Biotech & Pharma OPT Jobs in Washington DC
Washington DC's biotech and pharma sector is anchored by federal health agencies, research hospitals, and policy-driven life sciences firms. Organizations like MedImmune, Emergent BioSolutions, and various NIH-affiliated contractors regularly hire international talent on F-1 OPT. Roles in regulatory affairs, clinical research, and bioinformatics are particularly active for OPT candidates in this market.
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About AbbVie
AbbVie's mission is to discover and deliver innovative medicines and solutions that solve serious health issues today and address the medical challenges of tomorrow. We strive to have a remarkable impact on people's lives across several key therapeutic areas including immunology, oncology and neuroscience - and products and services in our Allergan Aesthetics portfolio. For more information about AbbVie, please visit us at www.abbvie.com. Follow @abbvie on LinkedIn, Facebook, Instagram, X and YouTube.
Job Description
The Senior Medical Science Liaison I is a field based scientific expert that strategically supports the research and business objectives of a designated therapeutic area across the product life cycle for a specific geography/territory. The Senior Medical Science Liaison I is the primary communicator of AbbVie science within a specific geography with healthcare professionals. The Senior Medical Science Liaison I develops and maintains professional relationships with internal and external customers to provide comprehensive medical and scientific support to AbbVie initiatives in assigned therapeutic areas. The Senior Medical Science Liaison I is viewed as a peer scientific expert in a designated therapeutic area/product.
Responsibilities
- Identify, develop, and maintain professional relationships with thought leaders, academic centers, and researchers in assigned areas of therapeutic interest to ensure access to current medical and scientific information on the designated therapeutic/product area.
- Present scientific information and education relative to disease state, therapeutic landscape, and AbbVie products across the product lifecycle to healthcare professionals including physicians, academic institutions, researchers, and other health care professionals.
- Support research initiatives as requested by AbbVie R&D, Clinical Operations, and Medical Affairs Departments and physician-initiated projects including, but not limited to, site evaluation and identification, recruitment, investigator meetings, external expert identification, and external collaboration management.
- Prepares marketplace in new therapeutic areas of interest, which includes creating awareness and relationships for AbbVie in the Medical community.
- Creates, maintains, and collaborates in relationships with internal cross-functional partnerships. Works with in-field commercial teams, as appropriate, to develop and execute Account plans designed to support and meet shared business objectives. Serves as a scientific resource to commercial partners, as appropriate, to support activities.
- Serve as a medical/scientific resource to healthcare providers through answering unsolicited medical questions and addressing other clinically related medical information issues.
- Support and provide ongoing training to medical affairs, field sales and other internal personnel as directed.
- Practices core capabilities in strategic segmentation, as well as optimal resource utilization.
- Responsible for compliance with applicable Corporate and Divisional Policies and Procedure, including accurate and timely documentation as it relates to HCP (Healthcare Professionals) interactions. Responsible for maintaining annual expenses within assigned budget parameters.
Qualifications
- Advanced degree required (i.e., Pharm D, MD/DO, PhD, APP (i.e.: Physician Associate or Nurse Practitioner) in a relevant scientific discipline. Doctorate strongly preferred in a health science or clinical discipline.
- Typically requires a minimum of 2+ years relevant experience.
- Must be able to identify, analyze, and translate specific territory and corporate needs to support internal and external customers and achieve business and clinical objectives.
- Proficiency in Excel, Word, Power Point, and other software skills; Excellent written/verbal communication skills.
- Strong interpersonal skills, presentation, and teaching skills; Ability to work independently and in a team structure; Ability to adjust effectively to work within new structures, processes, requirements, or cultures; Strong planning and organizational skills; team and leadership skills.
- An essential requirement of the position is to meet health care industry representative (HCIR) credentialing requirements to enter facilities and organizations in your assigned territory. These HCIR credentialing requirements may include, but are not limited to, background checks, drug screens, and proof of immunization/vaccination for various diseases.
- Ability to learn and convey clinical and non-clinical technical information effectively.
- Ability to engage the audience and help them understand and retain information.
- Must be willing to travel up to 75% of the time.
Additional Information
Applicable only to applicants applying to a position in any location with pay disclosure requirements under state or local law:
- The compensation range described below is the range of possible base pay compensation that the Company believes in good faith it will pay for this role at the time of this posting based on the job grade for this position. Individual compensation paid within this range will depend on many factors including geographic location, and we may ultimately pay more or less than the posted range. This range may be modified in the future.
