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Senior Medical Science Liaison (Central)

Location
Chicago, IL
Work type
Full Time
Posted
2026-09-07

Job description

About the role

Zevra Therapeutics is seeking a Senior Medical Science Liaison (Senior MSL) to join our U.S. Medical Affairs organization and support the Central U.S. territory.

The Senior MSL will serve as a field-based scientific and clinical expert, developing trusted relationships with healthcare professionals (HCPs), key opinion leaders (KOLs), researchers, and other healthcare decision-makers. Through high-quality scientific exchange and collaboration, the Senior MSL will advance understanding of rare diseases and Zevra's therapeutic portfolio, support evidence generation and clinical initiatives, and provide meaningful insights that help inform medical and clinical strategy.

The successful candidate will bring deep scientific expertise, strong business acumen, intellectual curiosity, and the ability to translate complex clinical information into meaningful scientific dialogue. They will maintain comprehensive knowledge of relevant disease states, Zevra's therapeutic portfolio, emerging science, the competitive landscape, and applicable regulatory and compliance requirements while ensuring all scientific exchange is accurate, balanced, and evidence-based.

This role is well suited for an experienced MSL who is passionate about rare diseases, enjoys building meaningful relationships within the medical and scientific community, and thrives in a collaborative, growing organization focused on improving outcomes for patients with significant unmet needs.

Territory: Central U.S. – Illinois, Ohio, Indiana, Michigan, Minnesota, Wisconsin, Kentucky, Iowa, Nebraska, North Dakota, South Dakota, and Kansas

What you'll do

Serve as a trusted scientific and clinical resource to KOLs, HCPs, researchers, and other healthcare stakeholders across the Central U.S. territory.
Develop and maintain strategic, long-term relationships with external experts and institutions to support meaningful scientific exchange and collaboration.
Conduct peer-to-peer scientific discussions and provide accurate, balanced, evidence-based medical and scientific information regarding relevant disease states and Zevra's therapeutic portfolio.
Maintain comprehensive knowledge of relevant disease states, treatment landscapes, clinical data, emerging research, and competitor activity.
Stay current on scientific and clinical developments within Zevra's areas of interest and communicate relevant developments and insights across the Medical Affairs organization.
Identify, capture, and communicate meaningful medical insights from the field to help inform medical, clinical, and broader organizational strategies.
Document HCP interactions and medical insights accurately and consistently within Veeva CRM.
Support Medical Affairs projects and field-based initiatives aligned with U.S. Medical strategy, objectives, and tactical plans.
Engage HCPs and potential investigators in scientific discussions related to research opportunities, evidence generation, and clinical trial participation, as appropriate.
Represent Zevra at scientific congresses, medical meetings, advisory boards, and other relevant external engagements.
Partner cross-functionally with Medical Affairs, Clinical Development, Commercial, Market Access, and other internal stakeholders while maintaining appropriate Medical Affairs independence and compliance standards.
Provide scientific education to internal stakeholders on disease states, clinical data, product science, treatment landscapes, and relevant therapeutic guidelines.
Contribute to scientific communication initiatives, including publication planning, medical information resources, and other educational materials, as appropriate.

Qualifications

MD, PhD, PharmD, DNP, or equivalent degree preferred.
5+ years of Medical Science Liaison or closely related field-based Medical Affairs experience within the pharmaceutical or biotechnology industry.
Rare disease experience required (experience in lysosomal, metabolic, or rare neurological disorders preferred).
Demonstrated ability to establish credibility and develop productive relationships with KOLs, HCPs, researchers, and other scientific stakeholders.
Strong scientific communication and presentation skills, with the ability to communicate complex clinical and scientific information effectively to diverse audiences.
Strong business acumen and understanding of the regulatory and compliance requirements governing field-based Medical Affairs activities.
Ability to work independently in a field-based environment while collaborating effectively across a matrixed organization.
Strong organizational skills and demonstrated ability to effectively manage a geographically dispersed territory.
Must reside within the Central U.S. territory.
Ability to travel approximately 60–75%, including overnight travel and occasional weekends, based on business needs.
Valid driver's license and ability to operate a company-provided vehicle.

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