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Associate Scientific Director

New York, New York, United States

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 newly formed Virgo New York team the ASD will take ownership 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, 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 studio
• Assist manager by proactively managing workload and forecast resource requirements to ensure adequate resource
to meet clients’ needs
• Ensure effective communication with internal team to ensure timely discussion of issues that may impact on 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
• Utilize understanding of the pharma health environment, applying knowledge towards the implementation and 
development of client and new business programmes
• 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 and with skills to adapt to 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 reprioritise and work under pressure when needed
  • Ability to review work, coach and provide feedback to team members
  • Excellent inter-personal 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 editorial hours to input into budgets
  • Understanding of drug development and with compliance guidelines for medical writing

Level of experience
Successful track record working within a healthcare communications agency

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

Virgo Behaviors
• Team working
• Passionate commitment
• Open communication
• Professionalism and client focus
• Self development
• Detail focus
• Organization
• Commercial awareness
• Embracing change
• Coaching

Key performance indicators
• Performance appraisal and performance objectives
• Bi-annual client service review
• Client feedback

Salary: $105,500-$130,000

Golin 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.