AstraZeneca Posted August 9, 2026

Medical Lead - GI Cancer

Gaithersburg, Maryland, United States of America Full time
Medical Affairs Oncology

AstraZeneca is the source of truth for this posting and owns the application process. We surface normalized context and market comparison you won't find on the original listing.

About this opportunity

Are you ready to lead medical strategy in GI cancers and translate breakthrough science into better outcomes for patients worldwide? Do you thrive at the intersection of science, strategy, and cross-functional influence where your decisions shape clinical practice and business results?

In this role, you will set the medical direction for a critical GI oncology franchise, fusing robust evidence with clear strategy to change how patients are treated. You will partner closely with colleagues across the enterprise, from research and safety to field teams and market access, to ensure our science is communicated with integrity, our insights drive action, and our launches and lifecycle plans deliver real impact.

You will join a high-performing, collaborative team that learns fast, moves with purpose, and values both ambition and kindness. With access to cutting-edge research and a deep pipeline, you will have the platform to grow your expertise, influence global standards of care, and see your work make a measurable difference for patients, science, and society.

Accountabilities:

Medical Leadership: Lead Medical Affairs for the GI oncology franchise and provide medical leadership to the Core Medical Team, setting direction for evidence generation, launch readiness, and lifecycle strategy that elevates standards of care.

Evidence and Information Integrity: Ensure medical accuracy and fair balance of all medical information in promotional and learning materials for internal and external use, maintaining scientific rigor and compliance.

External Partnerships: Build credible relationships with advocacy, payer, and provider groups to align on patient needs, inform strategy, and shape scientific exchange that drives adoption of best practices.

Safety and Benefit-Risk: Provide medical input into the product safety profile in collaboration with Patient Safety physicians, interpreting emerging data and guiding risk communication and mitigation.

Field and Key Account Collaboration: Partner with Medical Science Liaisons and work closely with National Clinical Account Managers to support key accounts, translating insights into targeted medical plans and impactful engagements.

Cross-Functional Influence: Work collaboratively with commercial and scientific colleagues to integrate insights, align on priorities, and deliver coordinated, patient-centered outcomes across the franchise.

 Essential Skills/Experience:

Sophisticated Scientific Degree (MBBS, PharmD, PhD, or MD) or international equivalent

A minimum of 5+ years of related work experience in industry, clinical or research institution, preferably in oncology, rare disease, or related experiences

1-3 years in HQ Medical Affairs role

A minimum of 3+ years of related work experience in industry, clinical or research institution, preferably in oncology, rare disease, or related experiences

Experience in supporting brands or disease area levels in-country, regional, or global organizations is preferred

Proven track record of interacting efficiently with both commercial and scientific/medical colleagues

Demonstrated ability to work collaboratively in cross-functional teams

Ability to travel nationally and internationally

Highly developed written, verbal, and presentation skills

Travel will be up to ~30% of time.

Desirable Skills/Experience:

Solid understanding of FDA requirements

Experience in a strategy-setting role within Medical Affairs

Experience in navigating sophisticated business challenges

Experience in developing and maintaining a network that includes third-party expert

Experience in other relevant disease areas of interest through clinical experience, biopharmaceutical experience, or education may be considered

Knowledge of relevant Professional Societies and Scientific Medical Experts.

Experience with pharmaceutical drug development and Medical/Scientific Affairs

When we put unexpected teams in the same room, we unleash bold thinking with the power to inspire life-changing medicines. In-person working gives us the platform we need to connect, work at pace and challenge perceptions. That’s why we work, on average, a minimum of three days per week from the office. But that doesn't mean we’re not flexible. We balance the expectation of being in the office while respecting individual flexibility. Join us in our unique and ambitious world.

Why AstraZeneca:

Here, science meets strategy with urgency and heart. You will shape evidence that informs real clinical decisions, working alongside diverse experts who collaborate openly and move at pace to bring transformative oncology medicines to patients. With access to a deep, innovative pipeline and a culture that encourages bold ideas, constructive challenge, and continuous learning, your contributions will ripple from data to practice, from teams to treatment, advancing the mission to redefine cancer care while growing your own capabilities and influence.

Call to Action:

If you are ready to lead GI cancer strategy, elevate standards of care, and see your impact reach patients and practice, take the next step and submit your application today.

