Scientific Director - Publications/Medical Affairs
Scientific Director
Location: USA or Canada (Remote)
Employment Type: Full-Time
About the Role
A leading medical communications agency is seeking a Scientific Director to provide strategic leadership across publications and medical affairs. This individual will serve as a senior scientific partner to clients, guiding content strategy, ensuring scientific excellence, and driving high-impact communications across the product lifecycle.
You will play a critical role in shaping scientific narratives, overseeing complex deliverables, and mentoring scientific teams while collaborating cross-functionally with medical, commercial, and strategic stakeholders.
Key Responsibilities
Strategic Leadership & Client Partnership
- Serve as a trusted scientific advisor to clients, providing strategic input across publications and medical affairs programs
- Lead development of integrated scientific communication strategies, including publication plans and medical affairs engagement plans
- Contribute to scientific positioning, messaging frameworks, and evidence generation strategies across indications and lifecycle stages
Publications & Medical Affairs Oversight
- Provide senior oversight across a range ofdeliverables, including:
- Manuscripts, abstracts, posters, and congress presentations
- Publication plans and author engagement strategy
- Medical affairs materials (MSL tools, advisory boards, training content, scientific platforms)
Content Development
- Owning the development of a range of publicatoins and medical affairs fosuced deliverables
Team Leadership & Cross-Functional Collaboration
- Lead and mentor a team of medical writers, providing scientific direction, feedback, and career development support
- Collaborate with account, strategy, and creative teams to deliver integrated, client-focused solutions
- Partner with medical affairs and commercial stakeholders to ensure content aligns with broader brand and engagement objectives
Operational & Business Contribution
- Oversee multiple projects and programs, ensuring delivery on timelines, quality, and budget expectations
- Contribute to new business efforts, including pitch development and scientific input for proposals
- Identify opportunities to expand client engagements and bring innovative scientific communication approaches to the team
Qualifications
- Advanced degree required: PhD, MD, or PharmD
- Significant experience (~6-8+ years) in medical communications or a related field, with strong exposure to both publications and medical affairs
- Proven ability to lead publication strategy and execution (manuscripts, abstracts, congress deliverables)
- Demonstrated experience across medical affairs deliverables (MSL materials, advisory boards, training resources, scientific platforms)
- Experience managing and mentoring scientific teams