Medical Science Liaison Director
About the job
- Eight or more years of experience within the pharmaceutical, biotechnology, healthcare, or related industries, including Medical Affairs or Field Medical experience.
- A minimum of two years of people leadership experience within a Medical Affairs or Field Medical organization, with demonstrated success leading, coaching, and developing high-performing teams.
- Strong understanding of Medical Affairs, field medical strategy, scientific exchange, evidence generation, and insight development.
- Ability to develop, coach, and lead high-performing teams.
- Ability to build trusted relationships with key opinion leaders, investigators, healthcare professionals, and internal stakeholders.
- Strong strategic thinking and business acumen, with the ability to translate medical strategy into effective field execution.
- Excellent communication, presentation, coaching, and facilitation skills.
- Demonstrated success working within a cross-functional matrix organization.
- Ability to lead through change, manage competing priorities, and adapt within a rapidly evolving environment.
- Strong project management and organizational skills.
- Willingness and ability to travel frequently, with easy access to transportation and airports.
- Lead, coach, and develop a team of Medical Science Liaisons to ensure excellence in scientific exchange, stakeholder engagement, insight generation, and compliant field execution.
- Partner with the Head of Field Medical to execute the Field Medical strategy and align regional priorities with organizational objectives.
- Conduct regular field coaching and development activities to enhance scientific capabilities, strategic thinking, communication skills, and overall performance.
- Provide leadership and guidance on territory planning, stakeholder engagement strategies, and execution of regional medical priorities.
- Foster a culture of collaboration, accountability, continuous learning, and excellence across the Field Medical organization.
- Support recruitment, onboarding, training, and ongoing development of MSL team members.
- Partner with cross-functional stakeholders to identify and address emerging scientific, clinical, and healthcare landscape opportunities and challenges that inform medical strategy.
- Ensure high-quality insight generation and synthesis by coaching MSLs to identify and communicate field insights and translate field observations into recommendations for medical strategy and organizational decision-making.
- Support evidence-generation initiatives, including research collaborations, advisory boards, educational programs, congress activities, and other scientific engagement opportunities.
- Monitor field activity and key performance indicators to assess progress against strategic objectives and identify opportunities for optimization.
- Lead or participate in North America Medical Affairs projects, including launch readiness and planning, scientific training, congress planning, cross-regional ways of working, and insight forums.
- Model compliant and ethical conduct consistent with company policies and industry standards.
- Travel extensively within assigned regions and for national meetings, congresses, and company events, up to 50% of the time.
- An advanced scientific or clinical degree, such as a PharmD, PhD, MD, or DO.
- A minimum of two years of people leadership experience within a Medical Affairs or Field Medical organization, with demonstrated success leading, coaching, and developing high-performing teams.
About the company
Rhythm Pharmaceuticals develops and commercializes therapies for rare neuroendocrine and genetic obesity disorders. Its lead drug, IMCIVREE (setmelanotide), is an MC4R agonist that helps restore signaling in the melanocortin-4 pathway to regulate hunger and energy use. The company earns revenue primarily from global IMCIVREE sales and reinvests in research, development, and commercialization. Its aim is to broaden MC4R-targeted treatments for underserved patients and advance additional candidates like bivamelagon and RM-718 through clinical development.
Company Size
501-1,000
Company Stage
IPO
Headquarters
Boston, Massachusetts
Founded
2008
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Simplify's Take
What believers are saying
- Second-quarter 2026 product revenue hit $71.3 million, up 19% sequentially.
- More than 400 acquired-HO start forms came from roughly 300 prescribers by June 30, 2026.
- AJ Joshi became chief medical officer on August 17, 2026, strengthening late-stage execution.
What critics are saying
- Rhythm depends on IMCIVREE; August 2026 revenue still came entirely from one drug.
- RM-718 and bivamelagon must succeed after 2026 data; failure leaves no next growth engine.
- Hypothalamic obesity launches in Japan and Europe need reimbursement speed; delays hit 2027 demand.
What makes Rhythm Pharmaceuticals unique
- Rhythm owns the only approved MC4R franchise for rare genetic obesity, built since 2008.
