Scientific Director / Senior Medical Director, US Medical Affairs-Rheumatology
Listed compensation
$182k-$346k
The week · per this posting · weekdays assumed
Ask the employer about call expectations, weekend coverage, nights and shift pattern and time off.
Job Description
Company Description
About AbbVie
AbbVie's mission is to discover and deliver innovative medicines and solutions that solve serious health issues today and address the medical challenges of tomorrow.
We strive to have a remarkable impact on people's lives across several key therapeutic areas including immunology, oncology and neuroscience - and products and services in our Allergan Aesthetics portfolio. For more information about AbbVie, please visit us at abbvie.com. Follow @abbvie on LinkedIn, Facebook, Instagram, X and YouTube.
Job Description
Position is based at the Mettawa IL office and will follow a hybrid schedule of 3x/week onsite.
The Scientific Director / Senior Medical Director, Medical Affairs provides specialist medical and scientific strategic and operational input into core medical affairs activities for AbbVie’s Rheumatology RA/JIA/GCA Therapeutic Area.
Responsibilities include engaging with health-care professionals and providers; generating clinical and scientific data to enhance the therapeutic benefit and value of our RA asset; educational initiatives (medical education, scientific communications, and value proposition) and safeguarding patient safety (risk minimization activities and safety surveillance activities).
Works closely with sales, marketing, and commercial teams to provide strategic medical input into core brand (product) strategies, and to support medical affairs, marketing activities (promotional material generation and product launches) and market access.
Responsibilities
Initiates medical affairs activities, generation and dissemination of data supporting the overall scientific strategy.
Responsible from Medical Affairs for the design, analysis, interpretation, and reporting of scientific content of protocols, Investigator Brochures, Clinical Study Reports and regulatory submissions and responses.
Has overall responsibility for oversight of the Medical Affairs-led clinical studies, monitoring overall study integrity and review, interpretation and communication of accumulating data pertaining to safety and efficacy of the molecule. As the SD Study Lead, is responsible for oversight of study enrollment and overall timelines for key deliverables.
Provides in-house clinical expertise for the molecule and disease, coordinating appropriate scientific activities with internal stakeholders as they relate to ongoing clinical projects. May participate in due diligence or other business development activity. As required by program needs, contributes partnering with Discovery colleagues on the design and implementation of translational strategies.
Acts as a clinical interface and actively solicits opinion through leader interactions related to the molecule and disease area; partners with Medical Affairs, Commercial and other functions in these activities as required, consistent with corporate policies, to ensure that broad cross-functional perspectives are incorporated into Clinical Development Plans and protocols as appropriate.
May assist in the development of scientifically accurate marketing materials, medical education programs, advisories, and symposia. Assists with the scientific review, development, approval, execution, and communication of affiliate/area/global medical affairs sponsored or supported clinical research activities.
May interact with and coordinates appropriate scientific and medical activities with internal stakeholders (i. e., commercial, clinical operations, discovery, statistics, regulatory, etc…) as they relate to on-going medical affairs projects. Serves as the scientific team interface for key regulatory discussions.
Provide scientific/medical education to investigators, clinical monitors, and Global Project Team members related to therapeutic area or disease specific information. Keeps abreast of professional information and technology through conferences and/or medical literature and acts as a therapeutic area resource.
Ensures budgets, timelines, compliance requirements are factored into programs' scientific activities..
Qualifications
Position will be commensurate with experience and education.
Scientific Director Qualifications
Advanced Degree PhD or PharmD. Additional post doctorate experience highly preferred.
Strong Medical Affairs capability (7-10 years), with a proven track record across core medical affairs activities (data generation, scientific communications, KOL engagement, and cross-functional strategy). Typically 10-15 years of experience in the pharmaceutical industry or equivalent.
Knowledge of evidence generation strategy (real-world evidence, investigator-initiated and company-sponsored studies, registries; brand strategy development, scientific communications development, medical insights, and promotional review
Knowledge of clinical trial methodology, data analysis and interpretation, regulatory requirements governing clinical trials and experience in development strategy and the design of protocols.
