Medical Director - Ophthalmology

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The Position

Medical Director, Ophthalmology

Based in Welwyn, UK

This position will be within the Early development Group of the Ophthalmology department in the Pharmaceutical Research and Early Development organization (pRED) at Roche.

Roche has a strong pipeline of Ophthalmology medicines and is expanding its portfolio in retinal vascular diseases, dry age-related macular degeneration and front of the eye diseases. With global partnerships and collaborations, Roche offers ample opportunities for drug development and career growth in Ophthalmology.

The Ophthalmology unit of Roche is rapidly growing and innovating and therefore offers the position of a Medical Director.

The opportunity
We are offering the opportunity to join our Ophthalmology medical team. Currently, we are a team of 5 Medical Directors (MDs) working in diseases like age-related macular degeneration, diabetic retinopathy, dry eye disease, and others. You will play a key role in translating breakthrough science into transformative medicines that address significant unmet needs in vision loss. You will lead the molecule's clinical strategy from the preclinical stage through proof-of-concept.  

Your roles & responsibilities

• Act as a core member of the Ophthalmology Early Development Team and assigned study teams by contributing to project deliverables (pre-clinical and clinical stage ophthalmology programs) and the generation of robust scientific and clinical evidence from the medical perspective

• Scientific Leadership: Serving as the internal and external Subject Matter Expert (SME) for a specific therapeutic area (i.e. Ophthalmology).

• Strategic Planning: Aligning medical goals with business objectives to ensure the clinical value of a drug is recognized by physicians, payors, and regulators.

• Compliance & Ethics: Acting as the "conscience" of the company, ensuring all communications and trials meet rigorous ethical, legal, and safety standards (GCP/ICH guidelines).

• KOL Engagement: Building peer-to-peer relationships with Key Opinion Leaders (KOLs) and leading researchers to gather insights and share data.

• Lead the clinical expert team to produce high quality clinical deliverables on schedule

• Oversight of all elements underpinning Clinical Study Execution

• Protocol Design: Writing the "blueprints" for Phase I–II clinical trials.

• Medical Monitoring: Reviewing real-time patient data to ensure participant safety and trial integrity.

• Regulatory Submissions: Authoring and supervising the clinical sections of the New Drug Application (NDA) and defending data before regulatory bodies

• Scientific Communications: content generation, oversight and accountability for conference presentations, manuscript publications, etc.

Who you are:

• M.D. or M.D. Ph.D. in a relevant field (e.g., Ophthalmology, Molecular Biology, Biomedical Sciences or related discipline). Board certification in Ophthalmology is strongly preferred.

• Strong experience in academic research, pharmaceutical industry or in a clinical setting, with a demonstrated track record of impactful contributions, supported by a strong scientific publication record.

• Solid understanding of methodological and bioanalytical approaches, with the proficiency to contribute to the integration and interpretation of pre-clinical and clinical data to support proof of biology, efficacy, and safety assessments.

• Expertise in the Ophthalmology field: deep understanding of ocular cell biology and physiology, including the etiopathological mechanisms of the most relevant ophthalmic conditions (e.g. nAMD, DME, DR, iAMD/GA). Experience in drug development for Ophthalmology is a plus.

• You always put patients at the center of our operations and ensure everything we do will sustainably benefit patients.

• Demonstrated scientific curiosity and passion to drive projects and innovate, with the ability to take initiative and suggest new ideas.

• Proven experience working in cross-functional, matrix teams, with strong interpersonal and collaboration skills.

• Goal-oriented and highly motivated, with an analytical mindset and the ability to distill complex issues into actionable solutions.

• Outstanding organizational skills, with the ability to manage multiple priorities and meet tight deadlines in a fast-paced environment.

• Excellent presentation and communication skills, with the ability to clearly articulate complex scientific ideas in a concise and accessible manner.

• Fluent in English (both written and spoken). 

Your responsibilities will be tailored to your experience level.

The preferred start date of this role is June 2026 or upon availability. Please clearly indicate your preferred starting date on your motivation letter.

All applications need to include a CV and cover letter.

Who we are

A healthier future drives us to innovate. Together, more than 100’000 employees across the globe are dedicated to advance science, ensuring everyone has access to healthcare today and for generations to come. Our efforts result in more than 26 million people treated with our medicines and over 30 billion tests conducted using our Diagnostics products. We empower each other to explore new possibilities, foster creativity, and keep our ambitions high, so we can deliver life-changing healthcare solutions that make a global impact.

Let’s build a healthier future, together.

The statements herein are intended to describe the general nature and level of work being performed by employees, and are not to be construed as an exhaustive list of responsibilities, duties, and skills required of personnel so classified. Furthermore, they do not establish a contract for employment and are subject to change at the discretion of Roche Products Ltd. At Roche Products we believe diversity drives innovation and we are committed to building a diverse and flexible working environment. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, religion or belief, sex, gender reassignment, sexual orientation, marriage and civil partnership, pregnancy and maternity, disability or age. We recognise the importance of flexible working and will review all applicants’ requests with care. At Roche difference is valued and we are proud to be an equal opportunity employer where you are encouraged to bring your whole self to work.