Eli Lilly OPT Eligible Jobs USA
Eli Lilly actively hires F-1 students on OPT across its drug discovery, clinical development, data science, and manufacturing operations. The company's broad visa sponsorship history and E-Verify enrollment make it a strong destination for OPT students seeking a pathway into the pharmaceutical industry and eventual H-1B visa sponsorship.
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Get Access To All JobsAt 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
Lilly is at a critical juncture as we tool up to realize the potential of our product pipeline. We are building new processing capabilities around the world, and emphasizing emerging, innovative technologies, such as continuous processing, biotech platforms, and advanced data and control systems. Additionally, we are recapitalizing older assets, and bringing the operational philosophies in line with current technologies. Lilly places a high value on fully automated manufacturing processes, as the quality and operational benefits are baseline expectations of new process design.
Digital Manufacturing Engineering (DME) is part of the Corporate Engineering Tech Center (ETC). The ETC is a technical resource for training, standards, project implementation, and the center of engineering excellence for the corporation, providing deeply technical resources to solve the most intractable technical problems in manufacturing. DME provides Digital Engineering Platform ownership, OT data integration solutions, engineering data standardization/ownership, and digital manufacturing solutions for Lilly Manufacturing. Our team focuses on connecting our facilities (securely) and leveraging the data from those facilities to deliver digital manufacturing solutions to improve manufacturing productivity, data integrity / compliance, quality, and operational excellence. Digital Manufacturing Technologies include digital twins, computational modeling, edge/IoT, and analytics solutions. Digital Engineering Platforms include CMMS (Computerized Maintenance Management System), GECMS (Global Engineering Content Management System) and many other digital platforms leveraged by engineers across Lilly Manufacturing.
Position Description and Responsibilities
The Advisor - Computational Modeling will provide diverse modeling expertise and develop computational models that drive decisions to design new manufacturing processes and improve existing ones across Lilly's global manufacturing network. This role applies modeling techniques across a broad range of domains — including physical properties, unit operations, scale-up, numerical and multiphysics simulation, discrete event simulation, and resource and operational logistics optimization — to support both continuous/batch process operations and discrete manufacturing operations such as parenteral fill/finish, device assembly, and packaging. A core focus of the role is the development of Digital Twin computational models that provide online modeling capabilities to manufacturing facilities, in alignment with the Engineering Digital Strategy for Manufacturing and Quality within Lilly. This is a global role, supporting functional initiatives and all Lilly Manufacturing sites globally.
This role is a technical engineering role at the R4–R6 level on the Tech Ladder, requiring a minimum MS degree in Chemical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Industrial Engineering, Operations Research, or a related field. The position requires deep technical expertise in computational modeling and simulation, strong fundamentals in the underlying physics, mathematics, and first-principles concepts from which models are formulated, and the ability to complement model-based solutions with laboratory investigation, empirical validation, or validation against site operating data when appropriate. The engineer will partner with the data leads within the DME team to ensure necessary data is available to support their models, and will work closely with manufacturing site process and plant engineers, corporate function engineers, and development engineers/scientists to deliver rigorous technical solutions.
The primary focus of the role is to develop and deploy simulation and optimization models that increase manufacturing capacity, resilience, compliance, and inspection readiness, and that support operational excellence goals for safety, quality, and supply. The engineer will also serve as an internal advocate for first-principles and model-based methods, fostering the use of modeling tools by colleagues outside DME through instruction, consultation, and the development of internal collaborations.
Key Objectives/Deliverables
- Develop and deploy simulation and optimization models to drive decisions that help design new and/or improve existing manufacturing and logistics processes.
- Apply a broad range of modeling techniques as appropriate to the problem — including steady-state and dynamic process simulation, computational fluid dynamics (CFD) and multiphysics simulation, discrete event simulation, and nonlinear/mixed-integer optimization — across both continuous/batch and discrete manufacturing domains.
- Develop Digital Twin computational models to provide online modeling capabilities to Lilly manufacturing facilities.
- Deliver sound interpretation of modeling results by maintaining in-depth knowledge of the underlying physics, first-principles concepts, and numerical methods from which models are formulated and solved.
