Medical Science Liaison

About the role

As our Medical Science Liaison (MSL), you’ll be part of our field-based medical team, reporting to the Director of Medical Science Liaisons. The rare disease/oncology focused MSL develops on-going professional relationships with national and regional healthcare opinion leaders and other healthcare professionals in the hospital, institutional or clinical setting to provide medical and scientific support for company initiatives for TARA-002 (Lymphatic Malformations and NMIBC/oncology) and IV Choline Chloride.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities

• Identify and engage with top hospital-based clinicians and researchers to understand scientific needs and gather insights that support Protara strategies.
• Develop and maintain scientific, clinical, and technical expertise in Protara’s rare disease and uro-oncology portfolio through ongoing training and self-education, including attendance at relevant conferences, scientific workshops, and review of key publications and resources.
• Build territory plans for assigned geographies to include strategies and tactics for engagement with HCPs/key opinion leaders (KOLs) at their respective institutions and medical congresses.
• Support clinical trial execution including recruitment and site outreach as requested and communicate feedback to the Clinical Operations and Clinical Development teams. Work collaboratively with Clinical Operations and Clinical Development teams as requested.
• Identify, establish, and maintain collaborative relationships with key investigators, institutional leaders, medical groups, and consortia.
• Provide scientific evidence and clinical trial information to healthcare professionals, clinical trial staff, and payors in a clear, scientifically accurate, and balanced manner.
• Increase awareness in the medical community of the company and enhance company interaction with thought leaders.
• Assist in training of new hire MSLs and, as appropriate. This will include assisting in design and implementation of effective training curricula and field resources that will promote the company’s reputation as a patient-oriented and science-driven organization; a reliable source of balanced medical information; and a partner in education and research with health care providers (HCPs) engaged in treating patients with rare and oncologic diseases.
• Support the development and implementation of advisory boards and other scientific meetings. Present scientific data at these forums as requested.
• Maintain awareness of the competitive landscape for specific therapeutic areas of interest to the company including current disease management strategies, approved products, new/emerging therapies, and differentiating features of approved/emerging competitor products. Contribute to CI plan for medical congresses. Communicate insights back to the company in an effective manner, especially those that may pertain to ongoing and planned clinical trials.
• Execute MSL activities with adherence to all related policies and standard operating procedures, and with regulatory and other ethical guidelines relevant to the pharmaceutical industry.
• Address unsolicited medical questions related to clinical trials, Investigator Initiated Research Studies, and other scientific exchange.

Qualifications

• Advanced clinical/science degree or professional credentials required (MD/DO, PhD, PharmD, PA, NP, RN).
• 3-5+ years of experience in the biotech, start up or pharmaceutical industry, preferably in Medical Affairs, with 3+ years’ MSL experience and working with internal cross-functional teams.
• Oncology and rare disease experience are required.
• Must have experience in a hospital, institutional or clinical/pharmacy setting.
• Drive for personal excellence and accountability; set these expectations for the field team and promote the same for Medical Affairs colleagues.
• Business/enterprise mindset.
• Possess creative problem-solving skills.
• Strong interpersonal skills and demonstrated ability to work collaboratively in a dynamic, team-oriented environment.
• Strong organizational and business planning skills, including development of strategic plans and budgets, and adherence to targets.
• Ability to interact and communicate openly and effectively with Management, team members, HCPs/TLs, nurse coordinators and other clinical trial site staff, and payors. Experience conducting formal scientific presentations.
• Strong analytical skills, especially regarding understanding and interpreting scientific and clinical research and literature are essential.
• Adept, nimble, energetic, and comfortable in a fast-paced, dynamic, and collaborative environment.
• Capable of, and motivated by, taking a hands-on approach and "rolling up one's sleeves."
• Extensive travel (up to approx. 60%, US and international) with possible weekend congress obligations.

Physical Demands

The physical demands here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Average travel for this position is 50% with some variations based on the demands of the business needs.

Company

Protara is a clinical-stage biotechnology company committed to advancing transformative therapies for people with cancer and rare diseases. Protara’s portfolio includes its lead candidate, TARA-002, an investigational cell-based therapy in development for the treatment of non-muscle invasive bladder cancer (NMIBC) and lymphatic malformations (LMs). The Company is evaluating TARA-002 in an ongoing Phase 2 trial in NMIBC patients with carcinoma in situ (CIS) who are unresponsive or naïve to treatment with Bacillus Calmette-Guérin (BCG), as well as a Phase 2 trial in pediatric patients with LMs. Additionally, Protara is developing IV Choline Chloride, an investigational phospholipid substrate replacement for patients on parenteral support who are otherwise unable to meet their choline needs via oral or enteral routes.