Senior Director, Clinical Science, Immunology, Hybrid

MSD•Boston, MA

7d•$210,400 - $331,100•Hybrid

About The Position

The Senior Director, Clinical Science, Immunology provides strategic Clinical Science leadership across multiple studies, programs, and assets. Reporting to the Executive Director, the role contributes to disease area strategy and development planning, applying deep Immunology expertise to guide scientific approaches and promote consistency in scientific standards, medical data review, and decision-making across the portfolio. The position partners with Section Heads, Asset Leads, Program Development Team Leads, and cross-functional development teams on study planning, data interpretation, issue resolution, and program decisions. It shapes Clinical Science practices across the Immunology portfolio through standardization, scientific alignment, and integration of insights across assets. The role may directly manage multiple Clinical Scientists and provides leadership, coaching, and direction in a matrix environment. The Senior Director collaborates with Clinical Operations, Regulatory Affairs, Biostatistics and Data Management, Drug Safety and Pharmacovigilance, Translational Medicine, Medical Affairs, and other functions. The role also contributes to governance discussions and senior leadership reviews, supports inspection readiness and regulatory compliance, and identifies opportunities to improve Clinical Science work.

Requirements

Advanced scientific or healthcare degree (e.g., PhD or PharmD) or equivalent, with 8+ years of pharmaceutical, clinical drug development, and/or medical field experience preferred; OR a master’s degree, preferably in life sciences, with 12+ years of such experience; OR a bachelor’s degree, preferably in life sciences, with 15+ years of such experience.
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 Immunology therapeutic area expertise, including disease biology, current and emerging treatment landscape, clinically relevant endpoints, and scientific considerations affecting development.
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 in 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 experience, including management, coaching, and development of scientific staff.
Ability to set direction aligned with organizational priorities and exercise sound scientific and strategic judgment in complex or ambiguous situations.
Ability to build collaborative relationships, lead through influence, align teams, and communicate effectively with team members, partners, and senior leaders.
Ability to foster inclusion, accountability, high standards, continuous improvement, learning, and thoughtful challenge.
Required skills listed: Clinical Development, Clinical Research Management, Clinical Sciences, Data Quality, Ethical Standards, High Performance Team Building, Immunology, Matrix Leadership, Matrix Management, Medical Monitoring, New Technology Integration, People Leadership, Pharmaceutical Industry, Regulatory Compliance, Therapeutic Knowledge, Trial Design.

Nice To Haves

Preferred skills listed: Data Interpretations, Next Generation Science Standards, Study Design.

Responsibilities

Provide strategic Clinical Science leadership across the Immunology disease area, including multiple studies, programs, and assets.
Contribute Clinical Science input to disease area strategy, development opportunities, portfolio risks, and assessment of emerging internal and external data.
Align Clinical Science activities with program and disease area objectives in partnership with Section Heads, Asset Leads, Program Development Team Leads, and cross-functional leaders.
Apply therapeutic expertise, disease biology, treatment landscape knowledge, and endpoint knowledge to study planning, data interpretation, and issue resolution.
Integrate scientific insights across studies and assets to inform development decisions.
Lead standardization of Clinical Science approaches, medical data review practices, data interpretation principles, and deliverables as appropriate.
Establish and maintain Clinical Science standards, expectations, and leading practices while accommodating program-specific needs.
Promote alignment across assets on 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 to improve quality and efficiency.
Provide senior scientific guidance across assigned studies and programs and guide interpretation of clinical data across studies, cohorts, and assets.
Identify and 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 Clinical Science perspectives to portfolio discussions, governance reviews, and senior leadership meetings; prepare and present relevant scientific content 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 support staff development through coaching, mentoring, feedback, and development opportunities.
Promote consistent role expectations, accountability, inclusion, continuous learning, and strong team performance.
Partner with and represent Clinical Science among cross-functional partners and facilitate alignment across studies, programs, and functions.
Ensure Clinical Science activities follow applicable regulatory requirements, company policies, and procedures; support inspection readiness and appropriate documentation.
Maintain awareness of scientific, clinical, and regulatory developments and identify ways to improve Clinical Science quality, consistency, and effectiveness.