- Proven leadership skills in a cross-functional global team environment.
- Must possess excellent oral and written English communication skills.
Senior Medical Director Qualifications
Medical Doctorate (M.D.) degree or equivalent (D.O. or non-US equivalent of M. D). Relevant therapeutic specialty in an academic or hospital environment preferred. Completion of residency and/or fellowship is preferred.
Minimum of 2 years of clinical trial or medical affairs experience in the pharmaceutical industry or academia or equivalent. 3+ years of experience is preferred.
Additional Information
Applicable only to applicants applying to a position in any location with pay disclosure requirements under state or local law:
The compensation range described below is the range of possible base pay compensation that the Company believes in good faith it will pay for this role at the time of this posting based on the job grade for this position. Individual compensation paid within this range will depend on many factors including geographic location, and we may ultimately pay more or less than the posted range. This range may be modified in the future.
We offer a comprehensive package of benefits including paid time off (vacation, holidays, sick), medical/dental/vision insurance and 401(k) to eligible employees.
This job is eligible to participate in our long-term incentive programs.
Note: No amount of pay is considered to be wages or compensation until such amount is earned, vested, and determinable. The amount and availability of any bonus, commission, incentive, benefits, or any other form of compensation and benefits that are allocable to a particular employee remains in the Company's sole and absolute discretion unless and until paid and may be modified at the Company’s sole and absolute discretion, consistent with applicable law.
AbbVie is an equal opportunity employer and is committed to operating with integrity, driving innovation, transforming lives and serving our community. Equal Opportunity Employer/Veterans/Disabled.
- US & Puerto Rico only - to learn more, visit abbvie.com
- US & Puerto Rico applicants seeking a reasonable accommodation, click here to learn more:
abbvie.com
- Salary Min: 182000
- Therapy Area: Immunology
- Salary Max: 346000
- Workday Global Grade: 22
- Travel: Yes, 20% of the Time
- Compensation: USD 182000 - USD 346000 - yearly
Qualifications
- Education
- Doctoral or professional degree (postgraduate degree)
- Experience
- 10+ years of experience
Key Skills
Medical Affairs — Physician Career Context
The cost-of-living index for Illinois is 100.0 (US average = 100; BEA Regional Price Parities (2024)), so the posted ~$264k midpoint carries the purchasing power of roughly $264k in an average-cost state. 62.6% of Illinois clinicians report burnout symptoms in WeekdayDoc's Burnout Index (2026-01 data).
Medical Affairs pay on WeekdayDoc is up 4.0% vs. the prior quarter (through Oct 2026).
| Measure | This job | Market |
|---|---|---|
| Work-life score | 4.2 / 10 · above average in medical affairs | ranked against 278 Medical Affairs listingslisting-based score, 0–10 |
| Listed pay | $182k–$346k | Medical Affairs median $301k (middle half $281k–$325k)50 comparable listings, Nov 2026 |
| Cost-of-living adjusted pay | ~$264k in purchasing power | Illinois index 100.0 (US = 100)BEA Regional Price Parities (2024) |
| Medical Affairs listings in Illinois | 25 active | 283 nationallylive on WeekdayDoc, Nov 2026 |
| Sign-on & loan repayment | sign-on bonus | Illinois Physician listings: 24% state a sign-on bonus (median $100k) · 25% offer loan repayment1,000 active listings, Nov 2026 |
| Medical Affairs hiring demand | #6 of 28 specialties | postings stay open a median 69 days · 44% state a sign-on bonusWeekdayDoc Hiring Index, October 2026 · 162 postings, 36 closed |
| New Medical Affairs listings | 113 in the last 30 days | 92 the 30 days before (+23%)U.S., first seen on WeekdayDoc, Nov 2026 |
| Medical Affairs pay trend | +4.0% vs prior quarter | —through Oct 2026 |
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