Key Responsibilities and Required Skills for Field Clinical Scientist
💰 $95,000 - $140,000
MedicalClinical ResearchLife SciencesField Science
🎯 Role Definition
The Field Clinical Scientist serves as a scientific and clinical liaison between the organization and healthcare professionals, providing expert guidance on products, clinical evidence, and research initiatives. This role supports clinical trials, educates medical stakeholders, and ensures compliance with regulatory standards while driving adoption of evidence-based practices.
📈 Career Progression
Typical Career Path
Entry Point From:
- Clinical Research Associate
- Medical Science Liaison Associate
- Regulatory Affairs Associate
Advancement To:
- Senior Field Clinical Scientist
- Medical Science Liaison Manager
- Director of Clinical Affairs
Lateral Moves:
- Clinical Program Manager
- Medical Affairs Specialist
Core Responsibilities
Primary Functions
- Serve as the primary scientific point of contact for healthcare providers, delivering product knowledge and clinical data updates.
- Support clinical trial activities including site initiation, monitoring, and data collection.
- Conduct presentations and training sessions on clinical protocols, study results, and product applications.
- Collaborate with cross-functional teams to provide medical and scientific expertise in product development and marketing initiatives.
- Facilitate investigator-initiated studies and advisory boards to gather insights and drive research opportunities.
- Provide scientific support to healthcare professionals, responding to complex inquiries regarding efficacy, safety, and clinical use.
- Maintain up-to-date knowledge of relevant therapeutic areas, clinical guidelines, and competitive products.
- Prepare and review scientific materials, clinical study reports, and regulatory documentation.
- Assist in the design and implementation of clinical trials, ensuring alignment with organizational objectives.
- Evaluate and report on real-world data and clinical evidence to support medical strategies.
- Build and maintain relationships with key opinion leaders and other influential medical stakeholders.
- Support regulatory submissions and ensure all interactions and materials comply with industry regulations.
- Participate in scientific advisory meetings and contribute to evidence-based publications.
- Collect and report field insights, including feedback on product performance and unmet medical needs.
- Collaborate with marketing and sales teams to provide clinical guidance in field activities.
- Monitor patient safety and adverse event reporting in accordance with regulatory requirements.
- Facilitate educational programs for healthcare professionals to enhance clinical knowledge and product utilization.
- Provide input to clinical development plans, protocol design, and post-market surveillance studies.
- Represent the organization at conferences, seminars, and scientific meetings to disseminate clinical information.
- Mentor junior clinical staff and support professional development initiatives.
Secondary Functions
- Support ad-hoc data analysis and reporting for clinical outcomes and program evaluation.
- Contribute to the organization's clinical strategy and evidence generation roadmap.
- Collaborate with internal teams to translate clinical insights into actionable recommendations.
- Participate in internal meetings to align field scientific activities with corporate objectives.
Required Skills & Competencies
Hard Skills (Technical)
- Clinical trial design, monitoring, and execution
- Knowledge of regulatory guidelines (FDA, EMA, GCP)
- Ability to interpret and present complex clinical data
- Scientific writing and preparation of clinical study reports
- Proficiency with statistical analysis and clinical data management tools
- Medical literature review and evidence synthesis
- Knowledge of therapeutic areas relevant to assigned products
- Experience with investigator-initiated studies and clinical advisory boards
- Competence in electronic data capture and clinical reporting systems
- Understanding of pharmacovigilance and adverse event reporting
Soft Skills
- Excellent communication and presentation skills for scientific audiences
- Relationship-building with healthcare professionals and key opinion leaders
- Strong analytical and problem-solving abilities
- Team collaboration and cross-functional engagement
- Project management and organizational skills
- Critical thinking and decision-making in clinical contexts
- Adaptability to field-based and dynamic environments
- Mentorship and training capabilities
- Professionalism and ethical conduct in medical affairs
- Ability to translate scientific data into actionable insights
Education & Experience
Educational Background
Minimum Education:
Bachelor’s Degree in Life Sciences, Pharmacy, Nursing, or related field
Preferred Education:
Master’s or PhD in Life Sciences, Pharmacology, Clinical Research, or related field
Relevant Fields of Study:
- Biomedical Sciences
- Pharmacology
- Clinical Research
Experience Requirements
Typical Experience Range:
3–5 years of experience in clinical research, medical affairs, or field scientific roles
Preferred:
Experience as a Field Clinical Scientist, Medical Science Liaison, or Clinical Research Associate with demonstrated expertise in engaging healthcare professionals and supporting clinical programs