events.
  • Promote and peer review documentation of learning points, Gap assessments, and event investigations.
  • Provide technical support to non-routine (e.g., deviation) investigations.
  • Work within cross-functional teams in a positive fashion to implement QA objectives and deliver on business plan and quality objectives.

Provide Process & Equipment Support

  • Identify systemic issues affecting production (deviations, cycle time delays, etc.).
  • Lead or participate in root cause analysis and countermeasure development and implementation for major compliance or throughput event investigations. Perform reviews of event documentation for technical accuracy and compliance.
  • Provide back up and shutdown support for front-line QA reps
  • Act as the liaison between central services groups (e.g., Q Engineering) and the process teams and participate/lead implementation of central services initiatives (as needed/appropriate).
  • Participate in the APR process

Process Optimization & Continuous Improvement

  • Review, identify and drive alignment of QA systems across IAPI.
  • Support development and technical analysis for large-scale initiatives (secondary loop projects) such as productivity improvements, capacity development, GMP remediation, and safety risk mitigation.
  • Review and identify opportunities for continuous improvement and assist in prioritization of opportunities with respect to overall business objectives.
  • Collaborate with key support groups around the development of process knowledge and a common process improvement agenda.
  • Provide quality oversight/approval of Periodic Reviews for Direct Impact systems to ensure constant state of qualification.
  • Provide quality oversight during development of equipment and process system User Requirements and related Design Review/Qualification documentation to ensure that equipment/systems are appropriate for the intended purpose and comply with applicable Global Quality Standards/Engineering Standards.
  • Provide independent peer input/review of technical activities.

Adherence to QA/Business Systems

  • Provide support to the QA organization for deviation reduction and backlog prevention initiatives.
  • Chair the Deviation Review Board / Change Review Board
  • Analyze process/unit team metrics for awareness and identification of potential improvement opportunities:
    • Deviation Cycle Time
    • Event Root Causes
    • Overdue CAPA items

Basic Requirements:

  • Bachelor's required (or equivalent experience) in scientific/engineering discipline or similar
  • 5+ years of work experience in a technical support area (e.g., Engineering, TS/MS).
  • 2+ years of work experience in Quality Assurance.

Additional Preferences:

  • Statistical thinking
  • Technical knowledge of chemical processing and process equipment.
  • Ability to function in a team environment as a leader and as a member of teams.
  • Effectively manage and prioritize competing priorities and to appropriately communicate verbally and in writing to various audiences.
  • Knowledge of protein chemistry & process/cleaning validation.
  • Ability to partner/network outside the IAPI site and demonstrated participation in inspection readiness/continuous improvement initiatives.
  • Advocate for training and knowledge sharing
  • Communication skills
  • Develop and implement innovative approaches to problems
  • Successful application of root cause analysis and systematic problem solving
  • Strong computer skills in a variety of software packages (Visio, Trackwise, MS Project, Excel)

Other Information:

  • The normal schedule for this position is Monday-Friday, 8 hours/day. However, emergency situations may require additional support beyond this normal schedule.
  • Little to no travel is required with this position.
  • Tasks require entering manufacturing and laboratory areas which require wearing appropriate PPE.

This role is located in Indianapolis, IN and requires the individual to be onsite.

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), 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

$63,000 - $162,800

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.



Date Posted: 22 March 2025
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