Senior Medical Editor — Pharma/AMA Style (Hybrid)

Clutch; San Diego (CA); Hybrid; USD 69,000 - 115,000; Full time

Job summary

Clutch is seeking a Medical Editor to join our fast-paced team in a hybrid San Diego setting. You will be the final reviewer for medical content, ensuring AMA style, accuracy, and client-brand alignment before delivery.

Collaboration with medical writers, creative and account teams ensures high-quality manuscripts, abstracts, posters, and digital content. This role requires 3+ years in medical editing within an agency, a life sciences degree, and proficiency with references and industry tools.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in life sciences, English, journalism, communications, or a related field (advanced degree in a life science a plus).
• A minimum of 3 years of experience in medical or scientific editing within a medical communications agency, healthcare advertising, pharmaceutical, biotechnology, or medical publishing setting.
• Demonstrated copy editing and proofreading expertise, with a strong command of grammar, punctuation, and usage.
• Expert working knowledge of the AMA Manual of Style, and familiarity with ICMJE recommendations and FDA requirements for promotional content.
• Experience fact-checking and annotating references against primary literature, and comfort reading clinical trial data, tables, and figures.
• Proficiency in scientific literature databases and reference management tools (e.g., PubMed, EndNote).
• Experience with review platforms (e.g., Veeva PromoMats) and ophthalmology or eye care content is a plus.

Responsibilities

• Perform substantive medical and scientific editing on a wide range of materials, including manuscripts, abstracts, posters, slide decks, white papers, education materials, promotional pieces, and digital content.
• Copy edit and proofread content for grammar, spelling, punctuation, syntax, tone, and readability at every stage, from first draft to final proof.
• Fact-check and reference-verify content, ensuring claims are supported by cited sources and references are correctly formatted.
• Apply AMA style and client brand guidelines consistently and maintain project style sheets.
• Annotate references and prepare materials for MLR review, incorporating feedback on time.
• Review layouts and PDF proofs to catch errors before release.
• Collaborate with medical writers to sharpen clarity while preserving scientific accuracy.
• Track edits and version history to document changes and approvals.
• Manage multiple projects and review rounds with clear timelines and risk communication.
• Stay current on AMA updates and ophthalmology trends to improve editorial checklists.

Skills

Medical editing

Copy editing

AMA style

References verification

Ophthalmology knowledge

Education

Bachelor's degree in life sciences

Advanced life science degree a plus

Tools

Veeva PromoMats

PubMed

EndNote

Adobe Acrobat

MS Office (Word, PowerPoint, Excel)

Job description

Clutch is seeking a Medical Editor to join our fast-paced team in a hybrid San Diego setting. You will be the final reviewer for medical content, ensuring AMA style, accuracy, and client-brand alignment before delivery.

Collaboration with medical writers, creative and account teams ensures high-quality manuscripts, abstracts, posters, and digital content. This role requires 3+ years in medical editing within an agency, a life sciences degree, and proficiency with references and industry tools.