Senior Medical Writer

About the role

As a Senior Medical Writer (SMW), your primary responsibility will be to provide scientific and medical/clinical writing support as part of a dedicated team servicing an assigned client. While the ability to work independently is key, the SMW will work closely with the Scientific Manager (i.e., Scientific Director) and other members of the client account team to help ensure the timely delivery of high-quality and scientifically/medically accurate assigned projects. As a Senior Medical Writer, your review of junior writers’ work will also be a key part of this role. Your participation in internal company initiatives, as required, offers additional potential opportunities for growth.

Responsibilities

The SMW role will fall broadly across the following approximate allocations (individual client account teams may have, from time to time, specific needs that may alter these allocations as may be necessary/required):

• Devote the vast majority of time to content development and writing, from inception to delivery, including but not limited to:
  • Accurate interpretation of clinical data (e.g., from clinical study reports, safety summaries, biostatistical tables, published articles, etc) and its accurate, concise adaptation to meet assigned projects’ stated objectives
  • Compliance with medical publications and medical communications requirements as relevant and appropriate (e.g., authorship guidelines, journal requirements, client confidential materials, etc)
  • Representing assigned work at internal and external (client) meetings as required (e.g., project status, author interactions, client publication committee meetings, etc)
  • Understanding and contributing to client publication and communication plans as required (e.g., impact on project timelines, appropriate congress and journal venues for assigned client/therapy area, relevance to client drug development planning, etc)
• Provide an opportunity to assist in the management of medical writing resources, including but not limited to:
  • Monitoring and helping to manage the medical writing workload, including for junior/other writers, as required
  • Collaboration with the Scientific Manager (i.e., Scientific Director) and account managers to help ensure adherence to agreed-upon timelines (e.g., project status reports, proactive flagging of problems, resource limitations/availability, etc)
  • Assisting in the onboarding and mentoring of new and junior medical writers, as required
• Occasionally assist the Scientific Manager (Scientific Director) and/or GMC Senior Leadership in business development activities such as background research and writing support for new business proposals

Requirements

• Advanced degree, preferably PhD but PharmD and MD may also be considered
• Prior relevant experience in a medical publications/medical communications agency preferred
• Minimum of 3–5 years’ experience of high-level content development; applicants with 1–2 years’ experience as a Senior Medical Writer while at a medical communications agency preferred
• Proven history of relevant high-level writing support, including:
  • Proficiency with ICMJE and GPP guidelines
  • Ability to read, analyze, and interpret scientific and technical journal content
  • Ability to develop and write to prescribed styles and formats
• Ability to work efficiently with network directories/databases
• Familiarity and ability to work with industry standard resources (e.g., PubMed/Medline, ClinicalTrials.gov, various market intelligence/data analytic providers, etc)
• Ability to work with cross-functional teams (e.g., editorial/library services, graphics/digital services, presentations support, etc)
• Proficiency with commonly used software including but not limited to word processing (e.g., MS Word), graphics (e.g., PowerPoint or Prism), and bibliographic software (e.g., EndNote), and adaptability to other applicable software as may be required from time to time
• Experience in resource organizing and mentoring strongly preferred
• Demonstrable command of the English language (read, write and speak)