Senior Medical Writer, Safety Support Services

Job Description

The Clinical and Regulatory Strategic Communications (CRSC) department within GCTO creates and delivers high-quality regulated content in support of our development pipeline and enables data sharing for our customers. We are a strategic partner that ensures excellence and compliance with applicable laws while incorporating health literacy principles in the development of public-facing materials.

The Senior Medical Writer, in partnership with a project lead, develops, authors, edits and leads the review of accurate, clear, and compliant clinical, regulatory, and/or public‑facing documents, across multiple programs and therapeutic areas, in support of the company portfolio.

The Senior Medical Writer:

Demonstrates independence in preparing clinical regulatory (e.g., protocols, clinical study reports, participant narratives, investigator’s brochures) and/or public-facing (e.g., informed consent forms, clinical trial registration and results postings, plain language summaries) documents per company and evolving regulatory requirements.

Applies an in-depth knowledge and understanding of design, planning, authoring, editing, and review of accurate, clear, high-quality documents that reflect applicable medical writing best practices (e.g., lean writing, health literacy).

Is a scientific contributor and collaborator on document-specific cross-functional teams and demonstrates an understanding of team and project leadership responsibilities.

Applies emerging critical thinking, problem solving, and negotiation skills to implement solutions to challenges across the medical writing scope of work (e.g., documents, content, processes, timelines, tools) while navigating project team dynamics. Keeps medical writing project lead and/or management informed and escalates, as needed, issues that could impact timelines, quality, or compliance.

Applies knowledge of medical writing-specific tools and technology platforms.

Participates in or leads initiatives to improve medical writing processes and standards; may serve as a resource for this work internally and externally, as appropriate.

Applies knowledge of clinical development, relevant regulations, disease areas, and company products.

May help with other departmental needs, such as orientation of new team members or mentoring less experienced writers.

May manage direct reports, including workload, professional development, and performance management.

Qualifications

• Required: Bachelor’s degree preferably in a health, scientific, or relevant discipline (e.g., life sciences, pharmacy, medicine, public health)
• 3 years of relevant medical writing or industry experience.
• Required skills & experience
• Experience managing multiple writing projects in a deadline-driven environment and leading teams of medical writers and/or cross-functional team members.
• Ability to interpret clinical data clearly, objectively, and in accordance with regulatory requirements and industry guidelines, with minimal supervision.
• Demonstrated critical thinking and problem-solving capabilities.
• Experience with conflict resolution and negotiation in cross-functional teams.
• Ability to adapt to changing project needs and unexpected workload demands to help team succeed.
• Strong oral and written communication and presentation skills.
• Technical expertise in commonly used office applications (e.g., Microsoft Office Suite) and shared document systems (e.g., SharePoint) and willingness to learn and adapt to emerging technology.

Additional location(s) Compensation Information:

Required Skills:

Adaptability, Adaptability, Business Software Applications, Clinical Data, Clinical Operations, Clinical Study Design, Clinical Trial Compliance, Clinical Trial Management, Collaboration, Competency Management, Conflict Management, Critical Thinking, Data Analysis, Ethical Standards, File Sharing, ICH GCP Guidelines, Knowledge Sharing, Lateral Thinking, Legal Compliance, Logical Thinking, Medical Writing, Motivation Management, Presentation Delivery, Project Leadership, Project Management Leadership {+ 6 more}

Preferred Skills:

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Merck & Co., Inc., Rahway, NJ, USA, also known as Merck Sharp & Dohme LLC, Rahway, NJ, USA, does not accept unsolicited assistance from search firms for employment opportunities. All CVs / resumes submitted by search firms to any employee at our company without a valid written search agreement in place for this position will be deemed the sole property of our company.  No fee will be paid in the event a candidate is hired by our company as a result of an agency referral where no pre-existing agreement is in place.

Where agency agreements are in place, introductions are position specific. Please, no phone calls or emails.

Employee Status:

Regular

Relocation:

VISA Sponsorship:

Travel Requirements:

Flexible Work Arrangements:

Hybrid

Shift:

Valid Driving License:

Hazardous Material(s):

Job Posting End Date:

10/30/2026 *A job posting is effective until 11:59:59PM on the day BEFORE  the listed job posting end date. Please ensure you apply to a job posting no later than the day BEFORE the job posting end date.