Full-Time

Global Safety Program Lead/Senior Medical Director

Posted on 5/12/2026

Deadline 6/30/26
Alexion

Alexion

5,001-10,000 employees

Global biopharmaceuticals focusing on rare diseases

Compensation Overview

$280.9k - $421.3k/yr

+ Short-term incentive bonus + Equity-based long-term incentive program + Commission payment eligibility + 401(k) retirement contribution + Overtime pay

Gaithersburg, MD, USA

In Person

Category
Biology & Biotech (1)
Required Skills
Risk Management
Requirements
  • Medical degree or equivalent degree in biomedicine or science
  • 5 years extensive relevant clinical, safety and risk management experience in the pharmaceutical, biotech, CRO industry, academia or Health Authorities
  • Proven track record of successful clinical safety delivery with demonstrated examples of strategic influence to clinical studies/programs.
  • Ability to collaborate across a matrixed environment and influence cross-functional- leaders on decision-making (e.g. Clinical Development, Medical Affairs, Regulatory Affairs).
  • Thorough knowledge and understanding of pharmacovigilance & safety deliverables, standards and processes at a global level; including pre and post launch experience.
  • Experience of global regulatory submissions and interacting with major regulatory agencies.
  • Demonstrated ability to successfully lead, coach, and mentor other safety medical directors/scientists.
  • Available to travel domestically and internationally
  • Demonstrated ability to present complex topics to senior leaders at safety and development governances for alignment and endorsement.
Responsibilities
  • Accountable for the overall scientific and clinical safety content for the assigned asset(s) or indications.
  • Accountable for the implementation and the high quality delivery of the Safety & Strategy Management Team (SSaMT) and Safety Surveillance Team for assigned asset(s).
  • Responsible for overall safety content for the product or indication(s) aligned to GPT strategy. Sets safety team goals aligned to TA and product strategy.
  • For the assigned asset(s), accountable for safety TPP, Safety Go/No Go criteria, safety communication/messaging and the guidelines for toxicity management of the asset
  • Is accountable for project representation for Global Patient Safety at governance and other forums where safety is involved, eg DRC, eCRC, SARB, FSIRB, and DSMB/DMC, Medical Affairs Review Committees (MARC), product teams such CPT and GPT and Advisory Board meetings in partnership with GSH.
  • Accountable for the quality of key safety deliverables e.g., Risk Management Plans (RMPs) and Periodic Safety Reports (PSRs), compliance and adherence to PV regulations of the assigned asset(s).
  • Leads response to complex technical issues for specific safety aspects for the assigned asset(s).
  • Is accountable for safety contribution to study designs and study concept delivery within their assigned program
  • Through integrated understanding of the product strategy, provides strategic safety knowledge and support to the safety medical directors and scientists through initiation, execution, and completion of the clinical programs for the assigned asset(s).
  • Leads the safety physicians and scientists to support the safety strategy and input into the program design, monitoring, and data interpretation from pre-clinical and clinical studies, communication and post-marketing surveillance, epidemiology, pre-clinical and literature, epidemiology for each asset.
  • Ensures that own work and work of team is compliant with Safety Health and Environment (SHE) standards and all other relevant internal and external regulations and standards.
  • Represents the Company and accountable for the quality of safety delivery e.g., regulatory submissions, answers to Health Authority Queries, Ethic Committees, Marketing Companies, investigators/sites, and provides clarifications as well as solves safety issues in the study team.
  • May be required to support in-licensing opportunities.
  • Promotes and enables cross-functional, proactive and solutions-orientated team actions and behaviours
  • Accountable for implementation of new processes, systems and learning, including new ways of working.
  • Prioritizes risk mitigation strategies and effective trouble shooting.
  • Line manages a team of safety physicians and / or scientists.
Desired Qualifications
  • PhD (or other complementary degree) in scientific discipline.
  • Excellent, independent judgment based on leading-edge knowledge and expertise.
  • Excellent speaking skills, industry conference speaking experience.
  • Excellent, independent judgment based on knowledge and expertise.
  • Demonstrated clinical safety and research expertise in an appropriate disease area.

