Scientific Director, Medical Communications

Accountabilities:

• • Serve as the scientific lead for assigned client teams and ensure all content is evidence-based, medically accurate, editorially excellent, strategically aligned, appropriately referenced, and compliant with applicable industry and client standards.
  • Write, review, and provide scientific direction and feedback on materials developed by Medical Writers, Editors, Graphic Artists, and other contributors.
  • Analyze and interpret complex medical literature, clinical data, and scientific documents, while reviewing analyses and deliverables produced by junior team members.
  • Partner with Strategic Account Directors to translate clients’ strategic, educational, and marketing objectives into effective scientific communication programs.
  • Lead or support scientific discussions with clients, authors, key opinion leaders, and faculty, ensuring their input is effectively incorporated into content development.
  • Manage, mentor, and develop Medical Writers, providing guidance, feedback, training, and support to maintain consistently high standards of scientific and editorial quality.
  • Maintain deep and current knowledge of assigned therapeutic areas, including emerging research, competitor products, drugs in development, treatment approaches, and market dynamics.
  • Attend relevant medical conferences and assess competitor activity, scientific developments, and market opportunities that may affect client products or communication strategies.
  • Provide scientific and strategic guidance to Writers, Editors, and other team members throughout the content development lifecycle.
  • Oversee regulatory review processes across assigned client teams, identify opportunities for consistency, and apply learnings to improve review workflows and content quality.
  • Manage timelines, priorities, resources, and stakeholder expectations to ensure projects are delivered effectively and within demanding schedules.
  • Participate in and help design advisory board meetings and other high-level scientific engagements.
  • Support new business development through prospect discussions, capabilities presentations, pitches, project scoping, and strategic planning.
  • Identify opportunities to expand existing client relationships and support the development of new business within relevant therapeutic areas.
  • Partner with senior content leadership to define and maintain standards of excellence, improve content development processes, optimize team resources, and identify capability gaps.
  • Help develop and deliver training programs for Writers and Editors to strengthen scientific, editorial, and communication capabilities.
  • Contribute to continuous improvement across the broader content development function through process innovation, knowledge sharing, and effective resource planning.
  • Travel as required for client meetings, medical conferences, advisory boards, internal collaboration, and other business needs.

  Requirements:

  • Advanced degree in the life sciences, such as an MD, PhD, or PharmD, is required.
  • Extensive professional experience in medical writing and scientific communications, with at least 2–3 years of experience within a medical communications agency.
  • Demonstrated ability to develop, review, and guide a broad range of scientific and medical deliverables while maintaining exceptional accuracy, clarity, and strategic relevance.
  • Strong experience interpreting complex medical literature and clinical information and translating it into accessible, compelling, and evidence-based communications.
  • Proven ability to work directly with pharmaceutical or biotechnology clients, authors, thought leaders, and other senior stakeholders across therapeutic areas.
  • Experience leading discovery, content strategy, scientific discussions, and quality-control processes throughout the development lifecycle.
  • Strong people-management and mentoring capabilities, with the ability to develop writers and other scientific team members while maintaining high performance standards.
  • Excellent written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to explain complex scientific concepts clearly to both technical and non-technical audiences.
  • Strong strategic thinking and problem-solving skills, including the ability to connect scientific evidence with client objectives and broader market dynamics.
  • Exceptional time-management and organizational skills, with the ability to manage multiple projects, competing priorities, and demanding timelines.
  • Ability to work independently while contributing effectively within a multidisciplinary, collaborative team environment.
  • Professional presence and interpersonal skills to build trusted relationships with clients, key opinion leaders, authors, and internal stakeholders.
  • Proficiency with Microsoft Word, PowerPoint, and Excel, Adobe Acrobat, and reference-management software such as EndNote.
  • Demonstrated ability to stay current with evolving scientific evidence, therapeutic-area developments, competitive activity, and industry trends.

  Benefits:

  • Competitive base salary range of $125,000–$155,000 USD, with final compensation determined by experience, skills, training, qualifications, and other applicable factors.
  • Eligibility for a discretionary annual bonus.
  • Health insurance and comprehensive employee benefits.
  • Retirement savings benefits.
  • Life insurance and disability benefits.
  • Paid parental leave.
  • Paid time off, including sick leave and vacation.
  • Opportunity to work on impactful medical communications programs for leading pharmaceutical and biotechnology organizations.
  • Collaborative environment with opportunities for professional development and scientific leadership.
  • Opportunity to mentor and develop scientific and medical writing talent.
  • Exposure to diverse therapeutic areas, scientific programs, clients, thought leaders, and emerging research.
  • Opportunity to contribute to strategic initiatives, business development, and the evolution of medical communications standards and processes.