Medical Science Liaison, Oncology
Title:
Medical Science Liaison, OncologyCompany:
IPSEN K.K.About Ipsen:
Ipsen is a mid-sized global biopharmaceutical company with a focus on transformative medicines in three therapeutic areas: Oncology, Rare Disease and Neuroscience. Supported by nearly 100 years of development experience, with global hubs in the U.S., France and the U.K, we tackle areas of high unmet medical need through research and innovation.
Our passionate teams in more than 40 countries are focused on what matters and endeavor every day to bring medicines to patients in 88 countries. We build a workplace that champions human-centric leadership and fosters a culture of collaboration, excellence and impact. At Ipsen, every individual is empowered to be their true selves, grow and thrive alongside the company’s success. Join us on our journey towards sustainable growth, creating real impact on patients and society!
For more information, visit us at https://www.ipsen.com/ and follow our latest news on LinkedIn and Instagram.
Job Description:
Medical Science Liaison (MSL) is a field-based scientific expert within the Medical Affairs department. MSL is responsible for establishing and maintaining high-quality, non-promotional scientific exchange with Healthcare Professionals (HCPs), Thought Leaders (TLs), and other external stakeholders in the assigned therapeutic area.
MSL will gather, analyze, and communicate actionable medical insights to support IPSEN’s patient-centric strategy and medical objectives in Japan. This position requires extensive nationwide field activity and is expected to spend a minimum of 70% of working time in the field, engaging with HCPs and supporting scientific and educational activities across Japan.
He/she works closely with the Japan Medical Affairs team and relevant global and cross-functional stakeholders, while ensuring all activities are conducted in accordance with applicable laws, regulations, industry codes, and Ipsen policies.
Main Responsibilities
Establish and foster professional scientific collaborations with the healthcare community
- Identify, map, and maintain relationships with Thought Leaders and other relevant HCPs in the assigned therapeutic area.
- Conduct fair, balanced, and non-promotional scientific exchange with HCPs to understand clinical practice, unmet medical needs, patient journeys, treatment challenges, and emerging scientific trends.
- Develop and maintain trusted scientific relationships with HCPs across Japan, including in regions outside major metropolitan areas.
- Identify opportunities for scientific collaboration, educational activities, and insight generation in alignment with the local medical strategy.
- Respond reactively to unsolicited medical and scientific inquiries from HCPs in accordance with relevant SOPs.
- Document medical inquiries and field interactions appropriately in the relevant company systems.
Generate, analyze, and communicate medical insights
- Collect and report actionable insights from HCPs regarding disease management, patient needs, treatment pathways, local guidelines, competitive environment, and compounds in development.
- Analyze field insights and communicate relevant findings to the Japan Medical Affairs team and cross-functional stakeholders.
- Support the development of local medical strategies by providing a strong field perspective.
- Attend national and regional medical congresses and communicate relevant scientific and medical insights.
- Contribute to the identification of evidence gaps and opportunities for real-world evidence, research collaborations, or educational initiatives.
Support non-promotional scientific exchange and medical education
- Deliver high-quality, balanced, and non-promotional scientific presentations on disease areas, treatment landscapes, and Ipsen products, in accordance with applicable regulations and company policies.
- Support the planning and execution of scientific exchange meetings, medical education programs, advisory boards, and congress-related activities.
- Support speaker briefings and scientific discussions for approved educational activities, where appropriate.
- Contribute to the dissemination of relevant scientific information within Ipsen.
- Support scientific publication activities when required.
Cross-functional collaboration
- Work closely with Medical Affairs colleagues, including Medical Advisors, Medical Information, Pharmacovigilance, Regulatory Affairs, Market Access, and Commercial teams.
- Provide field-based scientific input to internal stakeholders to support appropriate planning and execution of medical activities.
- Participate in relevant brand team, medical team, and cross-functional meetings.
- Support internal scientific training when required.
- Escalate safety information, product complaints, and medical inquiries in a timely manner in accordance with applicable SOPs.
Compliance and quality
- Conduct all external interactions in a compliant, ethical, and non-promotional manner.
- Complete all required compliance, pharmacovigilance, and medical training.
- Report adverse events, special situations, and product quality complaints accurately and promptly.
- Maintain accurate documentation of activities, insights, and interactions in relevant systems, including Veeva CRM and Medical Information systems.
Knowledge & Experience
Education / Certifications
- University degree in life sciences, pharmacy, medicine, nursing, or a related scientific discipline required.
Required Experience
- Minimum 3-5 years of experience in the pharmaceutical industry.
- Minimum 2-3 years of experience in an MSL, Medical Advisor, clinical research, or other scientific customer-facing role.
- Demonstrated experience in scientific exchange with HCPs or other external medical experts.
- Experience gathering and communicating medical insights.
- Ability and willingness to travel extensively throughout Japan.
- Ability to work independently, manage a nationwide territory, and prioritize activities effectively.
- Strong understanding of pharmaceutical industry compliance requirements.
Preferred Experience
- Experience in Rare Disease, hepatology, gastroenterology, oncology, neurology, or another specialty-care therapeutic area.
- Experience supporting launch readiness or newly launched products.
- Experience with advisory boards, medical education programs, congress activities, or evidence generation.
- Experience engaging with regional and university hospitals across Japan.
Languages
- Native-level Japanese communication skills, including the ability to conduct high-quality scientific discussions with HCPs.
- English: Ability to accurately read and understand scientific literature, clinical study publications, protocols, and medical materials.
- Ability to communicate effectively in English with global stakeholders.
Other Abilities
- Strong scientific literacy and ability to critically evaluate medical literature.
- Excellent interpersonal and relationship-building skills.
- Strong presentation and facilitation skills in Japanese.
- Good planning, prioritization, and territory management skills.
- Computer literacy, including Microsoft Office and CRM systems.
- Willingness to travel frequently, including overnight travel when required.