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Associate Director - Statistics, Specialty TA (Hybrid)

AbbVie · North Chicago, IL · Full time · Science

Posted Sep 9, 2026 · We last checked this listing on Oct 6, 2026

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Likely interview questions for this role

Written from this job description, not a generic list. Each one notes what the interviewer is really checking.

About your past

How do you represent statistics on a project team where everyone wants a faster path?

What they are checking: Whether they protect statistical rigor on a team pushing for speed, while still helping find a responsible faster path.

You'd train and mentor staff on statistical methodology. How do you develop a statistician who is technically strong but can't explain their work?

What they are checking: Whether they can develop communication skills in strong technical staff, a common gap that limits a statistician's influence.

How do you explain a statistical limitation to a clinical team that wants a clear answer?

What they are checking: Whether they can give a clinical team a clear answer while keeping the important caveat intact and understood.

Tell me about a time your statistical view held up a decision people wanted to make.

What they are checking: Whether they have held their ground when the statistics were unwelcome, which protects patients and the company's credibility with regulators.

What would you do

Interim results look promising but not conclusive. What do you advise?

What they are checking: Whether they stay disciplined with ambiguous interim data, resisting pressure to read more into it than the evidence supports.

This is a hybrid role based at North Chicago. Does that arrangement work for you?

What they are checking: Whether the hybrid schedule at North Chicago genuinely works for them, so there are no surprises after an offer is made.

About the work

This role gives statistical leadership for clinical development in a specialty therapeutic area. Walk me through your part in designing a pivotal trial.

What they are checking: Whether they have shaped trial design themselves, not only analyzed data after others set the design and endpoints.

The posting names leading regulatory submission strategy. What's your experience with a submission, and what did you own in it?

What they are checking: Whether they have owned real parts of a regulatory submission, since this role leads statistical strategy for filings.

The role asks you to propose novel statistical methodological approaches. When is a novel method worth the regulatory risk, and when isn't it?

What they are checking: Whether they weigh the benefit of a novel method against regulatory acceptance risk, rather than pursuing novelty for its own sake.

How do you decide on a sample size when the assumptions are uncertain?

What they are checking: Whether they set sample size with sensitivity to uncertain assumptions, since that one number drives the cost and success of a trial.

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The full job description

As published by AbbVie.

The Associate Director, Statistics provides statistical leadership for clinical development and life-cycle management strategies for assigned projects. Specific areas of work may include clinical trials, patient safety, and global medical affairs. The Associate Director works in partnership with experts in multiple disciplines to advance medicines to our patients. Responsibilities: • Provide expertise/lead regulatory submission and product life-cycle management strategy planning and implementation for assigned projects. Provide statistical leadership for design, analysis and reporting for clinical or other scientific research programs. Independently develop protocols and statistical analysis plans • Represent function/department on project team(s) to provide statistical input to compound/drug development and drive alignment with functional management. Partner with other functions (Clinical, Regulatory, Patient Safety, or GMA) to create development strategies for assigned projects. • Demonstrate extensive understanding of statistical concepts and methodology. Propose novel statistical methodological approaches to design of scientific studies. Provide sufficient detail to allow programming implementation. Ensure that all statistical analyses specified in scientific protocols and analysis plans are conducted appropriately. • Train and mentor staff on statistical methodology and operations. May supervise contract statisticians or junior statisticians. Gain expertise in innovative statistical methods. Assist functional leaders in recruiting qualified personnel and arranging training opportunities for professional development of staff. • Develop strategy for data presentation and inference. Ensure appropriate interpretation of statistical deliverables in collaboration with other functions. Collaborate in publication of scientific research. Ensure accuracy and internal consistency of reports and publications, including tables, listings, and figures. • Act as the liaison for statistical issues on AbbVie collaborative studies with CROs, academic institutions, government agencies, steering and/or data monitoring committees, joint ventures or licensing collaborators. Build external scientific connections which foster professional development and promote the reputation of the Statistics department. • Ensure that all applicable regulatory requirements for work processes are met. Critically review regulatory submission documents. Participate in discussions with regulatory agencies as needed. Validate external statistical software to ensure compliance with SOPs and regulatory requirements. Minimum Qualifications: • MS (with 10+ years of experience) or PhD (with 6+ years of experience) in Statistics, Biostatistics, or a highly related field. • Have strong leadership skills and experience in working/managing cross-cultural or oversea teams • Pharmaceutical or related industry knowledge required, including experience and understanding of drug development and life-cycle management in the regulated environment. Preferred Qualifications: • PhD preferred • Submission experience preferred Other Required Skills: • High degree of technical competence and excellent communication skills, both oral and written • Able to identify data or analytical issues, and assist with providing solutions by either applying own skills and knowledge or seeking help from others • Able to manage project timeline and quality of deliverables • Able to build strong relationship with peers and cross-functional partners to achieve higher performance. Highly motivated to drive innovation by raising the bar and challenging the status quo Applicable only to applicants applying to a position in any location with pay disclosure requirements under state or local law: ​ • The compensation range described below is the range of possible base pay compensation that the Company believes in good faith it will pay for this role at the time of this posting based on the job grade for this position. Individual compensation paid within this range will depend on many factors including geographic location, and we may ultimately pay more or less than the posted range. This range may be modified in the future. ​ • We offer a comprehensive package of benefits including paid time off (vacation, holidays, sick), medical/dental/vision insurance and 401(k) to eligible employees.​ • This job is eligible to participate in our long-term incentive programs. Note: No amount of pay is considered to be wages or compensation until such amount is earned, vested, and determinable. The amount and availability of any bonus, commission, incentive, benefits, or any other form of compensation and benefits that are allocable to a particular employee remains in the Company's sole and absolute discretion unless and until paid and may be modified at the Company’s sole and absolute discretion, consistent with applicable law.​ AbbVie is an equal opportunity employer and is committed to operating with integrity, driving innovation, transforming lives and serving our community.  Equal Opportunity Employer/Veterans/Disabled. US & Puerto Rico only - to learn more, visit https://www.abbvie.com/join-us/equal-employment-opportunity-employer.html US & Puerto Rico applicants seeking a reasonable accommodation, click here to learn more: https://www.abbvie.com/join-us/reasonable-accommodations.html

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