Alexion focuses on discovering, developing, and selling therapies for rare and ultra-rare diseases by targeting the complement system. Its drugs, such as Soliris and Ultomiris, inhibit C5 to block inflammatory cascades, while Strensiq and Kanuma treat metabolic and lysosomal disorders. The company combines in-house R&D with acquisitions to expand its portfolio and leverages AstraZeneca’s global scale to reach patients. Its goal is to improve outcomes for patients with rare diseases and bring these therapies to international markets at premium pricing.

Company Size

5,001-10,000

Company Stage

IPO

Headquarters

Boston, Massachusetts

Founded

1992

Simplify Jobs

Simplify's Take

What believers are saying

  • ALXN2220 Phase 3 success in ATTR-CM addresses $500M+ peak sales opportunity with no approved amyloid-depleting competitor.
  • VOYDEYA and Ultomiris label expansions capture previously untreated patient subsets, extending core franchise revenue streams.
  • LogicBio acquisition expands genomic medicine pipeline, diversifying beyond complement-mediated disorders into gene therapy markets.

What critics are saying

  • Soliris/Ultomiris biosimilar entry 2026–2027 erodes $6B+ annual revenue; patent cliff creates 40–60% revenue cliff post-2028.
  • ALXN2220 Phase 3 failure eliminates $500M+ opportunity; cardiac safety signals halt program in 18–30 months.
  • Complement inhibitor commoditization: five rival C3/C5/Factor D inhibitors compress pricing 15–25% by 2027, fragmenting PNH franchise.

What makes Alexion unique

  • Pioneering complement cascade expertise translates into first-mover advantage across PNH, aHUS, NMOSD rare indications.
  • Integrated AstraZeneca scale enables global commercialization and manufacturing capabilities unmatched by pure-play biotech competitors.
  • Patient-centric clinical trial design with real-world evidence frameworks addresses rare disease regulatory complexity systematically.

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Benefits

Health Insurance

Dental Insurance

Vision Insurance

Life Insurance

Disability Insurance

Health Savings Account/Flexible Spending Account

Unlimited Paid Time Off

Flexible Work Hours

Remote Work Options

Paid Vacation

Paid Sick Leave

Paid Holidays

Hybrid Work Options

Stock Options

Company Equity

401(k) Retirement Plan

Mental Health Support

Wellness Program

Gym Membership

Phone/Internet Stipend

Home Office Stipend

Professional Development Budget

Conference Attendance Budget

Training Programs

Tuition Reimbursement

Professional Certification Support

Mentorship Program

Parental Leave

Family Planning Benefits

Fertility Treatment Support

Adoption Assistance

Childcare Support

Elder Care Support

Relocation Assistance

Employee Referral Bonus

Meal Benefits

Commuter Benefits

Legal Services

Employee Discounts

Company Social Events

Growth & Insights and Company News

Headcount

6 month growth

0%

1 year growth

0%

2 year growth

-1%
Cision
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"Week in RARE provides advocates a unique opportunity to participate in multiple events in one place to maximize their time, travel, and potential to gain benefits from their participation."