The annual base pay for this position ranges from $ 193,281 - 289,922 USD. Base pay offered may vary depending on multiple individualized factors, including market location, job-related knowledge, skills, and experience. In addition, our positions offer a short-term incentive bonus opportunity; eligibility to participate in our equity-based long-term incentive program. Benefits offered include a qualified retirement program [401(k) plan]; paid vacation and holidays; paid leaves; and, health benefits including medical, prescription drug, dental, and vision coverage in accordance with the terms and conditions of the applicable plans. Additional details of participation in these benefit plans will be provided if an employee receives an offer of employment. If hired, employee will be in an “at-will position” and the Company reserves the right to modify base pay (as well as any other discretionary payment or compensation program) at any time, including for reasons related to individual performance, Company or individual department/team performance, and market factors

Date Posted

09-Aug-2026

Closing Date

08-Aug-2026 Our mission is to build an inclusive environment where equal employment opportunities are available to all applicants and employees. In furtherance of that mission, we welcome and consider applications from all qualified candidates, regardless of their protected characteristics. If you have a disability or special need that requires accommodation, please complete the corresponding section in the application form.

Job details

Seniority
Not listed
Function
Medical Affairs
Therapeutic area
Oncology
Location
Gaithersburg, Maryland, United States of America
Employment type
Full time

How this role compares

Computed from every other active Medical Affairs role in our database, not just this employer's listings.

We currently track 924 comparable Medical Affairs roles across 130 biopharma companies.

924Comparable roles tracked
800Currently active
130Companies hiring similar roles
58Countries represented

Salary context

175 of 924 peers report a salary range (USD, annualized)

Peers share this role's job function. This posting doesn't list a seniority level, so peers aren't narrowed by seniority either -- the range below may span more levels than usual.

This roleSubject Not listed on this posting
Lowest disclosed · Clinical Coordinator · Pfizer $79,400/yr – $132,400/yr
Peer group range $105,900 – $458,800 (median $232,750)

Where these roles are based

Top locations among the 924 comparable roles

United States378
China's Mainland69
Japan61
China57
India50
Germany40

+ 52 more countries

Seniority mix

502 of 924 peers have a known seniority level

Director148
Manager125
Senior97
Associate55
Associate Director39
Senior Director20
Executive/VP11
Principal5
Intern/Fellow/Postdoc2

Therapeutic area mix

325 of 924 peers have a known therapeutic area; the rest are genuinely unlabeled, not hidden

Oncology113
Immunology52
Neuroscience35
Cardiovascular / CVRM34
Respiratory21
Vaccines & Infectious Disease21
Rare Disease21
Dermatology & Aesthetics20
Ophthalmology4
Gastroenterology4

Similar opportunities

The closest matches from our peer group, ranked by how similar they are, not how well you'd qualify for them -- treat this as market context, not a guaranteed shortlist; a weak match is labeled as one below.

80%similar
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Same function Same therapeutic area Same country
80%similar
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AbbVie Boston, MA Senior
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AbbVie Columbus, OH Senior
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How we calculate "similar"

No black box, no LLM guesswork: a deterministic score built from four normalized attributes. Here's this role's own peer group at different match levels, so you can see the mechanism, not just the result.

Every comparison starts from the same 100-point budget: 25 for working in the same function, 40 for the same therapeutic area, 20 for the same or adjacent seniority, 15 for the same country. A dimension we can't confirm on both sides contributes nothing, never a guess, never a free pass.

80%
MSL/Sr. MSL, Lung Solid Tumor (Southern California and Las Vegas, NV)
AbbVie · Los Angeles, CA · Senior
Function Therapeutic area Seniority Country
80%
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Function Therapeutic area Seniority Country
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AbbVie · North Chicago, IL · Director
Function Therapeutic area Seniority Country
Unmatched or unknown dimensions score exactly the same: 0 points, never a partial guess. A role we know almost nothing about beyond its function bottoms out at 25%; it never inflates to 100% just because there's little to compare against. Seniority uses a defined ladder (Associate → Manager → Associate Director → Senior → Principal → Director → Senior Director → Executive/VP) so "Director" and "Senior Director" count as adjacent, but "Director" and "Executive/VP" do not.