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Associate Medical Writer information

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$13

$38

$57

How much do associate medical writer jobs pay per hour?

As of Aug 12, 2026, the average hourly pay for associate medical writer in California is $38.13, according to ZipRecruiter salary data. Most workers in this role earn between $25.87 and $48.17 per hour, depending on experience, location, and employer.

What are the key skills and qualifications needed to thrive as an associate medical writer?

To thrive as an Associate Medical Writer, you need a solid background in life sciences, strong writing abilities, and attention to detail, often supported by a relevant degree such as biology, pharmacy, or medicine. Familiarity with referencing tools (e.g., EndNote), medical literature databases (e.g., PubMed), and proficiency in Microsoft Office are typically required. Excellent communication, time management, and the ability to interpret complex scientific data set standout candidates apart. These skills ensure that scientific information is accurately and clearly communicated to varied audiences, supporting effective healthcare and regulatory decision-making.

What are some common challenges faced by associate medical writers during their first year on the job?

In their first year, Associate Medical Writers often find it challenging to quickly adapt to diverse writing styles and strict formatting guidelines required by different clients or regulatory bodies. Balancing tight deadlines while ensuring scientific accuracy and compliance can also be demanding, especially when juggling multiple projects. Additionally, learning to effectively collaborate with multidisciplinary teams—including clinicians, researchers, and senior writers—requires strong communication and organizational skills. However, with mentorship and constructive feedback, these challenges become valuable learning opportunities for professional growth.

What is the difference between Associate Medical Writer vs Medical Writer?

AspectAssociate Medical WriterMedical Writer
Required credentialsBachelor's degree, often in life sciences or related fieldBachelor's or higher degree, often with some experience
Work environmentEntry-level, training-focused, often in pharmaceutical or biotech companiesMore independent, involved in complex document creation for regulatory or scientific purposes
Employer usagePharmaceutical, biotech, medical communications agenciesPharmaceutical companies, CROs, medical communication firms

The main difference between an Associate Medical Writer and a Medical Writer lies in experience and responsibility. Associate Medical Writers are typically entry-level, focusing on learning and supporting document preparation, while Medical Writers handle more complex projects independently. Both roles require similar educational backgrounds and are common in the pharmaceutical and biotech industries.

What does an associate medical writer do?

An Associate Medical Writer is responsible for creating scientific documents, such as clinical study reports, regulatory submissions, and manuscripts for publication. They work closely with medical professionals, researchers, and regulatory teams to ensure accuracy and compliance with guidelines. Their role often involves interpreting complex scientific data and presenting it in a clear, concise manner for different audiences. Associate Medical Writers are typically early in their medical writing careers and receive guidance from more senior writers as they develop their skills.
What are the most commonly searched types of Medical Writer jobs in California? The most popular types of Medical Writer jobs in California are:
What are popular job titles related to Associate Medical Writer jobs in California? For Associate Medical Writer jobs in California, the most frequently searched job titles are:
What job categories do people searching Associate Medical Writer jobs in California look for? The top searched job categories for Associate Medical Writer jobs in California are:
What cities in California are hiring for Associate Medical Writer jobs? Cities in California with the most Associate Medical Writer job openings:
Associate Medical Writer jobs near you
Infographic showing various Associate Medical Writer job openings in California as of August 2026, with employment types broken down into 1% As Needed, 69% Full Time, 23% Part Time, 2% Temporary, and 5% Contract. Highlights an 91% Physical, 1% Hybrid, and 8% Remote job distribution, with an average salary of $79,311 per year, or $38.1 per hour.

