Astellas Pharma
Clinical Development Physician (Medical Director) - Oncology

How your CV stacks up
Upload your CV to see how well it fits this job role
?%
Description
Clinical Development Physician (Medical Director) - Oncology
About Astellas
Astellas is a global life sciences company committed to turning innovative science into VALUE for patients. We provide transformative therapies in disease areas that include oncology, ophthalmology, urology, immunology and women's health. Through our research and development programs, we are pioneering new healthcare solutions for diseases with high unmet medical need. Learn more at Astellas.com.
Are you driven to make a real difference in the lives of patients?
We're seeking passionate individuals who thrive in dynamic environments, embrace new ideas, and aren't afraid to take intelligent risks. People who act with unwavering integrity and are deeply committed to making a tangible impact.
Location and Working Environment
This role reports to the Global Medical Lead, Oncology Development. This is a hybrid position and will require you to be onsite 1 day per quarter at Bourne office in London, UK.
At Astellas we recognise the importance of work/life balance, and we are proud to offer a hybrid working solution allowing time to connect with colleagues at the office with the flexibility to also work from home. We believe this will optimise the most productive work environment for all employees to succeed and deliver. Hybrid work from certain locations may be permitted in accordance with Astellas’ Responsible Flexibility Guidelines.
Purpose and Scope
As the Development Physician (Medical Director) you will be responsible for overseeing the design and delivery of clinical trials across a late-phase program or multiple early-phase programs within the Immuno-Oncology group.
Reporting to the Medical Lead, you are accountable for defining the strategy and ensuring the successful execution of assigned studies. As a clinical team leader, you have a clear understanding of your responsibilities and accountabilities and provide leadership across cross-functional teams.
You are a collaborative team player who is comfortable acting as a consultant and providing support to other functions, particularly within the asset team. You also recognise the importance of effective information and knowledge management, strong partnerships, and cross-functional collaboration in driving successful drug development programs.
Responsibilities
- Collaborates effectively with key internal and external stakeholders as a member of the asset team and leader of the clinical study team to advance one or more clinical trials.
- Serves as Medical Monitor w/ responsibility for safety monitoring. Ensures patient safety on clinical study is maintained. Generates safety related documents, such as medical monitoring reports and the safety database, to ensure that the reporting of SAEs is current and complete. Collaborates closely with safety officer in writing and/or reviewing Safety Narratives, Investigator Letters, and other safety documentation for site-reported safety events.
- Coordinates with Safety Officer on program for appropriate benefit-risk assessments, planning FIH study dose selection and escalation path for early-phase programs, safety management on trials, provides clinical input and review of clinical documents, statistical analysis plans, interim and final analyses on trials, publications, CSRs, DSURs and other critical documents.
- Able to assimilate Research, Clinical Pharmacology, Biomarker, medical safety, Toxicology (early phase programs) regulatory, biostatistics, medical affairs, Health Economics, commercial perspectives into clinical development strategies and trial designs.
- Responsible for managing the process of development of protocol and necessary regulatory documents.
Reasons to use Rodeo
I’m in my final year doing Economics and I don’t know whether to apply for grad schemes now or do a masters first. What do you think?
Honest answer — it depends on where you want to end up. A lot of top grad schemes (Big 4, civil service, banking) don’t need a masters. Let’s look at the ones you’d be competitive for now, and we can decide if a masters actually adds anything.
Also worth knowing: most autumn 2026 applications are open now. Timing matters more than you think.
Start with a chat, not a search bar
Grad scheme, placement, apprenticeship? Not sure what you want yet — that's fine. Your agent talks it through with you and turns "I have no idea" into a shortlist.
Graduate Consultant — 2026 Scheme
Why you're a good match
StrongYour economics background and your summer at a regional bank line up with what PwC looks for on the consulting scheme. Applications close in four weeks.
See breakdownIt searches the market for you
Every day your agent scans the market matching roles against what actually matters to you, not just keywords on a CV.
Why you're a good match
You’ve got the grades and the economics background, and your bank internship is exactly the experience this scheme looks for. Apply soon — deadlines close within the month.
Experience fit
Your summer at the bank plus your econometrics coursework map directly to the day-one responsibilities on this scheme — client modelling, market briefings, and deal support.