Startupticker.ch
Apr 9th, 2024
Clinical Success For Neurimmune

Schlieren-based startup, Neurimmune, which develops drug candidates for central nervous system (CNS) and related protein aggregation diseases, has, in collaboration with its partner Alexion, advanced its drug candidate ALXN2220 into phase 3. This marks a significant step in the company’s journey to addressing the serious clinical condition ATTR-CM.  Transthyretin-mediated amyloid cardiomyopathy (ATTR-CM) is an underdiagnosed, systemic clinical condition that leads to progressive heart failure and high rate of fatality within four years from diagnosis. Despite recent advances in slowing disease progression, there is currently no treatment available to deplete cardiac ATTR amyloid and revert cardiac dysfunction. Schlieren-based startup, Neurimmune, which develops drug candidates for central nervous system (CNS) and related protein aggregation diseases including Alzheimer’s disease, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, frontotemporal dementia and ATTR cardiomyopathy, is currently testing a drug candidate, ALXN2220 (formerly NI006), a human antibody targeting ATTR Cardiomyopathy. In 2022, Neurimmune entered into an exclusive global collaboration and license agreement with Alexion, AstraZeneca’s Rare Disease group, for ALXN2220. Neurimmune is responsible for completion of the phase 1b clinical study on behalf of Alexion, with Alexion incurring certain trial costs. Aside from the phase 1b trial, Alexion is responsible for further clinical development, manufacturing, and commercialization as ALXN2220. The two companies have now initiated the phase 3 of the DepleTTR-CM clinical study to assess the efficacy and safety of ALXN2220 for the treatment of ATTR-CM

Business Wire
Apr 1st, 2024
Voydeya™ Approved In The Us As Add-On Therapy To Ravulizumab Or Eculizumab For Treatment Of Extravascular Hemolysis In Adults With The Rare Disease Pnh

WILMINGTON, Del.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--VOYDEYA™ (danicopan) has been approved in the US as add-on therapy to ravulizumab or eculizumab for the treatment of extravascular hemolysis (EVH) in adults with paroxysmal nocturnal hemoglobinuria (PNH).1 VOYDEYA is a first-in-class, oral, Factor D inhibitor developed as an add-on to standard-of-care ULTOMIRIS® (ravulizumab-cwvz) or SOLIRIS® (eculizumab) to address the needs of the approximately 10-20% of patients with PNH who experience clinically significant EVH while treated with a C5 inhibitor.2,3. The approval by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) was based on positive results from the pivotal ALPHA Phase III trial. Results from the 12-week primary evaluation period of the trial were published in The Lancet Haematology.2. Bart Scott, MD, Professor, Division of Hematology and Oncology at the University of Washington Medical Center, and Professor, Clinical Research Division at Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center, said: “The approval of VOYDEYA offers this small subset of PNH patients an add-on therapy designed to address EVH, while maintaining disease control with ULTOMIRIS or SOLIRIS. Terminal complement inhibition with ULTOMIRIS can address the life-threatening complications of PNH, building on the efficacy and safety of SOLIRIS established over nearly 20 years.”

Business Wire
Mar 25th, 2024
Ultomiris® (Ravulizumab-Cwvz) Approved In The Us For The Treatment Of Adults With Neuromyelitis Optica Spectrum Disorder (Nmosd)

WILMINGTON, Del.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--ULTOMIRIS® (ravulizumab-cwvz) has been approved in the United States (US) as the first and only long-acting C5 complement inhibitor for the treatment of adult patients with anti-aquaporin-4 (AQP4) antibody-positive (Ab+) neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorder (NMOSD).1. The approval by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) was based on positive results from the CHAMPION-NMOSD Phase III trial, which were published in the Annals of Neurology.2 In the trial, ULTOMIRIS was compared to an external placebo arm from the pivotal SOLIRIS® PREVENT clinical trial. ULTOMIRIS met the primary endpoint of time to first on-trial relapse as confirmed by an independent adjudication committee. Zero relapses were observed among ULTOMIRIS patients with a median treatment duration of 73 weeks (relapse risk reduction: 98.6%, hazard ratio (95% CI): 0.014 (0.000, 0.103), p0.0001).2

PharmiWeb.com
Nov 28th, 2023
Nice Endorses Only Approved Treatment For Ultra-Rare Wolman Disease For Children Diagnosed Under The Age Of Two: Interview Opportunity

Sebelipase alfa (Kanuma®▼) recommended by NICE as the first treatment for infants with ultra-rare Wolman Disease.  . Kanuma, an enzyme replacement therapy, is the first medicine to be recommended for this life-threatening condition in infants under two years old