Medical Scientific Affairs Postdoctoral Research Fellow

About the Opportunity

About the Opportunity

Northeastern University Pharmaceutical Industry Fellowships Program is a two-year experiential program designed to advance lifelong learning and the education and training of Pharm.D. graduates. A key element of the program’s success is preparing Fellows to meet evolving workforce needs across various sectors of the pharmaceutical industry.

Fellows have the opportunity to work closely with our innovative biopharmaceutical industry partners, while engaging with Northeastern University faculty in professional and career development, teaching, service, and scholarly activities.

In partnership with Northeastern University, Ironwood Pharmaceuticals is offering a two-year Medical Scientific Affairs fellowship, based in Boston, Massachusetts.

About Ironwood

Ironwood Pharmaceuticals (Nasdaq: IRWD), is a biotechnology company focused on developing and commercializing therapies for people living with gastrointestinal (GI) and rare diseases. Ironwood is advancing apraglutide, a next-generation, long-acting synthetic GLP-2 analog being developed for patients with short bowel syndrome who are dependent on parenteral support. Ironwood has also been a pioneer in the development of LINZESS® (linaclotide), the U.S. branded prescription market leader for adults with irritable bowel syndrome with constipation (IBS-C) or chronic idiopathic constipation (CIC) and pediatric patients with IBS-C or functional constipation (FC).

Founded in 1998, Ironwood is headquartered in Boston, Massachusetts, with additional operations in Basel, Switzerland.

Responsibilities

The Medical Scientific Affairs (MSA) fellowship is designed to provide the fellow with experience as an integrated member of the MSA team, contributing to strategic medical initiatives while developing competencies in core areas of MSA functions, such as Publications and Scientific Communications, Field Medical Affairs (Medical Science Liaison), Medical Information, Medical Education, and Evidence Generation.

The fellow will work closely with colleagues across MSA and other functional areas, including clinical development, regulatory, patient safety, commercial, data sciences, and legal. The fellow will also gain exposure to external partner interactions, vendor oversight, and opportunities to precept PharmD Co-Op students.

Job Duties:

·       Contribute to the development and maintenance of Ironwood Medical Scientific Affairs strategic plans. 

·       Work cross-functionally internally (commercial, medical writing, regulatory, legal, etc.) to provide subject matter expertise for medical strategy planning and content development. 

·       Collaborate cross-functionally to provide key MSA deliverables, such as the scientific communication platforms, publications strategy and medical communication strategy. 

·       Develop various types of internally or externally facing evidence-based medical content for symposia, training material and other MSA materials. 

·       Cross-functional collaboration to ensure strategic alignment, medical accuracy, evidence-based representation of Ironwood GI products in US and partnered regions. 

·       Generate medical insights from the perspectives of the patients and providers to support development of strategic plans. 

·       Participate in insight gathering activities

·       Contribute to the maintenance of key medical information deliverables, including creation and updates FAQ documents and any required custom responses. 

·       Provide comprehensive training with respect to disease state(s) and product(s) and/or investigational agents to which fellow will be assigned. 

·       Participate in scientific congress, advisory committee, and KOL engagement activities. 

·       Precept PharmD students during their co-op and/or IPPE/APPE rotations. 

·       Participate in a rotational opportunity based on business needs, availability, and fellow interest.

·       Additional responsibilities to be assigned based on individual interests. 

The Successful Candidate Will Demonstrate: 

·       PharmD from an accredited college or university before the start of the fellowship term; 

·       Ability to interpret and discuss complex medical scientific data; 

·       Excellent project management, time management and organizational skills; 

·       Ability to learn new skills and apply them broadly across MSA initiatives; 

·       Effective communication skills, both written and verbal; Record of medical and/or scientific publications preferred; 

·       Proactive individual capable of assessing needs, then creating solutions that effectively meet the need; 

·       Flexibility and ability to adapt quickly as company priorities change; 

·       Excellent interpersonal skills in order to effectively manage expectations and facilitate collaborative, working relationships; 

·       A positive attitude while adjusting to different personal approaches; 

·       Advanced proficiency and extensive experience with Microsoft Office Suite, such as Excel, Outlook, PowerPoint, and Word; 

Ironwood Pharmaceuticals is an equal opportunity employer welcoming diversity in our workforce. 

Qualifications

• Doctor of Pharmacy degree from an ACPE-accredited institution
• Eligible for pharmacist licensure in the State of Massachusetts
• Excellent oral and written communication skills
• Strong time management and leadership abilities
• Ability to work independently and take initiative on a variety of projects at both the industry site and Northeastern
• Willingness and ability to relocate to Boston, Massachusetts before the Fellowship start date of July 1, 2027.

Additional Information

Applicants should submit the following application materials by the priority deadline of October 31, 2026:

1. Curriculum vitae (CV), uploaded
2. Unofficial PharmD transcripts, uploaded
3. Cover letter, uploaded

Letters of Recommendation

Three formal Letters of Recommendation (LORs) must be submitted directly by the letter writers no later than November 23, 2026.

Each letter writer must include:

·       The candidate's full name

·       The fellowship program(s) to which the candidate is applying (e.g., Smith, John – Alnylam, GSK)

Please ask your letter writers to complete and submit the Letter of Recommendation Form along with their recommendation. Click here to access the form and share it with your letter writers.

Recommendations must be submitted directly by the recommender and cannot be submitted by the applicant.

Address cover letter and letters of recommendation to:

J. Andrew Orr-Skirvin, PharmD, BCOP
Clinical Professor, Department of Pharmacy & Health Systems Sciences

Pharmaceutical Industry Fellowship Program Director

360 Huntington Ave, 140 The Fenway R218
Boston, MA 02115

Northeastern University will not provide H-1B, TN, O-1, E-3, or any other type of employment visa sponsorship for the successful applicant to this position, now or in the future.  STEM OPT is not compatible for this position. The successful applicant must be able to maintain valid work authorization in the United States throughout the entire appointment without Northeastern University's sponsorship for a visa. 

Position Type

Research

Additional Information

Northeastern University considers factors such as candidate work experience, education and skills when extending an offer.  

All qualified applicants are encouraged to apply and will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, religion, color, national origin, age, sex, sexual orientation, disability status, or any other characteristic protected by applicable law.

Compensation Grade/Pay Type:

108S

Expected Hiring Range:

$60,315.00 - $85,192.50

With the pay range(s) shown above, the starting salary will depend on several factors, which may include your education, experience, location, knowledge and expertise, and skills as well as a pay comparison to similarly-situated employees already in the role. Salary ranges are reviewed regularly and are subject to change.