About the Opportunity

About Northeastern:

Founded in 1898, Northeastern is a global research university and the recognized leader in experience-driven lifelong learning. Our world-renowned experiential approach empowers our students, faculty, alumni, and partners to create impact far beyond the confines of discipline, degree, and campus.

Our locations—in Boston; Charlotte, North Carolina; London; Portland, Maine; San Francisco; Seattle; Silicon Valley; Toronto; Vancouver; and the Massachusetts communities of Burlington and Nahant—are nodes in our growing global university system. Through this network, we expand opportunities for flexible, student-centered learning and collaborative, solutions-focused research.

Northeastern’s comprehensive array of undergraduate and graduate programs— in a variety of on-campus and online formats—lead to degrees through the doctorate in nine colleges and schools. Among these, we offer more than 195 multi-discipline majors and degrees designed to prepare students for purposeful lives and careers.

About the Opportunity:

Northeastern University’s Pharmaceutical Industry Fellowship Program is a two-year fellowship designed to advance the education and training of Pharm.D. graduates in various areas of industry pharmacy including regulatory affairs, medical information/affairs, patient safety, outcomes research, and many other areas. The program is a collaboration between Northeastern University and biopharmaceutical industry partners.

Our program provides a dynamic academic environment offering fellows the opportunity for a wide breadth of experiences:

• Develop teaching skills through participation in our Teaching and Learning Seminar series
• Facilitate small and large group didactic education in partnership with a faculty mentor
• Create, present, and publish scholarly research through collaborative industry and university relationships
• Engage with faculty who participate in various interdisciplinary
• Network with area residents and other Northeastern fellows via professional development programs, teaching seminars, and participation on fellowship committees

In partnership with Northeastern University, Vertex Pharmaceuticals Incorporated (Vertex) is offering a two-year Clinical Scientist PharmD fellowship based in Boston, Massachusetts.

About Vertex:

Vertex is a global biotechnology company that invests in scientific innovation to create transformative medicines for people with serious diseases. The company has multiple approved medicines that treat the underlying cause of cystic fibrosis (CF) — a rare, life-threatening genetic disease — and has several ongoing clinical and research programs in CF. Beyond CF, Vertex has a robust clinical pipeline of investigational small molecule, mRNA, cell and genetic therapies (including gene editing) in other serious diseases where it has deep insight into causal human biology, including sickle cell disease, beta thalassemia, APOL1-mediated kidney disease, acute and neuropathic pain, type 1 diabetes and alpha-1 antitrypsin deficiency.

Founded in 1989 in Cambridge, Mass., Vertex's global headquarters is now located in Boston's Innovation District and its international headquarters is in London. Additionally, the company has research and development sites and commercial offices in North America, Europe, Australia and Latin America. Vertex is consistently recognized as one of the industry's top places to work, including 13 consecutive years on Science magazine's Top Employers list and one of Fortune’s 100 Best Companies to Work For. For company updates and to learn more about Vertex's history of innovation, visit www.vrtx.com  or follow us on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, YouTube and Instagram.

Clinical Scientist Position Description and Responsibilities:

The Clinical Scientist fellow will act as a key clinical interface with the Medical Lead to provide scientific, clinical, and operational input to our Vertex Cell & Gene Therapy programs, working on cross-functional study

teams for the design, execution, and monitoring of clinical trials, as well as assisting with data interpretation and communication.

This role will also serve as a point of contact for external collaborations with clinical investigators and thought leaders. The Clinical Scientist fellow may participate in selected projects in clinical development and will learn various aspects of the drug-development process, while focusing on specified deliverables for a specific program.

Activities will include program team involvements and presentation skills development. In addition, the fellow will have the opportunity to interact with, and learn from, other groups at Vertex, with an aim of providing a broader understanding of drug development.

Clinical Scientist Fellowship Objectives

• Work with cross-functional teams to conduct clinical studies, including preparation of meeting materials, safety and medical monitoring, preparation of status update reports, and study close-out activities
• Support Medical Lead with medical monitoring reports, safety reviews, site interactions, and reviewing TFLs. Responsible for analytical support of clinical trial data (safety and efficacy), including gathering, analyzing, reviewing, interpreting, and providing preliminary assessments and recommendations to the Medical Lead. Analyze and synthesize information to assess issues relating to protocol conduct and/or individual subject safety. Assist in communicating a clear overview of trial results
• Provide support for Data Monitoring Committees including operationalizing the charter, preparing updates and blinded data reviews, execution of meetings and adjudications, and communication of synthesized data reports
• Contribute to protocols, clinical study reports, IBs, ICFs, training documents, and other clinical documents under the direction of the Medical Lead
• Lead interactions with internal and external stakeholders (study sites, vendors, committees, etc.) in support of clinical trial objectives
• Represent Vertex to outside personnel in the development of clinical protocols and study conduct
• Contribute to the organization, preparation, and execution of investigator and advisory board meetings in collaboration with the project team and external vendors
• Present and support preparation of scientific material for conference presentations or publications
• Collaborate with cross-functional groups at Vertex for assigned programs as the clinical representative and liaison to the therapeutic area
• Learn about other functions within Global Medicines Development Affairs through ongoing interactions and rotational experiences

Qualifications:

Doctor of Pharmacy degree from an ACPE accredited institution, eligible for licensure as a pharmacist in the State of Massachusetts.

• Excellent oral and written communication, time management, and leadership skills, ability to work independently and take initiative on a variety of projects at the industry site and Northeastern.
• Strong interest in pursuing a career at Vertex
• Strong verbal, written communication, interpersonal, listening, and organizational skills
• Ability to work in a diverse environment
• Demonstrated ability to adapt to changing priorities and work effectively in a matrix organization
• Sense of urgency and perseverance to achieve results
• Unquestionable ethics, and professional integrity

Additional Information:

Applicants should submit the following APPLICATION MATERIALS by the priority deadline of October 31, 2024

• Curriculum vitae (CV), uploaded
• Unofficial PharmD transcripts, uploaded
• Cover letter, uploaded

Three formal letters of recommendation (LORs) sent directly from the letter writer to PharmDFellowships@northeastern.edu by November 29th, 2024. LOR writers should include the candidate’s name and fellowship program(s) in the subject line (e.g. Smith, John – Alnylam, GSK).

Address cover letter and three LORs to:

J. Andrew Orr-Skirvin, PharmD, BCOP

Clinical Professor, School of Pharmacy

Chair, Department of Pharmacy & Health System Sciences

Director of Pharmaceutical Industry Fellowship Program

360 Huntington Ave, 140TF R218

Boston, MA 02115

Position Type

Research

Additional Information

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

Northeastern has a comprehensive benefits package for benefit eligible employees. This includes medical, vision, dental, paid time off, tuition assistance, wellness & life, retirement- as well as commuting & transportation. Visit https://hr.northeastern.edu/benefits/ for more information.  

Northeastern University is an equal opportunity employer, seeking to recruit and support a broadly diverse community of faculty and staff.  Northeastern values and celebrates diversity in all its forms and strives to foster an inclusive culture built on respect that affirms inter-group relations and builds cohesion. 

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.

To learn more about Northeastern University’s commitment and support of diversity and inclusion, please see www.northeastern.edu/diversity .