Senior Director, Clinical Science, Thoracic Oncology (Hybrid)

MSD•Rahway, NJ

1d•Hybrid

About The Position

The Senior Director, Clinical Science, Thoracic Oncology provides strategic Clinical Science leadership across multiple studies, programs, and assets. Reporting to the Executive Director, this role contributes to disease area strategy and development planning by applying deep Thoracic Oncology expertise, guiding scientific approaches, and promoting consistency in scientific standards, medical data review, and decision-making across the portfolio. The role 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 Thoracic Oncology portfolio, integrating insights across assets and advancing consistent scientific approaches. The position may directly manage and develop multiple Clinical Scientists, providing leadership and coaching 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 partner functions. The role contributes to governance discussions and senior leadership reviews, supports regulatory compliance and inspection readiness, and identifies opportunities to improve Clinical Science quality and effectiveness.

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 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 and 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.
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 relevant experience; OR a Bachelor’s degree, preferably in life sciences, with 15+ years of relevant experience.

Nice To Haves

At least 8 years of pharmaceutical, clinical drug development, and/or medical field experience with an advanced scientific or healthcare degree is preferred.

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 data.
Apply expertise in Thoracic Oncology, disease biology, treatment landscape, and clinically meaningful endpoints to inform study planning, data interpretation, and issue resolution.
Integrate scientific insights across studies and assets to inform development decisions.
Standardize Clinical Science approaches, medical data review practices, data interpretation principles, deliverables, and portfolio-wide ways of working.
Establish and maintain standards, expectations, and leading practices for Clinical Science work.
Promote alignment across assets on endpoint interpretation, patient populations, safety topics, and emerging scientific issues.
Advocate for visual analytics, centralized data review, AI-enabled workflows, and other technologies that improve quality and efficiency.
Provide scientific guidance across assigned studies and programs and help identify and frame clinical, scientific, and data-related issues for cross-functional and governance discussions.
Contribute scientific perspective to protocols, amendments, study design, endpoint selection, eligibility criteria, biomarker strategy, and other development planning.
Serve as a Clinical Science subject matter resource for the disease area or therapeutic focus.
Contribute to portfolio discussions, governance reviews, and senior leadership meetings; prepare and present clinical and scientific content and cross-study insights as appropriate.
Translate portfolio priorities into Clinical Science strategies, capabilities, and resource plans.
Manage, coach, mentor, and develop Directors, Principal Scientists, and Clinical Scientists as appropriate.
Set expectations for scientific quality, strategic thinking, collaboration, and communication; promote accountability, inclusion, continuous learning, and team performance.
Partner with cross-functional functions and represent Clinical Science in planning, program discussions, and strategic decision-making forums.
Facilitate alignment across studies, programs, and functions and communicate clinical and scientific issues to stakeholders and leadership.
Ensure Clinical Science activities comply with applicable regulatory requirements, company policies, and procedures; support inspection readiness and appropriate documentation.
Identify opportunities to improve Clinical Science quality, consistency, and effectiveness, and maintain awareness of relevant scientific, clinical, and regulatory developments.