Medical Director / Sr. Medical Director - Ophthalmology

Sr. Medical Director, Ophthalmology
Bay Area, CA
Hybrid / On-site

Meet Life Sciences is representing a Bay Area clinical-stage biotech company seeking a Sr. Medical Director, Ophthalmology to join its growing team. This is a high-impact leadership opportunity for an experienced physician with deep ophthalmology expertise to help drive clinical development strategy and provide medical leadership across innovative ophthalmology programs.

Our client is seeking an accomplished MD with strong industry experience who can serve as a key medical leader across cross-functional teams, support clinical and regulatory strategy, and guide programs through critical stages of development. The ideal candidate will be based in the Bay Area and bring a strong combination of clinical insight, scientific rigor, and strategic development experience within ophthalmology.

Key Responsibilities

• Provide medical leadership for ophthalmology development programs across clinical stages

• Serve as a core medical expert for study design, protocol development, indication strategy, and overall asset progression

• Lead and support medical monitoring activities, including review of patient eligibility, safety data, protocol deviations, and benefit-risk assessments

• Partner closely with Clinical Operations, Biometrics, Regulatory, Clinical Science, Pharmacovigilance, Translational Sciences, and other internal stakeholders to support high-quality study execution

• Contribute to the design and interpretation of clinical endpoints, efficacy measures, and ophthalmology-specific assessments

• Author and review key clinical and regulatory documents, including protocols, investigator brochures, clinical study reports, safety narratives, and regulatory response documents

• Support interactions with investigators, key opinion leaders, advisory boards, and regulatory agencies as needed

• Provide scientific and medical input into pipeline strategy, development planning, and corporate objectives

• Represent the medical function on cross-functional program teams and provide strategic guidance on development risks, opportunities, and clinical execution

• Help ensure the highest standards of patient safety, scientific integrity, and regulatory compliance across programs

Qualifications

• MD required

• U.S. board certification preferred

• Significant ophthalmology experience required, ideally with prior industry experience in biotech or pharma

• Demonstrated experience in clinical development, with strong preference for candidates who have supported or led ophthalmology clinical trials

• Prior medical monitoring experience strongly preferred

• Strong understanding of clinical trial design, safety review, clinical data interpretation, and regulatory requirements

• Ability to work effectively in a highly cross-functional biotech environment

• Excellent communication, leadership, and stakeholder management skills

• Must be based in the Bay Area or able to work locally in the region

Preferred Background

• Experience in retinal disease, geographic atrophy, diabetic retinopathy, retinal vascular disease, or related ophthalmology indications

• Prior involvement in sponsor-side clinical development from early through later-stage studies

• Experience working directly with external experts, investigators, and health authorities