Associate Director, Regulatory and Medical Writer

Ionis

Carlsbad, CA • On-site, Remote

Full-time

Re-posted 24 days ago

Job description

Headquartered in Carlsbad, California, and with offices in Boston, Massachusetts, and Dublin, Ireland, Ionis has been at work for more than three decades discovering medical breakthroughs that have redefined life for people with serious diseases. We're pioneers in RNA-targeted medicines, and our platform continues to revolutionize drug discovery and transform lives for patients with unmet needs. With multiple marketed medicines and a leading pipeline in neurology, cardiology and select areas of high patient needs, we continue to drive innovation in RNA therapies in addition to advancing new approaches in gene editing to provide greater value to patients and are well positioned financially to deliver on our strategic goals.
At Ionis, we pride ourselves on cultivating a challenging, motivating and rewarding environment that fosters innovation and scientific excellence. We know that our success is a direct result of the exceptional talents and dedication of our employees.
With an unprecedented opportunity to change the course of human health, we look to add diverse individuals, skill sets and perspectives to our exceptional team. We continue to invest time, money and energy into making our onsite, hybrid and remote work environments a place where solid and lasting relationships are built and where our culture and employees can thrive.
We're building on our rich history, and we believe our greatest achievements are ahead of us. If you're passionate about the opportunity to have meaningful impact on patients in need, we invite you to apply and join us. Experience and contribute to our unique culture while you develop and expand your career!
ASSOCIATE DIRECTOR - REGULATORY AND MEDICAL WRITING
SUMMARY:
The Associate Director, Medical Writing is responsible for leading the planning, development, and delivery of complex clinical and regulatory documents in support of global regulatory submissions and development programs.
This role provides strategic leadership within the Regulatory and Medical Writing function, serving as a key partner to Clinical Development, Biostatistics, and other cross-functional teams to ensure high-quality, scientifically rigorous, and compliant regulatory documentation.
The Associate Director will lead medical writing activities across multiple programs, drive document strategy and messaging, and contribute to regulatory submission planning. This position may also mentor and guide other medical writers while ensuring consistency, quality, and adherence to regulatory standards.
This role reports to the Executive Director (Head) of Regulatory and Medical Writing.
This position may be fully remote; however, preference will be given to San Diego-based applicants.
RESPONSIBILITIES:
  • Working with the Executive Director, Regulatory and Medical Writing, lead the development, authoring, and delivery of complex regulatory documents such as clinical study reports and marketing application summary documents (Module 2), and lead and/or contribute to Investigator's Brochures, clinical study protocols, and briefing documents.
  • Serve as Regulatory Medical Writing lead on cross-functional program teams, partnering with Clinical Development, Regulatory Affairs, Biostatistics, Safety, and other stakeholders.
  • Provide strategic input into regulatory document planning and submission strategies to support global regulatory filings.
  • Serve as Medical Writing department lead on multiple project/core teams.
  • Function as subject matter expert within the department for assigned therapeutic/product areas.
  • Responsible for planning (in collaboration with Global Project Management) and leading cross-functional teams to meet timelines for deliverables.
  • Lead complex scientific key messaging/storyboarding cross-functional meetings, ensuring the messages are clear and consistent within and across documents.
  • Understand, assimilate, and interpret sources of information independently.
  • Ensure compliance with appropriate conventions, proper grammar usage, and correct format requirements, as needed (e.g., formatting, hyperlinking).
  • Manage review cycles for documents; schedule and lead data interpretation meetings, comment resolution meetings, and other document-related meetings.
  • Perform quality control (QC) reviews as necessary.
  • Interact with Quality Assurance (QA) as document lead to resolve audit findings for specific documents.
  • Maintain expert knowledge of US and international regulations, requirements, and guidance associated with preparation of regulatory documentation.
  • Effectively coordinate with Regulatory Operations to ensure on-time preparation and publication of regulatory submission documents.
  • Support Global Regulatory Lead with preparing information/responses requested by regulatory agencies.
  • Mentor and provide guidance to junior and senior medical writers, contributing to departmental best practices and writing standards.
  • Other duties as assigned.

REQUIREMENTS:
  • Bachelor's degree required; advanced degree in a scientific, clinical, or regulatory field preferred.
  • 12+ years of medical writing experience in the pharmaceutical industry, including marketing applications (e.g., Module 2.5, 2.7.3, 2.7.4). Rare disease experience a plus.
  • Proven lead writer experience for key regulatory documents (e.g., CSRs, protocols, IBs, INDs, NDAs, briefing documents), strong expertise in safety sections preferred.
  • Demonstrated experience leading medical writing activities for major regulatory submissions, including marketing applications.
  • Significant experience as lead writer for Module 2 summary documents (e.g., 2.5, 2.7.1, 2.7.2, 2.7.3, and 2.7.4) and other key regulatory documents.
  • Experience writing clinical study reports, Investigator Brochures, clinical protocols, IND/NDA sections, and regulatory briefing documents. In depth experience writing Safety sections of regulatory documents preferred.
  • Experience writing requests for regulatory designations (e.g., Breakthrough Designation, Orphan Drug, Sakigake, PRIME, etc) a plus.
  • Strong understanding of the drug development lifecycle and regulatory submission processes.
  • Extensive knowledge of FDA, EMA, and ICH guidelines (especially ICH E3 and E6[R3]).
  • Demonstrated ability to lead cross-functional teams and manage complex document development projects.
  • Strong ability to interpret complex scientific and clinical data and translate it into clear regulatory narratives.
  • Proficiency in American Meical Association (AMA) style guidelines.
  • Advanced attention to detail with expertise in scientific editing, formatting, and document QC.
  • Technical proficiency with Microsoft Office and Adobe Acrobat, and document management systems such as Veeva.
  • Experience with StartingPoint templates preferred.
  • Advanced written and verbal communication skills (including presentations), and project management skills, with the ability to clearly communicate complex scientific concepts across functional teams.
  • Extensive experience using style guides, lexicons, and eCTD requirements.
  • Demonstrated ability to mentor writers and contribute to a collaborative team environment.
  • Energetic, self-motivated, and able to thrive in a dynamic, intense, and fast-paced environment.
  • Strong team orientation with the ability to lead initiatives and drive results across cross-functional teams.
  • Advanced time-management skills. Ability to balance multiple projects simultaneously.

A brief medical writing exercise may be requested prior to interview.
Please visit our website, http://www.ionis.com for more information about Ionis and to apply for this position; reference requisition # IONIS003873
Ionis offers an excellent benefits package! Follow this link for more details: Ionis Benefits
Full Benefits Link: https://www.ionis.com/careers/working-at-ionis/#:~:text=our%20employee%20spotlight-,Benefits,-Employees%20are%20rewarded
The pay scale for this position is $142,588 to $201,472
NO PHONE CALLS PLEASE. PRINCIPALS ONLY.
Ionis Pharmaceuticals, Inc. and all its subsidiaries are proud to be EEO employers.
Equal Opportunity Employer
This employer is required to notify all applicants of their rights pursuant to federal employment laws.
For further information, please review the Know Your Rights notice from the Department of Labor.

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