Medical Science Liaison, Nephrology -Northeast IL, MN, ND, WI

Otsuka America Pharmaceutical, Inc. is transforming customer engagement to better meet the needs of patients, caregivers, and healthcare providers in an evolving healthcare environment. This model focuses on local ecosystems, integrating account management, medical, patient access, marketing, and market access to improve patient care through coordinated, digital-enabled support.

About the Role

The Medical Science Liaison (MSL) is a field-based, integral member of Otsuka’s ecosystem team, contributing to the strategic business plan and identifying key stakeholders within the ecosystem. This role serves as a credible partner, providing clinical, scientific, and health economic information related to nephrology and immunology disease states and the appropriate use of Otsuka’s approved products. The MSL engages with Key Influencers (KIs), Local Practice Leaders (LPLs), healthcare providers, and patient groups to advance patient outcomes aligned with Otsuka’s objectives. Collaborating with ecosystem partners, the MSL customizes regional strategies to meet local needs and addresses the medical and educational requirements of customers. This role may also cover multiple products within a therapeutic area and share rich customer insights across the ecosystem.

Responsibilities

• Contribute a clinical and scientific perspective to the local execution plan, addressing customer challenges, issues, and opportunities to improve patient care and outcomes, including coordination of field activities.
• Build, cultivate, and leverage external relationships with key scientific and medical customers and organizations to understand evolving healthcare trends, disease states, Otsuka products, systems, and services across the ecosystem.
• Deliver on business objectives that impact the broader Medical Affairs organization beyond the assigned territory.
• Maintain a deep understanding of the ecosystem to align with Otsuka’s patient-centric strategy and priorities, ensuring optimal patient care.
• Serve as a credible source of evidence-based information, demonstrating the clinical, economic, and humanistic value of Otsuka and its products, and partner with stakeholders to apply real-world solutions for improved patient outcomes.
• Engage stakeholders at the local level who influence the broader region.
• Build and cultivate internal working relationships across the matrix team to ensure an enterprise approach when working with customers.
• Be accountable to regional Field Medical Affairs (FMA) leadership to shape and execute local medical strategies within planned timelines.
• Lead special projects and take on incremental roles within FMA as requested by management.
• Disseminate disease state and healthcare landscape information to customers in the field based on priorities.
• Provide clinical and data-focused training for promotional and disease state speakers; may serve as part of Otsuka’s speaker bureau for product education.
• Collect and submit medical insights that drive decision-making, prioritize evidence generation efforts, and share insights at the local ecosystem level.
• Assist with Otsuka’s clinical trials program, including registrational, post-marketing, and Investigator-Sponsored Trials (ISTs), health economic outcomes research, and other medical collaborations; provide clinical expertise and feedback on trial operations.
• Participate as a mentor in peer functional and therapeutic development, including onboarding new hires.
• Support other organizational areas, such as Safety & Pharmacovigilance, Sales Training, and the Field Medical Center of Excellence for mentoring and best practices sharing.

Qualifications

• MD/DO, PharmD, or PhD in life sciences, or a Master’s degree with equivalent clinical experience.
• Deep understanding of health systems, patient care delivery, and experience working with healthcare professionals and decision-makers.
• Minimum of 3 years of relevant experience in pharmaceutical industry Medical Affairs.
• Previous training or experience in immune-mediated kidney disease is preferred.

Skills

• Outstanding business acumen, with knowledge of the industry, Otsuka’s business model, value proposition, key competitors, and marketplace dynamics.
• Ability to identify solutions aimed at improving patient outcomes.
• Excellent communication and collaboration skills; professional maturity, confidence, and competence.
• Strong conflict resolution skills, with a proven ability to achieve resolution effectively and work in cross-functional environments.
• Strategic leadership of project teams and ability to summarize and communicate complex information concisely.
• Strong understanding of industry legal, regulatory, and compliance landscape.
• Ability to work in ambiguous, transforming environments.
• Alignment with Otsuka’s corporate values: Perseverance, Unconventional Thinking, and Humility.
• Willingness to travel up to 70% of the time, depending on territory size; preferred living location is a key city in the territory.

Competencies

• Accountability for Results: Focus on key strategic objectives, maintain high performance standards, and lead change.
• Strategic Thinking & Problem Solving: Make decisions considering long-term impact on customers, patients, employees, and the business.
• Patient & Customer Centricity: Maintain an ongoing focus on the needs of customers and key stakeholders.
• Impactful Communication: Communicate with logic, clarity, and respect to influence at all levels.
• Respectful Collaboration: Seek and value diverse perspectives to enhance partnerships and achieve common goals.
• Empowered Development: Actively engage in professional development as a business imperative.

Pay

Minimum $150,034.00 - Maximum $224,250.00, plus incentive opportunity. The range represents typical pay for individuals hired in the U.S., with actual pay determined by job experience, specific skills, and comparison to internal incumbents. Pay is typically positioned within the established range.

Benefits

• Comprehensive medical, dental, vision, and prescription drug coverage.
• Company-provided basic life, accidental death & dismemberment, short-term and long-term disability insurance.
• Tuition reimbursement and student loan assistance.
• Generous 401(k) match.
• Flexible time off, paid holidays, and paid leave programs.
• Additional company-provided benefits.