Job Description Vertex Pharmaceuticals Senior Medical Science Liaison, Australia
The Senior Medical Science Liaison (Sr MSL) will serve as a scientific liaison to the medical/academic community and is responsible for establishing and maintaining relationships with Health Care Providers/Professionals (HCPs) to ensure the appropriate dissemination of clinical and scientific information regarding Vertex' compounds (current focus on cystic fibrosis) in a timely, ethical and stakeholder-focused manner. The Sr MSL will contribute to shaping the medical plan by providing external stakeholders' insights and contribute to the designing and execution of the Medical Affairs strategy and plan. The Sr MSL will engage HCPs in response to scientific educational and research needs with available Vertex resources and provide the latest emerging data in response to specific inquiries, as appropriate. The Sr MSL role is highly collaborative and patient-focused, requiring impactful engagement with healthcare community, deep scientific knowledge, business acumen, and strong strategic alignment with cross-functional teams.
Key Responsibilities
- Develops and fosters effective and trusting relationships with Thought Leaders and identifies and engages other appropriate HCPs resulting in scientific engagement with a large network of CF care providers and opinion leaders
- understands the inter-relationships both within and between academic centres and utilizes this expertise to enhance Thought Leader and HCP engagements
- Independently incorporates the medical plan into interactions and territory planning (i.e. listening priorities) and captures valuable feedback in the CRM system to inform internal stakeholders and assist in shaping the medical strategy
- Discusses scientific information effectively and compliantly with external stakeholders at an advanced level of communication for both disease state and product to external stakeholders as assessed by management coaching and field observations
- applies proficient knowledge of relevant disease and disease management protocols, healthcare environment and competitors to articulate the medical and scientific value of our products
- Leads and supports medical education initiatives, including scientific meetings and other medical engagements
- Supports the development and execution of country medical plans and develop strategic customer engagement plans
- Represents Vertex at medical congresses by providing scientific session/abstract coverage, booth staffing coverage, routine TL interactions, contributing to the daily and end of congress summaries and may provide logistical guidance as the “MSL congress lead” through organizing and scheduling abstract/session coverage and preparing and delivering the conference debrief
- Partners effectively and compliantly with commercial field teams in the key account management process, while enhancing cross-functional collaboration to navigate the local healthcare environment
- Conducts all activities in compliance with Vertex policy and procedures and performs all administrative tasks in a timely manner such as CRM entry, vehicle mileage reporting, expense reporting, calendar entries, training assignments, etc.
Required Education Level
Advanced degree in biomedical, scientific, or medical disciplines (e.g., PhD, MD, PharmD, Nursing, or Allied Health)
Required Experience
A minimum of 5 years of experience as a MSL, or in other medical affairs roles in the pharma/biotech industry or the equivalent combination of education and experience Previous training or experience in designated therapeutic area is helpful Experience in pulmonary diseases, immunology, endocrinology or nephrology is highly desirable
Required Knowledge/Skills
- Ability to complete goals within allotted timeframes, and deliver high quality results
- Ability to help plan and complete projects in a constantly changing field-based environment
- Ability to create solutions to identified issues
- Ability to appraise and comprehend medical and scientific literature
- Ability to effectively present clinical/scientific information in a credible manner in varied settings
- Apply proficient knowledge of relevant disease and disease management protocols, healthcare environment and competitors to articulate the medical and scientific value of our products
- Demonstrated working understanding around the compliance and regulatory frameworks that govern the pharmaceutical industry and conducts compliant interactions with internal and external stakeholders
- In-depth knowledge of payers and unique medical information needs to support access and appropriate use of Vertex medicines
- In-depth understanding of healthcare regulatory environment
- Ability to use Microsoft Office programs and to work in a matrix environment
- Fluent in English & Local Language (oral and written)
Other Requirements
Valid driver's license Ability to travel as part of the MSL territory, depending on assigned geography; including occasional weekend travel #LI-SG1 #LI-Field
Company Information
Vertex is a global biotechnology company that invests in scientific innovation. Vertex is committed to equal employment opportunity and non-discrimination for all employees and qualified applicants without regard to a person's race, color, sex, gender identity or expression, age, religion, national origin, ancestry, ethnicity, disability, veteran status, genetic information, sexual orientation, marital status, or any characteristic protected under applicable law. Vertex is an E-Verify Employer in the United States. Vertex will make reasonable accommodations for qualified individuals with known disabilities, in accordance with applicable law. Any applicant requiring an accommodation in connection with the hiring process and/or to perform the essential functions of the position for which the applicant has applied should make a request to the recruiter or hiring manager, or contact Talent Acquisition at ApplicationAssistance@vrtx.com.
Help Us Achieve Our Mission
Vertex is a global biotechnology company that invests in scientific innovation to create transformative medicines for people with serious diseases. The company has approved medicines that treat the underlying causes of multiple chronic, life-shortening genetic diseases — cystic fibrosis, sickle cell disease and transfusion-dependent beta thalassemia — and continues to advance clinical and research programs in these diseases. Vertex also has a robust clinical pipeline of investigational therapies across a range of modalities in other serious diseases where it has deep insight into causal human biology, including APOL1-mediated kidney disease, acute and neuropathic pain, type 1 diabetes, myotonic dystrophy type 1 and alpha-1 antitrypsin deficiency . Founded in 1989 in Cambridge, Mass., Vertex's global headquarters is now located in Boston's Innovation District and its international headquarters is in London. Additionally, the company has research and development sites and commercial offices in North America, Europe, Australia, Latin America and the Middle East. Vertex is consistently recognized as one of the industry's top places to work, including 14 consecutive years on Science magazine's Top Employers list and one of Fortune’s 100 Best Companies to Work For. For company updates and to learn more about Vertex's history of innovation, visit www.vrtx.com or follow us on Facebook, Twitter/X , LinkedIn, YouTube and Instagram.
The diversity and authenticity of our people is part of what makes Vertex unique, and we recognize that each employee brings diverse perspectives and strengths. By embracing those strengths and celebrating differences, we are fostering an inclusive culture where each of us can bring our authentic selves to work, inspire innovation together, and change people’s lives. Our vision is clear: to be the place where an authentic, diverse mix of talent want to come, to stay, and do their best work.