Associate Director, Scientific Publications

Role Overview

• Contribute to the design, refinement, and execution of integrated publication plans that align with Xenon’s development milestones, evidence needs, and competitive landscape
• Apply program knowledge, core scientific messages, and lexicon foundations to ensure consistency across manuscripts, abstracts, posters, presentations, and publication extenders
• Maintain a strong command of therapeutic landscapes, study designs, emerging data, and evolving evidence needs to ensure publication plans stay relevant and responsive
• Integrate cross functional insights and help shape scientific publication priorities in alignment with small biopharmaceutical agility and resource considerations
• Drive the execution of abstracts, posters, oral presentations, manuscripts, reviews, and plain language summaries from concept through submission and publication
• Ensure all content adheres to GPP/ICMJE guidelines, company SOPs, and industry expectations for scientific integrity, authorship, transparency, and documentation
• Guide relationships with vendors and freelance partners by providing clear scientific direction, timely feedback, and close oversight of timelines, budgets, and quality
• Use publication management systems to track activities, manage documentation and archives, coordinate reviews and reconcile feedback, and monitor progress against the publication plan
• Partner with Clinical Development and Biostatistics to ensure alignment on data accuracy and analytical outputs
• Maintain efficient, lean workflows prioritizing clarity, documentation quality control, and responsiveness across internal and external stakeholders
• Support scientific congress activities, including abstracts, posters, and oral presentations; ensure cross‑functional readiness for data discussions and compliant amplification across multiple channels
• Review and contribute to adjacent scientific communication materials (scientific slide decks, internal training materials, FAQs, medical narratives) to ensure scientific alignment with published data
• Provide flexible support across programs as emerging data needs require
• Promote a culture of rigorous, clear, and unbiased scientific communication; ensure transparent authorship and acknowledgment of writing/editorial or technology‑assisted contributions
• Support continuous improvement of publication processes, templates, and SOPs; help train cross‑functional partners on publication standards, authorship expectations, COI, and embargo management
• Ensure accurate and compliant publication record management; assist with publications metrics reporting
• Build productive relationships with external authors, investigators, scientific experts, journal editors, and congress organizers to enable efficient development and timely delivery of publications
• Monitor peer‑reviewed literature, emerging scientific trends, and competitor disclosures; translate insights into publication opportunities, risks, and recommendations
• Support integration of publication learnings into broader scientific communication efforts and evidence-generation activities
• Remain adaptable and responsive as program needs evolve
• Act in accordance with Company policies, including, for example, the Code of Business Conduct and Ethics and ensure policies are understood and followed by direct reports, if any
• Ability to travel up to 20%, both domestically and internationally
• Other duties as assigned

Requirements

• PhD, PharmD, MD, or other doctoral degree (or equivalent) in a scientific or healthcare-related field required
• Minimum 5 years of progressive experience in scientific publications and/or medical communications within biotech/pharma and/or a medical communications agency (publication planning/strategy experience strongly valued)
• Certified Medical Publications Professional (CMPP) preferred
• Strong scientific acumen; neurology experience strongly preferred, ideally in epilepsy and/or neuropsychiatric disorders
• Demonstrated experience executing publication plans across multiple data types and study phases
• Solid understanding of clinical research methodology, statistics, data integrity, and scientific interpretation
• Proven ability to manage vendor partners, budgets, and lean project structures
• Strong understanding of GPP, ICMJE, and scientific communication compliance requirements
• Proficiency with publication management platforms and collaborative review systems
• Excellent writing, editing, and verbal communication skills; able to translate complex scientific information clearly and accurately
• High attention to detail, organizational excellence, and comfort operating with urgency in a fastmoving, resource conscious environment.

Benefits

• Health insurance
• Dental insurance
• Vision insurance
• Short
• & long-term disability
• Accidental death & dismemberment
• Life insurance programs
• Employee Assistance Program
• Travel insurance
• Retirement savings programs with company matching contributions
• Vacation
• Personal days
• Sick days
• Company shutdown at end of year
• Tuition Assistance program for advanced degrees