Regional Medical Scientific Director (Medical Science Liaison) - Ophthalmology (Upper Midwest & CO)

Job Description

Role Summary

• The Regional Medical Scientific Director (RMSD) is a credentialed (i.e., PhD, PharmD, OD, DO, or MD) therapeutic and disease expert who engages in bidirectional exchange of scientific or medical information with Scientific Leaders (SLs). The role provides balanced, factual, scientific information about non-product areas of interest to the Company and replies to scientific questions from SLs, including questions about Company products. The work of an RMSD is aligned to: Scientific Exchange, Research, Scientific Congress Support, and Scientific Insights.

• RMSDs liaise between the scientific community and the Company to enhance the comprehension of scientific foundations and goals for approved, in-development, and active Company-sponsored trials and/or investigator-sponsored research studies. The RMSD serves as a role model for other field medical team members in ways that include on-boarding and/or sharing of therapeutic expertise.

Location details:  This role covers Upper Midwest & Colorado (CO, MN, NE, KS, WI, IA, ND, SD)  Candidates must reside within the territory and can travel up to 50% (with some overnight) within the territory.

Responsibilities and Primary Activities

Scientific Exchange

• Develops professional relationships and engages with national and regional SLs to ensure access to company-approved medical and scientific information on areas of therapeutic interest and Company products

• Conducts peer-to-peer scientific discussions and maintains a reliable presence with those SLs to ensure they have a medical contact within the company

• Addresses scientific questions and directs SL inquiries on issues outside of RMSD scope (e.g., grants) to appropriate company resources consistent with applicable policies

• Maintains current knowledge and comprehension of dynamic scientific and clinical environment in the Company's Areas of Interest (AOI) for the RMSD’s specific therapeutic area.

 

Research

• Upon request from Global Center for Scientific Affairs (GCSA),

  • Initiates discussions with SLs and/or potential investigators that include scientific/data exchange within our AOI to determine the alignment with our research strategies, studies concepts, scientific merit, and qualifications for a specific compound or trial

  • Enhances the comprehension of the scientific foundations and goals of investigator-sponsored research

  • Identifies barriers to patient enrollment and retention efforts to achieve study milestones

• Upon request from Global Clinical Trial Operations (GCTO),

  • Recommends study sites and identifies potential investigators to participate in phase II-IV clinical development programs, conducts Site Initiation Visits (SIVs), and detects barriers to patient enrollment and retention efforts to achieve study milestones.

  • Protocol lead responsibilities in collaboration with GCTO

  • Addresses questions from investigators and provides information regarding participation in Company-sponsored clinical studies

Scientific Congress Support

• Engages in scientific congresses and medical meetings, facilitates scientific and data exchange for both Company and competitor data.

Scientific Insights

• Gathers feedback, data, or information during routine activities that can help the company better comprehend medical or scientific needs, priorities, or concerns of SLs and/or patients

 

Inclusive Mindset and Behavior

• Demonstrates eagerness to contribute to an environment of belonging, inclusion, and empowerment

• Leads by example and serves as a role model for creating, leading, and retaining and inclusive workforce

 

Required Qualifications, Skills, & Experience

Minimum

• PhD, PharmD, OD, DO, or MD

• Proven competence and a minimum of 2 years of Eye Care experience beyond that obtained in the terminal degree program

• Ability to conduct doctoral-level discussions with key external stakeholders

• Dedication to scientific excellence with a strong focus on scientific education and dialogue

• Excellent stakeholder management, communication, and networking skills

• A thorough comprehension of FDA, OIG, HIPAA, and other ethical guidelines, laws, and regulations relevant to the pharmaceutical industry and its customers

• Ability to organize, prioritize, and work effectively in a constantly changing environment

• Strong working knowledge of Microsoft Office Suite (Word, PowerPoint, Excel, Teams, OneNote)

• Familiarity with virtual meeting platforms

• Desire to contribute to an environment of belonging, engagement and empowerment by:

  • Working to transform the environment, culture, and business landscape

  • Leveraging inclusion to ensure business value, per global inclusion strategy

  • Ensuring accountability to drive an inclusive culture

  • Strengthening the foundational elements of inclusion

• Consistent adherence to field and corporate policies and Global Medical Scientific Affairs (GMSA) strategy, including field standard operating procedures (SOPs), Good Clinical Practice (GCP) guidelines, and administrative/operational responsibilities

Preferred

• Retina field-based medical experience

Required Skills:

Clinical Affairs, Clinical Care, Clinical Research, Medical Affairs, Ophthalmology

Preferred Skills:

Current Employees apply HERE

Current Contingent Workers apply HERE

US and Puerto Rico Residents Only:

Our company is committed to inclusion, ensuring that candidates can engage in a hiring process that exhibits their true capabilities. Please click here if you need an accommodation during the application or hiring process.

