Medical Writer

Viking Therapeutics, Inc.; San Diego (CA); On-site; USD 120,000 - 180,000; Full time

Job summary

Viking Therapeutics, Inc. is seeking a Medical Writer to plan, author, edit, and finalize high-quality clinical and regulatory documents supporting our clinical programs, including VK2735 and other metabolic assets.

The role partners with Clinical Development, Biostatistics, Regulatory Affairs, and CROs to deliver phase-appropriate documents across development stages. The ideal candidate has 4+ years of regulatory/clinical medical writing experience, strong scientific writing, and expertise in

Qualifications

• Bachelor-level life sciences or related field required; 4+ years regulatory/clinical writing experience.
• Experience authoring clinical-regulatory documents (protocols, CSRs, IBs, CTD submissions) in GCP.
• Title/level commensurate with experience.

Responsibilities

• Author, review, edit, and finalize clinical and regulatory documents per ICH-GCP and Viking SOPs.
• Review safety/periodic reports and respond to health authority questions with Regulatory Affairs and Pharmacovigilance.
• Develop briefing documents and regulatory meeting materials (pre-IND, End-of-Phase 2, advisory packages).
• Establish and manage document timelines, coordinate cross-functional reviews, and finalize for submissions.

Skills

Scientific writing

Regulatory writing

Word processing

Project management

Cross-functional collaboration

GCP knowledge

Education

Bachelor’s degree in life sciences/related

Advanced degree (M.S./Ph.D./ Pharm.D.)

Tools

eCTD familiarity

Job description

The Medical Writer is responsible for planning, authoring, editing, and finalizing high-quality clinical and regulatory documents in support of Viking Therapeutics’ clinical development programs. Reporting to the Vice President, Clinical Development, this role partners closely with internal Clinical Development, Biostatistics, Clinical Operations, Regulatory Affairs, and Pharmacovigilance/Drug Safety teams, as well as with external contract research organizations (CROs) and specialty vendors, to produce phase-appropriate documents from early-stage development through late-stage clinical and pre-approval activities. The Medical Writer will develop clinical study protocols, clinical study reports (CSRs), investigator brochures (IBs), informed consent forms (ICFs), safety and periodic reports, and the clinical sections of regulatory submissions, as well as scientific abstracts, manuscripts, and presentations, across Viking’s portfolio, including the company’s lead GLP-1/GIP dual agonist programs (VK2735) and additional metabolic and endocrine disorder pipeline assets. The level of the role will be commensurate with the candidate’s experience and qualifications.

Essentials Duties and Responsibilities

The main responsibilities of this role include:

• Author, review, edit, and finalize clinical and regulatory documents – including clinical study protocols and amendments, clinical study reports (CSRs), investigator brochures (IBs), informed consent forms (ICFs), and the clinical sections of regulatory submissions (INDs, CTAs, NDAs) – in accordance with ICH-GCP, applicable regulatory guidance, and Viking standard operating procedures.
• Review safety and periodic reports (e.g., Development Safety Update Reports) and clinical narratives, and support timely, accurate responses to health authority questions in collaboration with Regulatory Affairs and Pharmacovigilance.
• Develop briefing documents and regulatory meeting materials (e.g., pre-IND, End-of-Phase 2, and advisory committee or scientific advice packages).
• Establish and manage document timelines, coordinate cross-functional reviews, and lead comment resolution and document finalization to meet submission deadlines.
• Ensure scientific accuracy, consistency, and adherence to style guides, templates, and document standards across the clinical document set.
• Manage medical writing deliverables outsourced to external CROs, contract medical writers, and vendors; provide direction, review, and quality oversight of outsourced documents.
• Maintain compliance with ICH-GCP, applicable FDA and EMA regulations, and data integrity (ALCOA+) and good documentation practices; support version control and archival within the electronic document management system.
• Contribute to the development and continuous improvement of medical writing templates, style guides, and standard processes.
• Other duties as assigned.

Requirements

Education and Experience Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree in life sciences, pharmacy, or a related scientific discipline with 4+ years of relevant regulatory/clinical medical writing experience in the pharmaceutical or biotechnology industry; or an advanced degree (M.S., Pharm.D., or Ph.D.) with correspondingly relevant experience.
• Demonstrated experience authoring clinical-regulatory documents (e.g., protocols, CSRs, IBs, or clinical submission sections) within a GCP environment.
• Title and level will be commensurate with the candidate’s experience and qualifications.

Knowledge and Skills Requirements

• Strong working knowledge of ICH-GCP, ICH E3 (clinical study report structure), the CTD/eCTD framework, and regulatory requirements for clinical documentation.
• Excellent scientific and technical writing skills, with the ability to translate complex clinical and statistical data into clear, accurate, and well-organized documents.
• Advanced proficiency with Microsoft Word (templates, styles, and complex formatting), collaboration and document management tools, and reference/literature management software; familiarity with electronic document management systems.
• Ability to manage multiple documents and competing timelines simultaneously, with strong project-management, organizational, and attention-to-detail skills.
• Experience in metabolic, endocrine, or obesity/GLP-1 therapeutic areas, and/or in a lean biotech that outsources clinical execution to CROs, is a plus.
• Strong interpersonal and collaboration skills; ability to work effectively with cross-functional teams and external partners and to lead document reviews with scientific and executive stakeholders.

VIKING THERAPEUTICS

Viking Therapeutics, Inc., is committed to equal opportunity in the terms and conditions of employment for all employees and job applicants without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, age, gender identity or gender expression, national origin, disability or veteran status. Viking Therapeutics also complies with all applicable national, state and local laws governing nondiscrimination in employment as well as work authorization and employment eligibility verification requirements of the Immigration and Nationality Act and IRCA.