Clinical Development Physician, Oncology Solid Tumor (Medical Director)

Astellas Pharma; Northbrook (IL); Hybrid; USD 207,000 - 296,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical Insurance

Dental Insurance

Vision Insurance

401(k) match

Job summary

Astellas Pharma, based in Northbrook, Illinois, seeks an experienced clinical development leader to oversee and drive trial strategies in Immuno-Oncology. The role covers both late and early-phase programs, coordinating with global teams to ensure safety, data quality, and regulatory readiness.

You will lead protocol development, site oversight, and cross-functional collaboration with medical affairs, pharmacology, and regulatory to shape trial execution and outcomes.

Qualifications

• MD or MD/PhD with oncology fellowship completed.
• 5+ years in pharma or academia in clinical trial design and execution.
• Proven record designing trials that yield high-quality data.
• Experience as medical monitor and coordinating trial execution.
• Excellent English communication and global collaboration skills.

Responsibilities

• Collaborate with asset teams and lead clinical study teams on trials.
• Serve as Medical Monitor and ensure patient safety across studies.
• Plan dose selection, escalation and safety management for programs.
• Integrate translational inputs into development strategies and trial designs.
• Develop regulatory documents and ensure alignment with strategy.
• Present clinical development plans at governance meetings.

Skills

Communication skills

Global teamwork

Clinical trial design

Regulatory knowledge

Bio-pharma industry experience

Education

MD or MD/PhD with oncology fellowship

Job description

About Astellas Astellas is a global life sciences company committed to turning innovative science into VALUE for patients. We provide transformative therapies in disease areas that include oncology, ophthalmology, urology, immunology and women's health. Through our research and development programs, we are pioneering new healthcare solutions for diseases with high unmet medical need. Learn more at Astellas.com.

Are you driven to make a real difference in the lives of patients? We\'re seeking passionate individuals who thrive in dynamic environments, embrace new ideas, and aren\'t afraid to take intelligent risks. People who act with unwavering integrity and are deeply committed to making a tangible impact.

Purpose & Scope

• Responsible for overseeing the design and delivery of trials within a given late phase program or multiple early-phase programs in the Immuno-Oncology group.
• Reports to the Medical Lead/disease area strategy head for the given program(s) and is accountable for defining the strategy and execution of assigned trials.
• Clinical team leader with clear understanding of areas of responsibilities and accountabilities of the role. Team player who is comfortable in situations where the role serves as a consultant and support to other functions and particularly the asset area. Understands the criticality of information and knowledge management, partnership and collaboration required in drug development.

Role And Responsibilities

• Collaborates effectively with key internal and external stakeholders as a member of the asset team and leader of the clinical study team to advance one or more clinical trials.
• Serves as Medical Monitor w/ responsibility for safety monitoring. Ensures patient safety on clinical study is maintained. Generates safety related documents, such as medical monitoring reports and the safety database, to ensure that the reporting of SAEs is current and complete. Collaborates closely with safety officer in writing and/or reviewing Safety Narratives, Investigator Letters, and other safety documentation for site-reported safety events.
• Coordinates with Safety Officer on program for appropriate benefit-risk assessments, planning FIH study dose selection and escalation path for early-phase programs, safety management on trials, provides clinical input and review of clinical documents, statistical analysis plans, interim and final analyses on trials, publications, CSRs, DSURs and other critical documents.
• Able to assimilate Research, Clinical Pharmacology, Biomarker, medical safety, Toxicology (early phase programs) regulatory, biostatistics, medical affairs, Health Economics, commercial perspectives into clinical development strategies and trial designs.
• Responsible for managing the process of development of protocol and necessary regulatory documents.
• Accountable and responsible for development and implementation, and execution of clinical trials as part of a large complex late phase (post POC, established market) program or a group of earlier stage programs, in alignment with Asset and overall clinical strategy.
• In late phase program serves as the Lead for an indication specific clinical development team and is responsible and accountable for both strategy and execution of the clinical development plan for that indication or line of therapy.
• In earlier phases, serves as the clinical lead for the entire clinical development strategy and execution for a given program.
• Acquires public knowledge regarding therapeutic landscape, potential competitor products and serves as clinical voice regarding the potential for impact on planned clinical, medical affairs and commercial strategies.
• Creates and maintains scientific/clinical networks and seeks external opinion leader as appropriate. Serve as the clinical interface during clinical advisory boards, investigator meetings, and interactions with opinion leaders.
• Serves as the clinical interface in regulatory authority interactions.
• Accountable for clinical development milestones for their given trials. Supports Medical lead and Asset team at governance meetings and is able to present the clinical development plan in a succinct and clear manner at such meetings.
• Works with Development Scientists and Clinical Operation Leads to ensure efficient and streamlined execution of clinical trials and acquisition and interpretation of high-quality clinical data to inform program-level decision making and overall development strategies.
• Designs scientifically rigorous, cost-effective, and patient-centric clinical trials in accordance with the Clinical development Plan. Accountable for Clinical trial scope development and authoring of the protocol, IB, ICF as appropriate, in coordination with development scientists, clinical operations, medical writing and regulatory.
• Responsible for keeping medical lead, asset lead and Development Head informed on progress of trials, risks, planned/required mitigations, and changes to timelines and budgets.
• Supports clinical development related initiatives as needed. Leads and/or participates in scientific and medical training to other team members and external clients, investigators, and other site staff as it pertains to assigned studies.

