Medical Director, Medical Affairs

Compass Pathways

12h • $270,000 - $320,000 • Remote

About The Position

The Medical Director, Medical Affairs will serve as a medical subject matter expert within Medical Affairs, initially focused on treatment-resistant depression (TRD) and investigational psychedelic therapeutics. The role provides clinical perspective, medical judgment, and strategic thought partnership to Medical Affairs leadership and functional teams. The Medical Director will help execute Medical Affairs strategy by evaluating clinical evidence, developing evidence-generation initiatives, and engaging external medical experts. The successful candidate will identify clinical knowledge gaps, recommend ways to address them, and help develop research initiatives that inform clinical practice. The position is remote in the United States and reports to the Executive Director, Medical Affairs.

The role includes providing medical guidance on TRD, interventional psychiatry, and emerging psychiatric treatments; leading research proposals and evidence-generation initiatives; overseeing Medical Affairs-sponsored research as appropriate; and contributing to scientific publications and presentations. The Medical Director will engage external experts and represent Medical Affairs at scientific forums, support scientific communications and medical review, and collaborate with Clinical Development, Clinical Sciences, Regulatory, Safety, HEOR, and other internal functions.

Compass Pathways is a biotechnology company focused on developing new treatment options in mental health care. Its initial focus is COMP360 psilocybin, an investigational synthetic treatment being evaluated for TRD and PTSD. Compensation for permanent hires includes base salary, discretionary bonus, equity, and benefits. The stated annual base salary range is $270,000–$320,000 USD; actual total compensation varies based on qualifications, skills, competencies, and work location.

Requirements

• MD or DO degree from an accredited medical institution.
• Clinical training and demonstrated expertise in psychiatry, with strong knowledge of treatment-resistant depression and contemporary psychiatric treatment approaches.
• Experience in clinical research, academic medicine, pharmaceutical development, Medical Affairs, or a related scientific or clinical setting.
• Ability to critically evaluate clinical research, interpret complex data, and communicate findings to diverse medical and scientific audiences.
• Experience contributing to clinical research, scientific publications, medical education, or other evidence-generation activities.
• Strong understanding of clinical research methodology, evidence-based medicine, and principles of scientific communication.
• Excellent interpersonal, communication, and collaboration skills, including the ability to engage effectively with senior medical and scientific stakeholders.
• Ability to manage multiple initiatives and work effectively across multidisciplinary teams.

Nice To Haves

• Board certification in Psychiatry.
• Clinical or research experience in interventional psychiatry, including esketamine, ketamine, transcranial magnetic stimulation, electroconvulsive therapy, or psychedelic therapeutics.
• Prior experience in pharmaceutical or biotechnology Medical Affairs, Clinical Development, or a related industry function.
• Experience developing research proposals, clinical protocols, real-world evidence studies, or investigator-initiated research programs.
• Established relationships within psychiatry, particularly in TRD, interventional psychiatry, or emerging psychiatric therapeutics.
• Experience leading scientific advisory boards, expert consensus initiatives, or other external scientific collaborations.
• Familiarity with pharmaceutical medical review processes, MLR governance, and regulatory requirements governing scientific communications.
• Experience supporting late-stage clinical development, product launch preparation, or early commercialization activities.

Responsibilities

• Serve as a medical subject matter expert in TRD, interventional psychiatry, and emerging psychiatric treatments.
• Provide clinical insights and recommendations to inform Medical Affairs priorities and initiatives.
• Evaluate clinical trial results, scientific literature, and evolving treatment guidelines to inform medical strategy and decision-making.
• Partner with Scientific Communications, Medical Information, Medical Education, and Field Medical leadership to ensure clinical relevance and consistency across Medical Affairs activities.
• Identify emerging developments and clinical practice considerations that may inform future Medical Affairs priorities, indications, and pipeline opportunities.
• Lead development of Medical Affairs research proposals and evidence-generation initiatives aligned with organizational scientific priorities.
• Collaborate with Clinical Development, Clinical Sciences, Biostatistics, HEOR, and other stakeholders on research concepts, protocols, and analysis plans.
• Provide medical oversight and direction for Medical Affairs-sponsored research, including real-world evidence studies, observational research, and other post-approval evidence-generation activities, as appropriate.
• Evaluate investigator-initiated research proposals and external research collaborations.
• Contribute to interpretation and dissemination of research findings through publications, congress presentations, and other appropriate channels.
• Lead or contribute to advisory boards, expert consultations, and other external engagements to identify unmet needs, evidence gaps, and evolving clinical practice considerations.
• Represent Medical Affairs in scientific discussions at medical congresses, professional society meetings, and other appropriate forums.
• Engage external experts to understand emerging clinical evidence, treatment practices, and implementation challenges associated with novel psychiatric interventions.
• Collaborate with Field Medical leadership on scientific exchange priorities, therapeutic area education, and interpretation of field medical insights.
• Support external research collaborations advancing understanding of TRD and emerging treatment approaches.
• Provide medical expertise for publications, scientific presentations, medical education materials, and Medical Information resources.
• Collaborate with Scientific Communications and Medical Information leadership to ensure materials accurately reflect available evidence and address clinically meaningful questions.
• Serve as a Medical Affairs representative on the Medical, Legal, and Regulatory (MLR) review committee and review materials in accordance with company procedures.
• Evaluate scientific claims, clinical data presentations, and medical content for accuracy, balance, clinical relevance, and consistency with available evidence.
• Collaborate with Regulatory, Legal, Compliance, and other stakeholders on appropriate scientific communication under applicable regulations, company policies, and review procedures.
• Provide medical expertise for responses to complex scientific inquiries and emerging questions from healthcare professionals.
• Serve as a medical partner to Clinical Development, Clinical Sciences, Regulatory, Safety, HEOR, and other functions on matters relevant to Medical Affairs.
• Facilitate the exchange of clinical insights between Medical Affairs and internal stakeholders.
• Contribute to cross-functional discussions about clinical evidence, treatment implementation, safety considerations, and future research opportunities.
• Support alignment of Medical Affairs activities with broader clinical development and organizational priorities.
• Collaborate with Medical Affairs functional leaders to identify needs, address emerging questions, and support execution of medical initiatives.

Benefits

• Base salary, discretionary bonus, and equity for permanent hires.
• Comprehensive benefits offering, including flexibility and generous time off, parental and reproductive support, health and medical benefits, mental health and wellbeing support, and financial health benefits.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Director
• Education Level: Ph.D. or professional degree