Senior Medical Director, Ophthalmology

The Role

We are seeking a Senior Medical Director to lead the clinical strategy and execution of our ophthalmology programs at AAVantgarde. This role is pivotal in shaping the design and delivery of clinical studies from first-in-human through Phase 3, supporting the development of transformative gene therapies in areas of high unmet need.

As Senior Medical Director, you will provide strategic input into study design, protocol development, and endpoint selection, while serving as the internal and external clinical subject matter expert. You will build and maintain relationships with principal investigators, key opinion leaders, and scientific advisors, ensuring our programs remain aligned with the latest scientific and regulatory developments.

You will oversee medical monitoring, safety assessments, and data integrity throughout the lifecycle of clinical trials. This includes leading medical review of trial data, assessing serious adverse events, and contributing to regulatory submissions and health authority interactions. You will also support training for internal teams and trial sites, ensuring consistent and high-quality study execution. This role requires close collaboration across Clinical Operations, Safety, Biometrics, and Regulatory Affairs, and includes occasional travel to support investigator meetings and scientific conferences.

Skills and Experience Required

To succeed in this role, you will need an MD, MD/PhD, or PhD in life sciences, pharmacy, medicine, or a related field. Specialization in ophthalmology—particularly in retina and inherited retinal diseases—is highly desirable, along with experience in ocular imaging and a strong understanding of the competitive clinical landscape.

You should bring significant experience in the pharmaceutical or biotechnology industry, with a proven track record as a Clinical Research Lead in ophthalmology or translational drug development. Experience in global clinical trials, especially in early- and late-stage development, is essential.

Strong knowledge of FDA, GCP, and ICH regulations is required, along with excellent scientific writing and communication skills. You should be comfortable leading cross-functional teams, synthesizing complex scientific data, and managing multiple priorities in a fast-paced biotech environment. A high level of organizational awareness and the ability to connect strategic and operational elements will be key to success in this role.

Equal Opportunities

At AAVantgarde, we are committed to fostering a welcoming, collaborative, and inclusive environment. We believe in providing equal opportunities for all and do not discriminate on the basis of race, colour, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, or any other legally protected characteristics. All applicants will receive equal consideration for employment.

Recruitment Policy

AAVantgarde’s HR team leads all recruitment activities for AAVantgarde globally. AAVantgarde will not recognise any notional ownership recruitment companies claim to hold over candidates they present directly to hiring managers without the AAVantgarde HR team’s consent, nor any fees the recruitment company may feel are due as a result of this. Unsolicited resumes sent to AAVantgarde from recruiters do not constitute any type of relationship between the recruiter and AAVantgarde and do not obligate AAVantgarde to pay fees should we hire from those resumes. We ask that external recruiters and/or agencies not contact or present candidates directly to our hiring managers or employees. If you are interested in becoming a recruitment partner please email the HR team at recruitment@aavantgarde.com