Senior Publications Lead – Cell Therapy

The Planet Group; Foster City (CA); Remote; USD 90,000 - 130,000; Full time

Job summary

The Planet Group is seeking a Publications Lead (Contractor) to support delivery of scientific publications across one or more therapeutic areas during a high-priority period. This fully remote 6-month contract offers flexibility to lead publications and collaborate with cross-functional teams.

The ideal candidate has an advanced life sciences degree and 5–7+ years of medical publications experience in pharma/biotech, with strong knowledge of ICMJE and GPP guidelines.

Qualifications

• Advanced degree in life sciences (PhD, PharmD, MD or MSc).
• 5–7+ years of experience in medical publications within pharma/biotech.
• Strong knowledge of publication guidelines (ICMJE, GPP).

Responsibilities

• Lead development and execution of manuscripts, abstracts, posters and presentations across therapy areas.
• Manage publication lifecycle from planning through submission and post-publication activities.
• Track publication milestones and maintain trackers and calendars.
• Collaborate with Medical Affairs, Clinical, HEOR and other stakeholders to ensure alignment.
• Provide direction to medical writing agencies and review deliverables for scientific quality.
• Ensure compliance with ICMJE, GPP and internal policies.
• Adapt support across portfolios and adapt to evolving business needs.

Skills

Independent execution

Prioritization

Cross-functional collaboration

Scientific communication

Stakeholder management

Education

Advanced degree in life sciences

Job description

Duration: 6 months with potential extension

Location: Fully Remote

Overview

The Publications Lead (Contractor) supports the delivery of scientific publications across one or more therapeutic areas during a high-priority period. This role works alongside existing Publications Leads to provide additional leadership, executional support, and flexibility across the portfolio.

The position is suited for an experienced publications professional who can quickly embed within the team, independently manage key deliverables, and flex across priorities as needed to ensure timely, high-quality scientific communication.

• Partner with existing Publications Leads to support delivery of publication plans across priority programs
• Step in to lead specific publications, workstreams, or assets as needed
• Provide additional bandwidth during peak periods (e.g., congress timelines, key data readouts)

End-to-End Publication Execution

• Lead development and execution of manuscripts, abstracts, posters, and presentations
• Manage publication lifecycle from planning through submission and post-publication activities
• Ensure timely delivery of high-quality outputs aligned with agreed timelines
• Track publication milestones and maintain publication trackers and calendars

Cross-Functional Collaboration

• Work closely with Medical Affairs, Clinical, HEOR, and other stakeholders to ensure alignment
• Interface with authors, investigators, and external experts
• Support publication planning discussions and decision-making as needed
• Provide direction to medical writing agencies and review deliverables for scientific quality
• Manage timelines, risks, and competing priorities across multiple deliverables
• Ensure efficient execution across internal teams and external partners

Compliance & Quality

• Ensure all publications adhere to ICMJE, GPP, and internal policies
• Maintain scientific rigor and accuracy across all outputs
• Support audit-ready documentation and adherence to publication processes

Adaptive Support Across the Portfolio

• Flex across therapeutic areas, assets, or deliverables based on evolving business needs
• Pick up in-flight projects or support areas requiring additional focus
• Help maintain continuity and momentum across publication activities

Qualifications

• Advanced degree (PhD, PharmD, MD, or MSc) in life sciences
• 5-7+ years of experience in medical publications within pharma/biotech
• Strong knowledge of publication guidelines (ICMJE, GPP)

Key Skills

• Ability to operate independently with minimal onboarding
• Strong prioritization and ability to manage parallel workstreams
• Comfortable stepping into partially developed projects
• Clear, pragmatic communication with stakeholders in a compliance-driven environment
• Strong quality mindset and attention to detail