- Complement model-based solutions with laboratory investigation, empirical validation, or validation against site operating data when appropriate.
- Prepare internal technical reports to document work and to contribute to the product or process body of knowledge, and when appropriate, publish and/or present work externally.
- Maintain and grow the functional value of modeling within Lilly by developing appropriate internal collaborations and sharing key learnings broadly at appropriate internal forums so colleagues can identify projects that may benefit from model-based analysis.
- Foster the use of modeling tools by colleagues outside DME by providing instruction, consultation, and continuously advocating the use of first-principles techniques and model-based methods.
- Identify and implement modeling advances that bring value to Lilly by maintaining awareness of new developments in the external modeling landscape.
- Develop collaborations with appropriate external partners to help manage workload and to gain additional expertise.
- Partner with data leads within DME to provide data requirements that support computational models and Digital Twin solutions.
Basic Qualifications
- Minimum MS degree in Chemical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Industrial Engineering, Operations Research, or a related field.
- Minimum of 4 years of related work experience (graduate research included).
- Experience developing models in one or more of the following: steady-state simulation, dynamic simulation, computational fluid dynamics (CFD), discrete event simulation, nonlinear programming, or mixed-integer linear programming.
Additional Skills/Preferences
- Strong technical writing and presentation skills.
- Capability to solve complex issues with minimal supervision.
- Demonstrated working knowledge of the underlying physics, first-principles concepts, and numerical methods from which computational models are formulated and solved.
- Experience with chemical process modeling, scale-up, and unit operation simulation.
- Experience with capacity analysis, line balancing, scheduling, or logistics optimization in a manufacturing environment.
- Experience developing simulation and optimization models leveraging commercial software tools such as ANSYS-Fluent®, M-Star®, COMSOL®, aspenONE®, AFT Fathom®, ExtendSim®, or Frontline Solver®.
- Experience with statistical analysis and data/model fitting leveraging commercial software tools such as JMP® or similar.
- Experience developing digital twins of manufacturing processes or production lines.
- Experience working with validated systems and in a GMP/pharmaceutical industry environment.
- Ability to work well across different cultures and global manufacturing sites.
Additional Information
- Monday through Friday Day Shift of 7:30am-4:30pm with some allowance for flex time.
- Location: Indianapolis, IN
- Travel: Limited Domestic and International travel required (less than 10%)
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 $129,000 - $209,000. 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.
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
Lilly is at a critical juncture as we tool up to realize the potential of our product pipeline. We are building new processing capabilities around the world, and emphasizing emerging, innovative technologies, such as continuous processing, biotech platforms, and advanced data and control systems. Additionally, we are recapitalizing older assets, and bringing the operational philosophies in line with current technologies. Lilly places a high value on fully automated manufacturing processes, as the quality and operational benefits are baseline expectations of new process design.
Digital Manufacturing Engineering (DME) is part of the Corporate Engineering Tech Center (ETC). The ETC is a technical resource for training, standards, project implementation, and the center of engineering excellence for the corporation, providing deeply technical resources to solve the most intractable technical problems in manufacturing. DME provides Digital Engineering Platform ownership, OT data integration solutions, engineering data standardization/ownership, and digital manufacturing solutions for Lilly Manufacturing. Our team focuses on connecting our facilities (securely) and leveraging the data from those facilities to deliver digital manufacturing solutions to improve manufacturing productivity, data integrity / compliance, quality, and operational excellence. Digital Manufacturing Technologies include digital twins, computational modeling, edge/IoT, and analytics solutions. Digital Engineering Platforms include CMMS (Computerized Maintenance Management System), GECMS (Global Engineering Content Management System) and many other digital platforms leveraged by engineers across Lilly Manufacturing.
Position Description and Responsibilities
The Advisor - Computational Modeling will provide diverse modeling expertise and develop computational models that drive decisions to design new manufacturing processes and improve existing ones across Lilly's global manufacturing network. This role applies modeling techniques across a broad range of domains — including physical properties, unit operations, scale-up, numerical and multiphysics simulation, discrete event simulation, and resource and operational logistics optimization — to support both continuous/batch process operations and discrete manufacturing operations such as parenteral fill/finish, device assembly, and packaging. A core focus of the role is the development of Digital Twin computational models that provide online modeling capabilities to manufacturing facilities, in alignment with the Engineering Digital Strategy for Manufacturing and Quality within Lilly. This is a global role, supporting functional initiatives and all Lilly Manufacturing sites globally.
