Radu Taflan
Greenwood,IN
Summary
I am an experienced professional with balanced leadership skills and over 15 years of progressive expertise across diverse laboratory environments. I possess a comprehensive knowledge of current manufacturing and laboratory protocols, along with advanced technical proficiency in operating and troubleshooting complex analytical instruments. My background includes consistent adherence to stringent safety, environmental, and regulatory compliance standards within manufacturing environments. I demonstrate a strong work ethic, remain highly goal-oriented, and efficiently manage multiple projects simultaneously. My outstanding interpersonal abilities enable clear communication and effective collaboration both independently and within teams. Serving as leader of the Safety Team and Recognition Team at Eli Lilly has further developed my planning, leadership, communication, and delegation capabilities, allowing me to engage successfully with colleagues from various departments within IPM. As Senior Manager-QC, I have trained and mentored employees, worked closely with supply chain partners to prioritize tasks against tight deadlines, collaborated on projects at local and global levels, and ensured ongoing team compliance with GMP regulations.
Overview
24
24
years of professional experience
Work History
Senior Manager-QC Raw Materials Chemistry
Eli Lilly
Indianapolis, IN
09.2025 - Current
- Area of expertise: Oversee lab workload planning and scheduling, manage lab analysts, and ensure compliance with cGMP standards in laboratory work.
- Communication and planning with various parts of the supply chain to prioritize testing and ensure timely release of excipients, drug substances, drug products, and various parenteral device parts.
- Contribute to strategic and business planning efforts to ensure the site achieves network objectives for IPM.
- Lead projects to increase capacity of the team in order to meet future needs of the team.
- Align performance goals with department, site, and company strategies.
- Coach and develop staff through regular 1on1 meetings, mentoring, career planning.
- Ensure the laboratory is always in an audit ready state.
- Participate in merit and promotion processes for the entire IPM QC Chemistry and Microbiology department (R1-R3).
- Maintain a safe work environment.
- Regularly meet with peers from various sites and functions in order to ensure compendial testing to ensure the latest compendial updates are implemented in the laboratories.
- Use manufacturing and lab processes knowledge to identify deviations and ensure correct and timely remediations.
- Ensure the team is always compliant with training due dates.
- Perform yearly training reviews of all team members versus testing performed to ensure compliance with local and global requirements.
- Technical review and approval for site quality documents, plans, studies, and methods.
Senior Manager-QC MPP2 Chemistry
Eli Lilly
Indianapolis, IN
12.2023 - 09.2025
- Area of expertise: Oversee lab workload planning and scheduling, manage lab analysts, and ensure compliance with cGMP standards in laboratory work.
- Played a key role in the successful transfer of methods into the laboratory by coordinating and executing the necessary activities to facilitate seamless integration.
- Ensure that performance objectives are strategically aligned with departmental, site, and organizational priorities.
- Provide guidance and support to staff members to facilitate their growth and development.
- Maintain the laboratory in a continuous state of audit readiness.
- Representative for the chemistry team during internal and external audits.
- Oversee staffing and scheduling to effectively fulfill customer requirements.
- Provide constructive feedback and manage team performance efficiently.
- Participate actively in merit review and promotion processes.
- Uphold and promote a safe working environment.
- Train team members to ensure full compliance with applicable standards.
- Ensure strict adherence to Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs).
- Prioritize sampling and testing activities according to established schedules.
- Possess a thorough understanding of manufacturing and laboratory processes to proactively identify and resolve issues.
- Demonstrate comprehensive knowledge of laboratory methodologies and material specifications.
- Ensure team compliance with all training deadlines and requirements.
Principal Chemist-QC
Eli Lilly
Indianapolis, IN
01.2014 - 12.2023
- Area of expertise: In-process and finished drug substances for parenteral products.
- Ensure team compliance with all training deadlines and requirements.
- Conduct chemistry testing of samples using established protocols while adhering to strict turnaround timelines.
- Execute analytical and classical wet chemistry methods, including HPLC, GC, CE, FTIR, UV, Karl Fischer titration, turbidimeter, spectrophotometer, Orbisphere, acid/base titration, Tecan sampler diluter, pH meter, and other laboratory equipment.
- Perform tests to support stability studies, characterization, and validation of incoming molecules.
- Carry out routine calibrations and maintenance of laboratory instruments.