Only hits
No noise. No "maybe this fits." Just roles with a clear explanation of why they're right — and where to focus when applying.
Responsibilities Continued…
- Accountable and responsible for development and implementation, and execution of clinical trials as part of a large complex late phase (post POC, established market) program or a group of earlier stage programs, in alignment with Asset and overall clinical strategy.
- In late phase program serves as the Lead for an indication specific clinical development team and is responsible and accountable for both strategy and execution of the clinical development plan for that indication or line of therapy.
- In earlier phases, serves as the clinical lead for the entire clinical development strategy and execution for a given program.
- Acquires public knowledge regarding therapeutic landscape, potential competitor products and serves as clinical voice regarding the potential for impact on planned clinical, medical affairs and commercial strategies.
- Creates and maintains scientific/clinical networks and seeks external opinion leader as appropriate. Serve as the clinical interface during clinical advisory boards, investigator meetings, and interactions with opinion leaders.
- Serves as the clinical interface in regulatory authority interactions.
- Accountable for clinical development milestones for their given trials. Supports Medical lead and Asset team at governance meetings and is able to present the clinical development plan in a succinct and clear manner at such meetings.
- Works with Development Scientists and Clinical Operation Leads to ensure efficient and streamlined execution of clinical trials and acquisition and interpretation of high-quality clinical data to inform program-level decision making and overall development strategies.
- Designs scientifically rigorous, cost-effective, and patient-centric clinical trials in accordance with the Clinical development Plan. Accountable for Clinical trial scope development and authoring of the protocol, IB, ICF as appropriate, in coordination with development scientists, clinical operations, medical writing and regulatory.
- Responsible for keeping medical lead, asset lead and Development Head informed on progress of trials, risks, planned/required mitigations, and changes to timelines and budgets.
- Supports clinical development related initiatives as needed. Leads and/or participates in scientific and medical training to other team members and external clients, investigators, and other site staff as it pertains to assigned studies.


Get help with your application
Your very own career expert that helps elevate your application to the next level.
Required Qualifications And Experience
- MD or MD/PhD with oncology fellowship complete or equivalent
- Extensive experience working within the pharmaceutical industry specifically in clinical trial design and execution in a bio-pharmaceutical development organisation or a balance of experience at an academic institution and a pharmaceutical company.
- Experience working in global teams and a global matrixed, remote working environment.
- Proven record of designing clinical trials that can produce high quality data in a timely manner for decision making.
- Documented experience planning and managing clinical trials, serving as medical monitor, managing trial execution in coordination with clinical operations.
- Excellent verbal and written communication skills in English.
- Highest level of scientific integrity and impeccable work ethics
- Aware of cultural diversity and how to influence and manage in a multi-cultural organisation.
Preferred Experience
- Extensive experience in gastroesophageal or thoracic oncology or immuno-oncology in solid tumors
- Prior clinical research experience in an academic setting
- Experience in all phases of Clinical Development and interfaces with Drug Discovery through Marketing.
- Direct experience leading global regulatory marketing authorization submissions and defense of those submissions
What awaits you at Astellas?
- Global collaboration: Become part of a connected global business of like-minded life science leaders, all dedicated to improving patients' lives worldwide.
- Real-world patient impact: Contribute to transformative therapies that reach patients around the world, knowing your work makes a difference every day.
- Relentless Innovation: Join a company at the forefront of scientific breakthroughs, where you'll have the opportunity to shape the future of healthcare.
- A Culture of Growth: Chart your own course within a supportive environment that values your contributions, champions your development, and empowers you to pursue your passions.
Our Organisational Values and Behaviours
- Impact
- Innovation
- Integrity
- One Astellas
- Accountability
- Courage
- Sense of Urgency
- Outcome Focus
Benefits
Careers | Astellas
We are an equal opportunity employer, and all qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, disability status, protected veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by law.
Beware of recruitment scams impersonating Astellas recruiters or representatives. Authentic communication will only originate from an official Astellas LinkedIn profile or a verified company email address. If you encounter a fake profile or anything suspicious, report it promptly to LinkedIn's support team through LinkedIn Help.
“It took my CV and asked me questions relevant to understanding what kind of jobs to suggest for me. Suggestions were almost perfect. Jobs were exactly what I’ve been looking for.”
Jessica, London
Skills