Senior Medical Science Liaison, Nephrology - Florida/Puerto Rico

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

About the Role

The Senior 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. This role provides clinical, scientific, and health economic information related to nephrology and immunology disease states and Otsuka’s approved products. The Senior MSL engages with Key Influencers (KIs), Local Practice Leaders (LPLs), healthcare providers, and patient groups to advance patient outcomes aligned with Otsuka’s objectives. They collaborate with ecosystem partners to customize regional strategies and address local medical and educational needs, while also covering multiple products and sharing customer insights.

Responsibilities

• Contribute a clinical and scientific perspective to the local execution plan, addressing customer challenges, issues, and opportunities to improve patient care and outcomes.
• Build, cultivate, and leverage external relationships with key scientific and medical customers, including KIs, LPLs, Key Decision Makers (KDMs), and Patient Advocacy groups, to understand evolving healthcare trends, disease states, and Otsuka’s products and services.
• Deliver on business objectives that impact the broader Medical Affairs organization.
• 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’s products, and partner with stakeholders to apply real-world solutions for improved patient outcomes.
• Engage stakeholders at the local level who influence regional dynamics.
• Build and cultivate internal relationships across the matrix team to ensure an enterprise approach when working with customers.
• Shape and execute local medical strategies in alignment with regional Field Medical Affairs (FMA) leadership and 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 to drive decision-making, prioritize evidence generation, and share solutions 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 for optimal site selection and trial performance.
• Mentor peers in functional and therapeutic development, including new hires.
• Support other organizational areas, such as Safety & Pharmacovigilance for investigating safety-related issues, Sales Training for medical education, and the Field Medical Center of Excellence for mentoring and sharing best practices.

Requirements

• MD/DO, PharmD, or PhD in life sciences required.
• Previous training or experience as an MSL supporting Nephrology programs or in other medical affairs roles within the pharma/biotech industry, or an equivalent combination of education and experience.
• Previous training or experience in immune-mediated kidney disease is preferred.
• Deep understanding of health system interconnectivity, patient care delivery, and experience working with healthcare professionals and decision-makers.
• Minimum of 5+ years of relevant experience in pharmaceutical industry Medical Affairs.
• Outstanding business acumen, including 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 and ability to work effectively in a cross-functional environment.
• Ability to lead others and project teams strategically.
• Strong ability to summarize and communicate complex information and business objectives concisely and effectively.
• Strong understanding of industry legal, regulatory, and compliance landscape.
• Ability to work in an ambiguous environment undergoing transformation.
• Demonstrates behaviors aligned with Otsuka’s Corporate Brand: Perseverance, Unconventional Thinking, and Humility.
• Business travel, by air or car, up to 70% of the time, depending on territory size.
• Preferred living location is a key city in the assigned territory.

Skills

• 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 and achieve results.
• Respectful Collaboration: Seek and value diverse perspectives to enhance partnerships and common goals.
• Empowered Development: Actively engage in professional development as a business imperative.

Pay

Minimum $169,222.00 - Maximum $253,000.00, plus incentive opportunity. The range represents a typical pay range for individuals hired in the United States. Actual pay may vary based on 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.