- IMCIVREE won Japan MHLW approval on August 24, 2026, extending global rare-obesity reach.
- Rhythm published a Bardet-Biedl diagnostic algorithm, improving patient identification for prescribers.
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Benefits
Hybrid Work Options
Performance Bonus
Company Equity
Growth & Insights and Company News
6 month growth
1%1 year growth
8%2 year growth
2%Rhythm Pharmaceuticals has launched IMCIVREE (setmelanotide) in Japan to treat acquired hypothalamic obesity. It is the first approved therapy for the condition in the country, and it is now on Japan's National Health Insurance drug price list. Japan's Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare approved the drug in August. The approval rested on the Phase 3 TRANSCEND trial of 142 patients, which met its primary endpoint with an 18.8% placebo-adjusted reduction in body mass index. Rhythm, based in Boston, estimates that 5,000 to 8,000 people in Japan live with the condition. "This launch marks an important advancement for people living with acquired HO in Japan," said Yann Mazabraud, executive vice president and head of international at Rhythm.
Stanley Druckenmiller's Duquesne Family Office disclosed new positions in over 40 stocks in its second quarter 13F filing. Notable healthcare investments included 203,618 shares of Rhythm Pharmaceuticals worth $22.6 million and 356,600 shares of Definium Therapeutics worth $16.8 million. Rhythm Pharmaceuticals develops treatments for hypothalamic obesity, currently the only approved drug for this condition. The company estimates approximately 10,000 US patients have acquired hypothalamic obesity, with similar numbers in Europe and 5,000 to 8,000 in Japan. Second-quarter revenue increased 47% year over year, whilst US revenue jumped 38% sequentially. The company remains unprofitable despite revenue growth and held $330.9 million in cash at quarter end, expected to fund operations for at least 24 months.
Rhythm Pharmaceuticals has received approval from Japan's Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare for IMCIVREE (setmelanotide) to treat patients with acquired hypothalamic obesity (HO). This marks the first therapy approved in Japan for this condition. The approval was supported by the Phase 3 TRANSCEND trial involving 142 patients, including a Japanese cohort. The study met its primary endpoint with an 18.8% placebo-adjusted reduction in body mass index. Rhythm estimates 5,000 to 8,000 people are living with acquired HO in Japan. The company expects to launch IMCIVREE before the end of 2026, pending final pricing determination. Acquired HO is characterised by accelerated weight gain following hypothalamic injury, often resulting from craniopharyngioma, astrocytoma, or other hypothalamic-pituitary tumours.
Rhythm Pharmaceuticals has appointed Manher "AJ" Joshi as Chief Medical Officer, effective 17 August. Dr Joshi brings over 20 years of experience spanning drug discovery, pivotal trials, regulatory processes and lifecycle management. Dr Joshi joins from Soleno Therapeutics, where he served as Chief Development Officer. He previously held the Chief Medical Officer position at Neurona Therapeutics and executive roles at Atara Biotherapeutics. His career also includes leadership positions at Allergan Medical, Synageva BioPharma, and Genzyme. Rhythm is a commercial-stage biopharmaceutical company focused on rare neuroendocrine diseases. Its lead asset, IMCIVREE (setmelanotide), is approved in the US and Europe for treating certain forms of obesity. The company is advancing next-generation MC4R agonists through late-stage development.
Rhythm Pharmaceuticals announced that the UK's Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency has expanded the marketing authorisation for IMCIVREE (setmelanotide) to include treatment of obesity and control of hunger in adults and children aged 4 and older with acquired hypothalamic obesity due to hypothalamic injury or impairment. The MHRA also granted IMCIVREE orphan drug designation for acquired HO. The approval is based on results from the Phase 3 TRANSCEND trial, which met its primary endpoint with a statistically significant 19.8% placebo-adjusted reduction in body mass index. The global trial enrolled 120 patients. IMCIVREE initially received marketing authorisation in the UK in 2021 for treatment of obesity in patients with POMC, PCSK1 or LEPR deficiency, with subsequent expansions for other rare obesity conditions.