- Investigate, document, and present findings on out-of-specification results and deviations.
- Serve as leader and active participant of the CQCL Safety Team.
- Serve as the leader of the IPM QC Recognition Team
- Verify and document sample-related data in compliance with cGMP, safety, and company standards.
- Provide training and mentorship to new laboratory analysts.
- Act as subject matter expert for Instron instrument on DI project focused on audit trail compliance.
- Manage sample tracking using Darwin and SAP systems.
- Contribute as a member of the 107 Vial Process Team.
- Support the transfer of molecules into the laboratory through various tasks.
- Coach and develop peers to enhance team capability.
- Always ensure laboratory readiness for audits.
- Maintain a safe working environment.
- Train the team to ensure regulatory compliance.
- Ensure adherence to SOPs.
- Prioritize sampling and testing according to schedules.
- Apply understanding of manufacturing and laboratory processes to resolve issues.
- Demonstrate proficiency in laboratory methods and material specifications.
Geological Project Specialist
Stantec
Indianapolis, IN
01.2012 - 01.2014
- Area of expertise: Oversight of contractors on environmental remediation projects.
- Documentation of work based on EPA, IDEM, OSHA, DOT, and company guidelines and recommendations.
- Performed air, gas, and soil sampling using various methods and equipment.
- Collection, evaluation, and reporting of scientific data for the purpose of contaminant classification, observation, and projected movement of contaminants through groundwater aquifers.
- Field support for project tasks, including monitoring-well drilling; site investigations; remediation-related activities.
- Supporting environmental compliance tasks - RCRA, water programs (e.g., NPDES), air programs (e.g., emission inventories), and client facility visits to confirm regulatory compliance.
- Maintain compliance Health and Safety documentation and reports.
Chemistry Laboratory Analyst
Cargill
Ft. Collins, CO
07.2011 - 01.2012
- Conducted and document routine analytical laboratory tests on edible oils for food products.
- Performed wet chemistry testing and oil extractions following AOCS procedures, GC, HPLC, OSI, and Karl Fisher methods.
- Designed and validate methods for new laboratory assays.
- Complied with strict GLP regulatory and safety regulations.
Work Study for Dr. Kathy Licht
Indiana University Purdue University
Indianapolis, IN
08.2009 - 12.2010
- Preparation and classification of sedimentary rock hand samples and thin sections.
Work Study, Chemistry Department
Indiana University Purdue University
Indianapolis, IN
08.2002 - 05.2003
- Managed chemicals inventory and reference standards.
- Performed analytical testing using HPLC, NMR, infrared spectroscopy and GC instrumentation.
- Performed wet chemistry testing.
- Maintenance of laboratory equipment and work space.
- Trained in using a rock saw and a Petrothin machine to create thin sections from samples.
Education
Bachelor of Science - Geology
Indiana University Purdue University
Indianapolis12-2010
Skills
- Excellent analytical and problem-solving skills
- Strong educational background in Geology, Chemistry, Biology, and Mathematics
- Great interpersonal skills
- Strong leadership skills focused on timely completion of deliverables and fostering professional development among team members
- Capability to identify solutions to problems by leveraging resources both within the local organization and externally across different sites
- Experienced in using a wide variety of laboratory instruments such as HPLC, GC, FTIR, automatic titrators, auto-diluters, Karl Fisher, Rancimat / Oxidative Stability Analyzers, microwave equipment, Spectrophotometer, pH meters, centrifuges, and auto pipettes
- Flexible, eager to learn and motivated to perform well, while continuously striving for excellence
- Proficient laboratory and environmental assessment skills
- Experienced in data management using LIMS systems and Microsoft software
- Excellent written and communication skills
Timeline
Senior Manager-QC Raw Materials Chemistry
Eli Lilly
09.2025 - Current
Senior Manager-QC MPP2 Chemistry
Eli Lilly
12.2023 - 09.2025
Principal Chemist-QC
Eli Lilly
01.2014 - 12.2023
Geological Project Specialist
Stantec
01.2012 - 01.2014
Chemistry Laboratory Analyst
Cargill
07.2011 - 01.2012
Work Study for Dr. Kathy Licht
Indiana University Purdue University
08.2009 - 12.2010
Work Study, Chemistry Department
Indiana University Purdue University
08.2002 - 05.2003
Bachelor of Science - Geology
Indiana University Purdue University