Required Qualifications

• MD or MD/PhD with oncology fellowship complete. Board certified with patient treatment experience beyond fellowship preferred.
• Must have 5 years of pharmaceutical industry or academia experience specifically in clinical trial design and execution in a bio-pharmaceutical development organization or a balance of experience at an academic institution and a pharmaceutical company.
• Proven record of designing clinical trials that can produce high quality data in a timely manner for decision making.
• Documented experience planning and managing clinical trials, serving as medical monitor, managing trial execution in coordination with clinical operations.
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills in English.
• Experience working in global teams and a global matrixed, remote working environment.
• Aware of cultural diversity and how to influence and manage in a multi-cultural organization.
• Highest level of scientific integrity and impeccable work ethics

Preferred Qualifications

• Extensive experience in gastroesophageal or thoracic oncology or immuno-oncology in solid tumors
• Prior clinical research experience in an academic setting
• Experience in all phases of Clinical Development and interfaces with Drug Discovery through Marketing.
• Direct experience leading global regulatory marketing authorization submissions and defense of those submissions

Location and Working Environment

This position is based in Northbrook, Illinois. Remote work from anywhere in the US is available. At Astellas we recognize the importance of work/life balance, and we are proud to offer a hybrid working solution allowing time to connect with colleagues at the office with the flexibility to also work from home. We believe this will optimize the most productive work environment for all employees to succeed and deliver. Hybrid work from certain locations may be permitted in accordance with Astellas’ Responsible Flexibility Guidelines.

What awaits you at Astellas?

• Global collaboration: Become part of a connected global business of like-minded life science leaders, all dedicated to improving patients\' lives worldwide. Real-world patient impact: Contribute to transformative therapies that reach patients around the world, knowing your work makes a difference every day.
• Relentless Innovation: Join a company at the forefront of scientific breakthroughs, where you\'ll have the opportunity to shape the future of healthcare.
• A Culture of Growth: Chart your own course within a supportive environment that values your contributions, champions your development, and empowers you to pursue your passions.

Our Organizational Values and Behaviors

Values: Innovation, Integrity and Impact sit at the heart of what we do. Behaviors: We come together as One Astellas, working with courage and a sense of urgency. We are outcome focused and consistently take accountability for our personal contribution.

Salary Range $207,192 – $295,988 (Final compensation will be determined based on a variety of factors, including but not limited to skills, experience and organizational equity considerations)

Benefits

• Medical, Dental and Vision Insurance
• Generous Paid Time Off options, including Vacation and Sick time, plus national holidays including year-end shut down
• 401(k) match and annual company contribution
• Company paid life insurance
• Annual Corporate Bonus and Quarterly Sales Incentive for eligible positions
• Long Term Incentive Plan for eligible positions
• Company fleet vehicle for eligible positions
• Referral bonus program

Category Oncology Development

Astellas is committed to equality of opportunity in all aspects of employment.

EOE including Disability/Protected Veterans