Medical Director, Medical Affairs

Job Description

Job Description

Company introduction:

Compass Pathways plc (Nasdaq: CMPS) is a biotechnology company dedicated to unlocking urgently needed new treatment options in mental health care. 

The Company is headquartered in London, UK, with a U.S. office in New Jersey. We believe mental health patients deserve the possibility of a better future. Our initial focus is developing COMP360 psilocybin, a proprietary, investigational, synthetic psilocybin treatment under evaluation for treatment-resistant depression (TRD) and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). COMP360 is a potentially first-in-class treatment and has Breakthrough Therapy designation from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), as well as Innovative Licensing and Access Pathway (ILAP) designation in the UK for TRD. 

We are leading the world's largest classic psychedelic clinical program in TRD, and building upon that robust foundation, we are executing a late-stage trial evaluating COMP360 for PTSD, another condition with high unmet need. Our goal is to advance treatments that move the field of psychiatry towards treatment options that offer rapid onset and sustained durability with infrequent dosing. - Compass Pathways

Job overview:

The Medical Director, Medical Affairs will serve as a subject matter expert representing professional medical expertise within the Medical Affairs function, with an initial focus on treatment-resistant depression (TRD) and investigational psychedelic therapeutics. This individual will provide clinical perspective, medical judgment, and thought partnership to Medical Affairs leadership and functional teams.

The Medical Director will contribute to the execution of Medical Affairs strategy through critical evaluation of clinical evidence, development of evidence-generation initiatives, and engagement with external medical experts. Working collaboratively with Medical Affairs and cross-functional partners, the Medical Director will help ensure that scientific initiatives are clinically relevant, evidence-based, and responsive to evolving needs in psychiatric care.

The successful candidate will bring deep expertise in psychiatry, the ability to critically analyze emerging evidence, and established relationships within the medical and scientific community. This individual will be expected to proactively identify important clinical knowledge gaps, recommend approaches to addressing them, and take an active role in developing and advancing research initiatives that inform clinical practice.

Location: Remote in the United States. 

Reports to: Executive Director, Medical Affairs.

Roles and Responsibilities
(include but are not limited to) : 

Therapeutic Area Expertise and Medical Guidance

• Serve as a medical subject matter expert in TRD, interventional psychiatry, and emerging psychiatric treatments
• Provide clinical insights and recommendations to inform Medical Affairs priorities and initiatives
• Critically evaluate clinical trial results, scientific literature, and evolving treatment guidelines to inform medical strategy and decision-making
• Partner with Scientific Communications, Medical Information, Medical Education, and Field Medical leadership to ensure clinical relevance and consistency across Medical Affairs activities
• Identify emerging developments and clinical practice considerations that may inform future Medical Affairs priorities
• Provide medical expertise to support future therapeutic indications and pipeline opportunities, as appropriate

Evidence Generation and Research

• Lead the development of Medical Affairs research proposals and evidence-generation initiatives aligned with organizational scientific priorities
• Collaborate with Clinical Development, Clinical Sciences, Biostatistics, HEOR, and other stakeholders to develop rigorous research concepts, protocols, and analysis plans
• Provide medical oversight and direction for Medical Affairs-sponsored research, including real-world evidence studies, observational research, and other post-approval evidence-generation activities, as appropriate
• Support the evaluation of investigator-initiated research proposals and external research collaborations
• Contribute to the interpretation and dissemination of research findings through publications, congress presentations, and other appropriate channels

External Scientific Engagement

• Lead or contribute to advisory boards, expert consultations, and other external engagements to identify unmet needs, evidence gaps, and evolving clinical practice considerations
• Represent Medical Affairs in scientific discussions at medical congresses, professional society meetings, and other appropriate forums
• Engage external experts to better understand emerging clinical evidence, treatment practices, and challenges associated with the implementation of novel psychiatric interventions
• Collaborate with Field Medical leadership to support scientific exchange priorities, therapeutic area education, and the interpretation of field medical insights
• Support external research collaborations that advance understanding of TRD and emerging treatment approaches

Scientific Communications and Medical Review

• Provide medical expertise to support the development of publications, scientific presentations, medical education materials, and Medical Information resources
• Collaborate with Scientific Communications and Medical Information leadership to ensure materials accurately reflect the available evidence and address clinically meaningful questions
• Serve as a Medical Affairs representative on the Medical, Legal, and Regulatory (MLR) review committee, providing medical and scientific review of materials in accordance with established company procedures
• Evaluate scientific claims, clinical data presentations, and medical content for accuracy, balance, clinical relevance, and consistency with the available evidence
• Collaborate with Regulatory, Legal, Compliance, and other stakeholders to support appropriate scientific communication in accordance with applicable regulations, company policies, and review procedures
• Provide medical expertise to support responses to complex scientific inquiries and emerging questions from healthcare professionals

