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Senior/Executive Medical Director, Immunology Clinical Development - Rheumatology

AbbVie · North Chicago, IL · Full time · Research

Posted Sep 1, 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

This role oversees clinical development programs in rheumatology. Walk me through a development program you have led.

What they are checking: Whether they have led a full development program at this senior level, owning strategy and decisions rather than running single studies.

You'd lead across statisticians, safety, regulatory and operations. How do you lead a program team where everyone is a specialist and you are accountable?

What they are checking: Whether they can lead a team of experts by setting direction and making decisions while respecting each specialist's judgment.

What would you do

You'd monitor overall study integrity. What would make you worry about a running trial?

What they are checking: Whether they can name specific warning signs, like enrollment drift or safety imbalances, that would make them act on a running trial.

A trial reads out worse than expected. Walk me through the next month.

What they are checking: Whether they can lead calmly after bad results, analyzing honestly, informing stakeholders and deciding next steps without spin.

How do you work with regulators on a development plan they have reservations about?

What they are checking: Whether they engage regulators openly and adapt the plan when needed, since agency trust shapes a program's whole path to approval.

This is posted at Senior or Executive Medical Director level at North Chicago. Where do you place yourself, and what would you want to know about the programs before you took it?

What they are checking: Whether they can honestly place themselves between two levels and ask smart questions about the pipeline before committing.

About the work

You'd design clinical development programs in support of an overall product development plan. How do you decide what a phase two program needs to establish?

What they are checking: Whether they know what phase two must prove to justify phase three, setting dose, population and endpoints with the whole plan in mind.

You'd be responsible for scientific content of protocols, investigator brochures and clinical study reports. What makes a protocol good rather than merely complete?

What they are checking: Whether they have a clear view of what makes a protocol answer its question well, since every trial depends on that document.

Rheumatology has effective therapies already. What does that mean for how you design a trial and what endpoints you choose?

What they are checking: Whether they understand that strong existing therapies raise the bar for comparators, endpoints and ethics in any new rheumatology trial.

How do you interpret and communicate results that are statistically significant but clinically modest?

What they are checking: Whether they will say plainly that a modest benefit is modest, because clinicians and regulators need a true picture of effect size.

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The full job description

As published by AbbVie.

Oversees the direction, planning, execution, and interpretation of clinical trials or research activities of one or more clinical development programs. Participates in cross-functional teams to generate, deliver, and interpret high-quality clinical data supporting overall product scientific and business strategy. Responsibilities: • Manages the design and implementation of one or more clinical development programs in support of an overall Product Development Plan, based on strong medical and scientific principles, knowledge of compliance and regulatory requirements, AbbVie’s customers, markets, business operations, and emerging issues. Oversees project-related education of investigators, study site personnel, and AbbVie study staff. • Has overall responsibility for oversight of clinical studies, monitoring overall study integrity, and review, interpretation, and communication of accumulating data pertaining to safety and efficacy of the molecule. Along with Clinical Operations, is responsible for oversight of study enrollment and overall timelines for key deliverables. Responsible for assessment and reporting of serious adverse events per corporate policy and regulations for those protocols on which assigned. • Responsible for design, analysis, interpretation, and reporting of scientific content of protocols, Investigator Brochures, Clinical Study Reports, regulatory submissions and responses, and other program documents. • May oversee the work of Associate Medical and/or Scientific Directors, and of Clinical Scientists working on the same or related programs. • Provides in-house clinical expertise for the molecule and disease, coordinating appropriate scientific and medical activities with internal stakeholders as they relate to ongoing clinical projects. May participate in due diligence or other business development activity. As required by program needs, contributes in partnership with Discovery colleagues to design and implementation of translational strategies. • May serve on or chair a Clinical Strategy Team (CST), with responsibility for development of a rigorous, cross-functionally-aligned, vetted Clinical Development Plan with full consideration of contingencies and alternative approaches. In the role of CST Chair, responsibilities may include supervision of matrix team members and serving as Clinical Research representative to lend clinical development and medical expertise to an Asset Development Team (ADT), ADT Leadership Board (ALB). • Acts as a clinical interface and actively solicits opinion leader interactions related to the molecule and disease area; partners with Medical Affairs, Commercial and other functions in these activities as required, consistent with corporate policies, to ensure that broad cross-functional perspectives are incorporated into Clinical Development Plans and protocols as appropriate. • Stays abreast of professional information and technology through conferences, medical literature, and other available training, to augment expertise in the therapeutic area. • Responsible for understanding the regulatory requirements related to the clinical studies and global drug development and accountable for complying with those requirements. Serves as a clinical representative for key regulatory discussions. • Ensures adherence to Good Clinical Practices, pharmacovigilance standards, standard operating procedures and to all other quality standards in conducting research. Senior Medical Director Qualifications: • Medical Doctor (M.D.), Doctor of Osteopathy (D.O.) or non-US equivalent of M.D. degree with relevant therapeutic specialty in an academic or hospital environment. Completion of a residency program strongly preferred. Completion of a subspecialty fellowship is desirable. • At least 2 years of clinical trial experience in the pharmaceutical industry, academia, or equivalent. • Ability to run a clinical research program of moderate complexity with minimal supervision. • Ability to perform and bring out the best in others on a cross-functional global team. • Ability to interact externally and internally to support a global scientific and business strategy. • Knowledge of clinical trial methodology, regulatory and compliance requirements governing clinical trials and experience in development of clinical strategy and the design of study protocols. • Must possess excellent oral and written English communication skills. Executive Medical Director Qualifications: • Medical Doctor (M.D.), Doctor of Osteopathy (D.O.), or non-US equivalent of M.D. degree with relevant therapeutic specialty in an academic or hospital environment. Completion of a residency program strongly preferred. Completion of a subspecialty fellowship is desirable. • At least 5 years (7 years preferred) of clinical trial experience in the pharmaceutical industry, academia, or equivalent. • Ability to run a complex clinical research program independently. • Proven leadership skills and ability to bring out the best in others on a cross-functional global team. Must be able to lead through influence. • Ability to interact externally and internally to support a global scientific and business strategy. • Extensive knowledge of clinical trial methodology, regulatory and compliance requirements governing clinical trials, and experience in development of clinical strategy and the design of study protocols. • Must possess excellent oral and written English communication skills. • Ability to exercise judgment and address complex problems and create solutions for one or more projects. 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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