This role is a technical engineering role at the R4–R6 level on the Tech Ladder, requiring a minimum MS degree in Chemical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Industrial Engineering, Operations Research, or a related field. The position requires deep technical expertise in computational modeling and simulation, strong fundamentals in the underlying physics, mathematics, and first-principles concepts from which models are formulated, and the ability to complement model-based solutions with laboratory investigation, empirical validation, or validation against site operating data when appropriate. The engineer will partner with the data leads within the DME team to ensure necessary data is available to support their models, and will work closely with manufacturing site process and plant engineers, corporate function engineers, and development engineers/scientists to deliver rigorous technical solutions.
The primary focus of the role is to develop and deploy simulation and optimization models that increase manufacturing capacity, resilience, compliance, and inspection readiness, and that support operational excellence goals for safety, quality, and supply. The engineer will also serve as an internal advocate for first-principles and model-based methods, fostering the use of modeling tools by colleagues outside DME through instruction, consultation, and the development of internal collaborations.
Key Objectives/Deliverables
- Develop and deploy simulation and optimization models to drive decisions that help design new and/or improve existing manufacturing and logistics processes.
- Apply a broad range of modeling techniques as appropriate to the problem — including steady-state and dynamic process simulation, computational fluid dynamics (CFD) and multiphysics simulation, discrete event simulation, and nonlinear/mixed-integer optimization — across both continuous/batch and discrete manufacturing domains.
- Develop Digital Twin computational models to provide online modeling capabilities to Lilly manufacturing facilities.
- Deliver sound interpretation of modeling results by maintaining in-depth knowledge of the underlying physics, first-principles concepts, and numerical methods from which models are formulated and solved.
- Complement model-based solutions with laboratory investigation, empirical validation, or validation against site operating data when appropriate.
- Prepare internal technical reports to document work and to contribute to the product or process body of knowledge, and when appropriate, publish and/or present work externally.
- Maintain and grow the functional value of modeling within Lilly by developing appropriate internal collaborations and sharing key learnings broadly at appropriate internal forums so colleagues can identify projects that may benefit from model-based analysis.
- Foster the use of modeling tools by colleagues outside DME by providing instruction, consultation, and continuously advocating the use of first-principles techniques and model-based methods.
- Identify and implement modeling advances that bring value to Lilly by maintaining awareness of new developments in the external modeling landscape.
- Develop collaborations with appropriate external partners to help manage workload and to gain additional expertise.
- Partner with data leads within DME to provide data requirements that support computational models and Digital Twin solutions.
Basic Qualifications
- Minimum MS degree in Chemical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Industrial Engineering, Operations Research, or a related field.
- Minimum of 4 years of related work experience (graduate research included).
- Experience developing models in one or more of the following: steady-state simulation, dynamic simulation, computational fluid dynamics (CFD), discrete event simulation, nonlinear programming, or mixed-integer linear programming.
Additional Skills/Preferences
- Strong technical writing and presentation skills.
- Capability to solve complex issues with minimal supervision.
- Demonstrated working knowledge of the underlying physics, first-principles concepts, and numerical methods from which computational models are formulated and solved.
- Experience with chemical process modeling, scale-up, and unit operation simulation.
- Experience with capacity analysis, line balancing, scheduling, or logistics optimization in a manufacturing environment.
- Experience developing simulation and optimization models leveraging commercial software tools such as ANSYS-Fluent®, M-Star®, COMSOL®, aspenONE®, AFT Fathom®, ExtendSim®, or Frontline Solver®.
- Experience with statistical analysis and data/model fitting leveraging commercial software tools such as JMP® or similar.
- Experience developing digital twins of manufacturing processes or production lines.
- Experience working with validated systems and in a GMP/pharmaceutical industry environment.
- Ability to work well across different cultures and global manufacturing sites.
Additional Information
- Monday through Friday Day Shift of 7:30am-4:30pm with some allowance for flex time.
