Senior Director, Clinical Science, Breast Oncology (Hybrid)

Merck•Boston, MA

3d•$210,400 - $331,100•Hybrid

About The Position

The Senior Director, Clinical Science, Breast Oncology provides strategic Clinical Science leadership across multiple studies, programs, and assets. Reporting to the Executive Director, the role contributes to disease-area strategy, development planning, and consistent scientific standards, medical data review practices, and decision-making across the portfolio. It requires deep expertise in breast cancer disease biology, the current and emerging treatment landscape, clinically meaningful endpoints, and scientific considerations that affect development strategy and study design. The Senior Director partners with Section Heads, Asset Leads, Program Development Team Leads, and cross-functional development teams to support study planning, data interpretation, issue resolution, and program decisions. The role shapes Clinical Science practices across the Breast Cancer portfolio by standardizing approaches, aligning scientific work, and integrating insights across assets. It may include direct management and development of multiple Clinical Scientists, with leadership, coaching, and direction in a matrix environment. The position collaborates with Clinical Operations, Regulatory Affairs, Biostatistics and Data Management, Drug Safety and Pharmacovigilance, Translational Medicine, Medical Affairs, and other partner functions. It contributes to governance discussions and senior leadership reviews, supports compliance with regulatory requirements and company procedures, and identifies ways to improve the quality and effectiveness of Clinical Science work. The position is hybrid, based primarily in Rahway, New Jersey, with 10% travel. The listed employee status is regular; relocation is not offered and visa sponsorship is not available.

Requirements

Significant experience in Clinical Development, Clinical Science, clinical drug development, or a related function in the pharmaceutical or biotechnology industry.
Demonstrated Clinical Science leadership across multiple studies, programs, or assets.
Deep therapeutic-area expertise, including understanding of disease biology, current and emerging treatment landscape, clinically relevant endpoints, and development considerations.
Strong understanding of clinical trial design, clinical development strategy, clinical data review, and interpretation of oncology data.
Experience contributing to disease-area strategy, portfolio discussions, or cross-program planning.
Experience contributing to regulatory submissions, safety reviews, or health authority interactions.
Experience working effectively in cross-functional teams within a matrix environment.
Ability to integrate information across studies and programs to support scientific and business decisions.
Excellent communication, influence, and executive presentation skills.
Demonstrated people leadership, including management, coaching, and development of scientific staff.
Advanced scientific or healthcare degree (e.g., PhD or PharmD), or equivalent, with 8 or more years of pharmaceutical, clinical drug development, and/or medical field experience; alternatively, a master's degree, preferably in life sciences, with 12 or more years of such experience; or a bachelor's degree, preferably in life sciences, with 15 or more years of such experience.
Required skills listed: Clinical Development, Clinical Research, Clinical Research Management, Clinical Sciences, Clinical Trial Planning, People Leadership, Scientific Literacy, Study Design, Therapeutic Knowledge, and Trial Design.

Nice To Haves

Preferred skills listed: Cross-Functional Teamwork, Leadership, and Oncology.
A master's degree is preferred in life sciences for the master's-level education pathway.
A bachelor's degree is preferred in life sciences for the bachelor's-level education pathway.

Responsibilities

Provide strategic Clinical Science leadership across multiple studies, programs, and assets in the disease area.
Contribute Clinical Science input to disease-area strategy, development opportunities, scientific considerations, portfolio risks, and implications of emerging internal and external data.
Partner with Section Heads, Asset Leads, Program Development Team Leads, and cross-functional leaders to align Clinical Science activities with program and disease-area objectives.
Apply therapeutic expertise to inform study planning, data interpretation, and issue resolution; integrate scientific insights across studies and assets.
Standardize Clinical Science approaches, including medical data review practices, data interpretation principles, and key deliverables, while accommodating program-specific needs.
Establish and maintain standards, expectations, and leading practices for Clinical Science work across the portfolio.
Promote alignment on disease-area considerations such as endpoint interpretation, patient populations, safety topics, and emerging scientific issues.
Advocate for innovative approaches such as visual analytics, centralized data review, AI-enabled workflows, and other technologies that improve quality and efficiency.
Guide interpretation of clinical data across studies, cohorts, and assets, and help frame clinical, scientific, and data-related issues for cross-functional and governance discussions.
Contribute scientific perspective to protocol development and amendments, study design, endpoint selection, eligibility criteria, biomarker strategy, and other development planning.
Serve as a Clinical Science subject matter resource across study teams and partner functions.
Contribute to portfolio discussions, governance reviews, and senior leadership meetings; prepare and present clinical and scientific content, cross-study insights, and assessments.
Translate portfolio priorities into Clinical Science strategies, capabilities, and resource plans.
Manage Directors, Principal Scientists, and Clinical Scientists as appropriate; set expectations and develop staff through coaching, mentoring, feedback, and development opportunities.
Promote consistent role expectations and ways of working, and foster accountability, inclusion, continuous learning, and strong team performance.
Represent Clinical Science in cross-functional planning, program discussions, and strategic decision-making; facilitate alignment and clear communication of scientific issues.
Ensure Clinical Science activities follow applicable regulatory requirements, company policies, and established procedures; support inspection readiness and documentation as applicable.
Identify opportunities to improve Clinical Science quality, consistency, and effectiveness, and maintain awareness of relevant scientific, clinical, and regulatory developments.