RNA Automation Specialist (Analytical Focus)

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 Specialist (Analytical Focus)

Location: Shanghai Job Type: Full-time

About the Role

We are seeking a highly motivated RNA Analytical Automation specialist to design, optimize, and operate cutting-edge automation platforms to enable novel high-throughput RNA therapeutics research workflows. The individual hired into this role will be a mission-critical bridge between wet-lab biology and automation engineering— developing scalable, accurate, and efficient systems covering RNA purification, sample processing, comprehensive QC analysis, and NGS sequencing workflows

The ideal candidate will bring at least 7 years of hands-on RNA analysis experience paired with solid expertise in laboratory automation workflow development and deployment. If you are passionate about transforming biological research through automation, this is your opportunity to make a significant impact.

Key Responsibilities

• Design and implement validated automation roadmaps for end-to-end RNA analytical workflows, including RNA extraction, RT-qPCR quantification, core QC analysis such as LC-MS detection and characterization.

• Re-engineer and optimize manual RNA analytical protocols for full automation, reducing manual workload, minimizing human-induced errors, and significantly improving experimental consistency, reproducibility and throughput.

• Partner closely with RNA analytical chemistry specialists, assay development teams, and process engineers to translate scientific and analytical requirements into robust, stable, and production-ready automated lab solutions.

• Develop standardized SOPs for automated analytical workflows, and provide professional technical training to lab personnel to ensure compliant, safe, and efficient instrument operation.

• Integrate, calibrate and operate robotic platforms and automated liquid handling systems to streamline full-process RNA analytical workflows.

• Collaborate with automation, informatics, and data science teams to build and sustain closed-loop automated experimentation for RNA analytical testing projects.

• Own end-to-end data quality, experimental reproducibility, and standardized technical documentation; lead continuous workflow iteration and process optimization for automated analytical systems.

• Establish robust data management strategies and support LIMS system integration to enable full data traceability, standardization and digitalization of automated RNA analysis.

• Evaluate, benchmark, and deploy emerging automation and analytical technologies to continuously upgrade internal RNA analytical testing capabilities.

• Ensure all automated workflows and instrument operations fully comply with global lab safety specifications and internal R&D regulatory requirements.

• Align and collaborate with global LAL teams to establish unified cross-site workflow standards, analytical specifications and quality metrics for automated RNA testing.

• Maintain regular technical synchronization with global LAL teams; support occasional domestic and international business travel as required.

Qualifications & Experience

• Ph.D. in Analytical Chemistry, Molecular Biology, RNA Biology, Biochemistry, or a related life science discipline.

• 7+ years of hands-on wet-lab experience in RNA analytical research, including RNA extraction, RT-qPCR quantification, siRNA/miRNA characterization and LC-MS-based analytical testing, with proven experience in automation system operation and workflow deployment.

• Solid understanding of core RNA biology principles, including RNA structural characteristics, stability properties, and key technical pitfalls in RNA sample processing, storage and analytical testing.

• Proficient in mainstream genomic and transcriptomic analytical tools and platforms, including RNA-seq, single-cell RNA-seq, qPCR, Northern blot, Western blot, and LC-MS, with strong capability in raw data processing and result interpretation.

• Hands-on experience with mainstream automated liquid handling platforms (Tecan, Hamilton, Labcyte Echo preferred) and independent automation workflow design, configuration and debugging is a strong plus.

• Excellent protocol design, analytical troubleshooting and optimization capabilities for automated RNA analysis.

• Practical experience operating and integrating automated analytical instruments, including qPCR systems and LC/MS testing systems.

• Familiarity with Design of Experiments (DOE) and statistical analysis for systematic assay and workflow optimization.

• Prior working experience in pharmaceutical or biotech R&D environment is preferred.

• Excellent cross-functional communication, global collaboration and teamwork skills to support cross-team and 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.

Lilly does not discriminate on the basis of age, race, color, religion, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, national origin, protected veteran status, disability or any other legally protected status.

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