- Location: Indianapolis, IN
- Travel: Limited Domestic and International travel required (less than 10%)
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 $129,000 - $209,000. 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.
Job Roles at Eli Lilly
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Get Access To All JobsTips for Finding Eli Lilly OPT Eligible Jobs USA
Target roles matching your degree field
Eli Lilly hires OPT students into roles spanning medicinal chemistry, biostatistics, regulatory affairs, and supply chain. Your EAD must align with your degree field, so apply only to positions where your major directly maps to the job function listed in the posting.
Verify your role qualifies for STEM OPT
Not every Eli Lilly position qualifies for the 24-month STEM OPT extension. Cross-check your offer letter's job title against the STEM-designated Classification of Instructional Programs code tied to your degree before accepting, so you don't lose extension eligibility after onboarding.
Confirm Eli Lilly's E-Verify enrollment before signing
STEM OPT requires your employer to participate in E-Verify. Eli Lilly is enrolled, but if you're joining a subsidiary, staffing arm, or acquired entity under the Lilly umbrella, confirm that specific legal employer entity is separately registered before your DSO submits your I-983 training plan.
Search Eli Lilly's LCA filings on Migrate Mate
Use Migrate Mate to review Eli Lilly's Labor Condition Application history by occupation code and location. This shows which roles and sites the company has actively hired into, helping you target the teams and job families most likely to convert OPT to H-1B sponsorship.
Negotiate your start date around OPT timing
OPT can only begin on or after your program end date, and you have a 60-day grace period to find employment. Align your offer letter start date with your EAD validity window and build in buffer for USCIS mail delivery, since late EAD cards affect your Day 1 eligibility.
Prepare your I-983 training plan before your offer call
Eli Lilly's HR teams often move quickly from offer to onboarding. Draft your STEM OPT I-983 training plan, including learning objectives tied to your specific role, so your DSO can review and approve it without delaying your start date once the offer is finalized.
Eli Lilly OPT Eligibility: Frequently Asked Questions
Does Eli Lilly sponsor OPT visas?
Eli Lilly doesn't sponsor OPT directly because OPT is work authorization USCIS grants to F-1 students, not a visa employers petition for. What Eli Lilly does is hire students who already hold an OPT EAD. The company's E-Verify enrollment also makes it eligible to support the 24-month STEM OPT extension for qualifying roles.
Which departments at Eli Lilly typically hire OPT students?
Eli Lilly's strongest OPT hiring tends to concentrate in drug discovery, clinical pharmacology, biostatistics, data science, regulatory affairs, and manufacturing science. These functions map closely to STEM-designated degree programs, which matters because STEM OPT eligibility depends on your degree field aligning with the actual job duties.
How do I find open OPT roles at Eli Lilly?
Search Eli Lilly's careers portal filtering for internship, co-op, and early-career postings. You can also use Migrate Mate to view Eli Lilly's historical Labor Condition Application filings by occupation and location, which helps you identify the job families and Lilly sites most active in hiring and sponsoring international talent.
How do I know if Eli Lilly will sponsor my H-1B after OPT?
H-1B sponsorship is employer-initiated and decided case by case, not guaranteed with any OPT hire. Eli Lilly has a documented history of sponsoring H-1B visas, particularly for employees in technical and scientific roles. Discussing your long-term sponsorship intentions early, during the offer stage, gives you the clearest signal of the team's willingness.
What is the typical OPT hiring timeline at Eli Lilly?
Eli Lilly's recruiting cycles for internships and new-graduate roles often open six to nine months before the anticipated start date. Since your OPT EAD can take several months to arrive after USCIS receives your application, apply for OPT through your DSO as soon as you're eligible, ideally 90 days before your program ends.
How does Eli Lilly hire OPT students?
OPT is work authorization granted directly to F-1 students after graduation — no employer petition is required. Eli Lilly can hire OPT students as soon as their EAD card is approved. STEM degree holders can extend OPT by 24 months when their employer is enrolled in E-Verify. Most companies that hire OPT students also support the transition to H-1B when the student's OPT period is ending. Check Eli Lilly's individual postings on Migrate Mate to confirm OPT acceptance per role.