As an Equal Employment Opportunity Employer, we provide equal opportunities to all employees and applicants for employment and prohibit discrimination on the basis of race, color, age, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, protected veteran status, disability status, or other applicable legally protected characteristics.  As a federal contractor, we comply with all affirmative action requirements for protected veterans and individuals with disabilities.  For more information about personal rights under the U.S. Equal Opportunity Employment laws, visit:

EEOC Know Your Rights

EEOC GINA Supplement​

We are proud to be a company that embraces the value of bringing together, talented, and committed people with diverse experiences, perspectives, skills and backgrounds. The fastest way to breakthrough innovation is when people with diverse ideas, broad experiences, backgrounds, and skills come together in an inclusive environment. We encourage our colleagues to respectfully challenge one another’s thinking and approach problems collectively.

Learn more about your rights, including under California, Colorado and other US State Acts

U.S. Hybrid Work Model

Effective September 5, 2023, employees in office-based positions in the U.S. will be working a Hybrid work consisting of three total days on-site per week, Monday - Thursday, although the specific days may vary by site or organization, with Friday designated as a remote-working day, unless business critical tasks require an on-site presence.This Hybrid work model does not apply to, and daily in-person attendance is required for, field-based positions; facility-based, manufacturing-based, or research-based positions where the work to be performed is located at a Company site; positions covered by a collective-bargaining agreement (unless the agreement provides for hybrid work); or any other position for which the Company has determined the job requirements cannot be reasonably met working remotely. Please note, this Hybrid work model guidance also does not apply to roles that have been designated as “remote”.

The salary range for this role is

$190,800.00 - $300,300.00

This is the lowest to highest salary we in good faith believe we would pay for this role at the time of this posting. An employee’s position within the salary range will be based on several factors including, but not limited to relevant education, qualifications, certifications, experience, skills, geographic location, government requirements, and business or organizational needs.

The successful candidate will be eligible for annual bonus and long-term incentive, if applicable.

We offer a comprehensive package of benefits.  Available benefits include medical, dental, vision healthcare and other insurance benefits (for employee and family), retirement benefits, including 401(k), paid holidays, vacation, and compassionate and sick days. More information about benefits is available at https://jobs.merck.com/us/en/compensation-and-benefits.

You can apply for this role through https://jobs.merck.com/us/en (or via the Workday Jobs Hub if you are a current employee). The application deadline for this position is stated on this posting.

San Francisco Residents Only: We will consider qualified applicants with arrest and conviction records for employment in compliance with the San Francisco Fair Chance Ordinance

Los Angeles Residents Only: We will consider for employment all qualified applicants, including those with criminal histories, in a manner consistent with the requirements of applicable state and local laws, including the City of Los Angeles’ Fair Chance Initiative for Hiring Ordinance

Search Firm Representatives Please Read Carefully 
Merck & Co., Inc., Rahway, NJ, USA, also known as Merck Sharp & Dohme LLC, Rahway, NJ, USA, does not accept unsolicited assistance from search firms for employment opportunities. All CVs / resumes submitted by search firms to any employee at our company without a valid written search agreement in place for this position will be deemed the sole property of our company.  No fee will be paid in the event a candidate is hired by our company as a result of an agency referral where no pre-existing agreement is in place. Where agency agreements are in place, introductions are position specific. Please, no phone calls or emails. 

Employee Status:

Regular

Relocation:

No relocation

VISA Sponsorship:

No

Travel Requirements:

50%

Flexible Work Arrangements:

Remote

Shift:

Not Indicated

Valid Driving License:

Yes

Hazardous Material(s):

n/a

Job Posting End Date:

04/17/2026

*A job posting is effective until 11:59:59PM on the day BEFORE the listed job posting end date. Please ensure you apply to a job posting no later than the day BEFORE the job posting end date.