Cross-Functional Collaboration

• Serve as a key medical partner to Clinical Development, Clinical Sciences, Regulatory, Safety, HEOR, and other functions on matters relevant to Medical Affairs
• Facilitate the exchange of clinical insights and perspectives between Medical Affairs and internal stakeholders
• Contribute to cross-functional discussions involving clinical evidence, treatment implementation, safety considerations, and future research opportunities
• Support alignment of Medical Affairs activities with broader clinical development and organizational priorities
• Collaborate with Medical Affairs functional leaders to identify needs, address emerging questions, and support effective execution of medical initiatives

Candidate Profile:

Required

• MD or DO degree from an accredited medical institution
• Clinical training and demonstrated expertise in psychiatry, with strong knowledge of treatment-resistant depression and contemporary psychiatric treatment approaches
• Experience in clinical research, academic medicine, pharmaceutical development, Medical Affairs, or a related scientific or clinical setting
• Demonstrated ability to critically evaluate clinical research, interpret complex data, and communicate findings to diverse medical and scientific audiences
• Experience contributing to clinical research, scientific publications, medical education, or other evidence-generation activities
• Strong understanding of clinical research methodology, evidence-based medicine, and principles of scientific communication
• Excellent interpersonal, communication, and collaboration skills, with the ability to engage effectively with senior medical and scientific stakeholders
• Demonstrated ability to manage multiple initiatives and work effectively across multidisciplinary teams

Preferred

• Board certification in Psychiatry
• Experience in interventional psychiatry, including clinical or research experience with treatments such as esketamine, ketamine, transcranial magnetic stimulation, electroconvulsive therapy, or psychedelic therapeutics
• Prior experience in pharmaceutical or biotechnology Medical Affairs, Clinical Development, or a related industry function
• Experience developing research proposals, clinical protocols, real-world evidence studies, or investigator-initiated research programs
• Established relationships within psychiatry, particularly in TRD, interventional psychiatry, or emerging psychiatric therapeutics
• Experience leading scientific advisory boards, expert consensus initiatives, or other external scientific collaborations
• Familiarity with pharmaceutical medical review processes, MLR governance, and regulatory requirements governing scientific communications
• Experience supporting late-stage clinical development, product launch preparation, or early commercialization activities

Key Competencies

• Clinical Expertise and Judgment: Strong understanding of psychiatric disorders and treatment approaches, with the ability to evaluate emerging evidence and provide sound medical recommendations
• Evidence Generation: Ability to identify meaningful research questions and develop feasible approaches to addressing them
• Cross-Functional Collaboration: Ability to influence decisions and advance initiatives across multidisciplinary teams without direct reporting authority
• Scientific Communication: Ability to clearly articulate complex clinical concepts and evidence to internal and external audiences
• External Engagement: Ability to establish credibility and build productive relationships with clinical experts and research collaborators
• Initiative and Adaptability: Proactive problem-solving and the ability to operate effectively in a growing organization

Compensation Description (annually):

Our compensation package for permanent hires includes base salary, discretionary bonus, and equity, alongside our comprehensive benefits offering.

Please note that the base salary range is a guideline, and individual total compensation will vary based on factors such as qualifications, skill level, competencies, and work location.

【Base salary per annum】:

$270,000—$320,000 USD

Benefits:

For an overview of our benefits package and compensation information, please visit "Joins us - Our Benefits".

These include flexibility & generous time off, parental & reproductive support, health & medical, mental health & wellbeing and Financial health.

Equal opportunities: 

Reasonable accommodation

We are committed to building a workplace where everyone's wellbeing matters. If you need reasonable accommodation during the interview process to be at your best, please let our recruiting team know. 

UK applicants

We are proud of our commitment to diversity and equality (pursuant to the Equality Act 2010). We do not discriminate based upon race, religion or belief, colour, nationality, ethnic or national origin, gender, pregnancy or maternity, marital or civil partner status, sexual orientation, gender reassignment, age or disability.

US applicants

Compass Pathways is proud to be an equal opportunity employer. All employment decisions are based on business needs, job requirements, and individual qualifications, without regard to race, religion, color, national origin, sex (including pregnancy, childbirth, and related medical conditions), ethnicity, age, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, military service, genetic information, familial or marital status, or any other status, category, or characteristic protected by applicable law.

Sponsorship:

Unfortunately, we cannot sponsor employment visas and can only accept applications if you have employment rights in the country to which you are applying.

Data Privacy:

All data is confidential and protected by all legal and data privacy requirements, please see our recruitment Privacy Notice to learn more about how we process personal data.