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Associate Scientific Director

New York, New York, United States

Associate Scientific Director

REMOTE/HYBRID

About Us
Virgo Health works for pharmaceutical, biotech, and device companies to inform and educate healthcare professionals about the latest developments in clinical research and therapeutic approaches. We leverage our meetings, digital, and interactive expertise to understand what’s easy and relevant for healthcare professionals to engage with. We tailor our content and design it to offer choice and active participation. Real, relevant, and human.

Job Overview
As part of the Virgo New York team, the associate scientific director (ASD) will take ownership of and produce high-quality educational materials for the pharmaceutical industry and other educational bodies to enhance understanding of the disease area/product, with the main aim of helping clients to communicate their educational objectives.

Core Responsibilities
Writing
• Write copy to the highest standard (quality and scientific) for a range of educational materials including development of oral presentations, publications, print items, and digital platforms, and for different audiences
• Develop, implement, and manage the delivery of medical education and communications materials that are aligned with client objectives and specifications and meet budgetary and schedule requirements

Client Activity
• Take and correctly implement briefs from the client or client services team
• Act as a senior lead to clients and thought leaders for specified projects/accounts
• Review work of more junior writers and provide feedback to ensure medical writing standards are consistently achieved
• Develop and maintain in-depth knowledge of therapy areas relevant to own accounts, including product data and educational messaging, terminology, and competitor awareness
• Accurately interpret client/author comments and precisely apply feedback
• Liaise professionally with pharmaceutical clients and key thought leaders to discuss scientific aspects of the project and act as the point of contact for both clients and key thought leaders on specified projects
• Provide on-site support as appropriate, eg, data gathering, on-site writing, thought leader support
• Contribute to the organic growth of accounts and development of new business proposals where appropriate

Team Working
• Brief freelancers as necessary
• Work with editorial assistant (or account executive) to manage materials through creative team
• Assist manager by proactively managing workload and forecast resource requirements to ensure adequate coverage to meet clients’ needs
• Ensure effective communication with internal team to ensure timely discussion of issues that may have an impact on Virgo’s ability to deliver high-quality work on budget

Knowledge
• Develop and maintain in-depth knowledge of therapy areas relevant to own accounts, including product data and educational messaging, terminology, and competitor awareness
• Build knowledge of the pharmaceutical industry and health arena
• Keep updated on new developments within medical writing arena and other med ed agency activity
• Use understanding of the pharma health environment, applying knowledge toward the implementation and development of client and new business programs
• Keep updated on the relevant regulatory codes and legislation

Other
• Accurately input hours worked into timesheets on to SAP

Experience/Skills Required
• Excellent scientific writing style with skills to adapt content and style to different audience groups
• Excellent attention to detail: style/consistency, good grammar, scientific accuracy, and experience in QCing work and sign-off of printer proofs
• Experience in developing in-depth knowledge of therapeutic areas/medical products
• Excellent time management skills and demonstrated ability to forecast and manage workload
• Flexible approach to working, with the ability to reprioritize and work under pressure when needed
• Ability to review work, coach, and provide feedback to team members
• Excellent interpersonal and communication skills, including client/key thought leader presentation skills
• IT skills (including MS Office, database/internet searching, etc)
• Knowledge of print/production procedures
• Budgetary awareness and experience of estimating scientific hours to input into budgets
• Understanding of drug development and compliance guidelines for medical writing

Level of Experience
• 1-3 years of experience at a healthcare communications agency 

Qualification
• Educated to degree level (or preferably higher) in a biomedical science

Virgo Characteristics
• Team player
• Passionate commitment
• Professionalism and client focus
• Open communication
• Self-development
• Coaching
• Detail focus
• Organization
• Commercial awareness
• Embraces change

Key Performance Indicators
• Client feedback
• Client retention
• Annual performance objectives and performance appraisal

Salary: $105,000-$130,000

Virgo has included the base salary range or hourly rate for this role. Actual compensation offered within the range will depend upon, among other factors: a candidate’s skills, qualifications, and experience; actual ranges for current or former employees in the role; and market considerations.

Virgo is proud to be an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, citizenship, disability or protected veteran status