- We offer a comprehensive package of benefits including paid time off (vacation, holidays, sick), medical/dental/vision insurance and 401(k) to eligible employees.
- This job is eligible to participate in our long-term incentive programs.
Note: No amount of pay is considered to be wages or compensation until such amount is earned, vested, and determinable. The amount and availability of any bonus, commission, incentive, benefits, or any other form of compensation and benefits that are allocable to a particular employee remains in the Company's sole and absolute discretion unless and until paid and may be modified at the Company’s sole and absolute discretion, consistent with applicable law.
AbbVie is an equal opportunity employer and is committed to operating with integrity, driving innovation, transforming lives and serving our community. Equal Opportunity Employer/Veterans/Disabled.
US & Puerto Rico only - to learn more, visit https://www.abbvie.com/join-us/equal-employment-opportunity-employer.html
US & Puerto Rico applicants seeking a reasonable accommodation, click here to learn more:
https://www.abbvie.com/join-us/reasonable-accommodations.html
Company Description
About AbbVie
AbbVie's mission is to discover and deliver innovative medicines and solutions that solve serious health issues today and address the medical challenges of tomorrow. We strive to have a remarkable impact on people's lives across several key therapeutic areas including immunology, oncology and neuroscience - and products and services in our Allergan Aesthetics portfolio. For more information about AbbVie, please visit us at www.abbvie.com. Follow @abbvie on LinkedIn, Facebook, Instagram, X and YouTube.
Job Description
The Senior Medical Science Liaison I is a field based scientific expert that strategically supports the research and business objectives of a designated therapeutic area across the product life cycle for a specific geography/territory. The Senior Medical Science Liaison I is the primary communicator of AbbVie science within a specific geography with healthcare professionals. The Senior Medical Science Liaison I develops and maintains professional relationships with internal and external customers to provide comprehensive medical and scientific support to AbbVie initiatives in assigned therapeutic areas. The Senior Medical Science Liaison I is viewed as a peer scientific expert in a designated therapeutic area/product.
Responsibilities
- Identify, develop, and maintain professional relationships with thought leaders, academic centers, and researchers in assigned areas of therapeutic interest to ensure access to current medical and scientific information on the designated therapeutic/product area.
- Present scientific information and education relative to disease state, therapeutic landscape, and AbbVie products across the product lifecycle to healthcare professionals including physicians, academic institutions, researchers, and other health care professionals.
- Support research initiatives as requested by AbbVie R&D, Clinical Operations, and Medical Affairs Departments and physician-initiated projects including, but not limited to, site evaluation and identification, recruitment, investigator meetings, external expert identification, and external collaboration management.
- Prepares marketplace in new therapeutic areas of interest, which includes creating awareness and relationships for AbbVie in the Medical community.
- Creates, maintains, and collaborates in relationships with internal cross-functional partnerships. Works with in-field commercial teams, as appropriate, to develop and execute Account plans designed to support and meet shared business objectives. Serves as a scientific resource to commercial partners, as appropriate, to support activities.
- Serve as a medical/scientific resource to healthcare providers through answering unsolicited medical questions and addressing other clinically related medical information issues.
- Support and provide ongoing training to medical affairs, field sales and other internal personnel as directed.
- Practices core capabilities in strategic segmentation, as well as optimal resource utilization.
- Responsible for compliance with applicable Corporate and Divisional Policies and Procedure, including accurate and timely documentation as it relates to HCP (Healthcare Professionals) interactions. Responsible for maintaining annual expenses within assigned budget parameters.
Qualifications
- Advanced degree required (i.e., Pharm D, MD/DO, PhD, APP (i.e.: Physician Associate or Nurse Practitioner) in a relevant scientific discipline. Doctorate strongly preferred in a health science or clinical discipline.
- Typically requires a minimum of 2+ years relevant experience.
- Must be able to identify, analyze, and translate specific territory and corporate needs to support internal and external customers and achieve business and clinical objectives.
- Proficiency in Excel, Word, Power Point, and other software skills; Excellent written/verbal communication skills.
- Strong interpersonal skills, presentation, and teaching skills; Ability to work independently and in a team structure; Ability to adjust effectively to work within new structures, processes, requirements, or cultures; Strong planning and organizational skills; team and leadership skills.
- An essential requirement of the position is to meet health care industry representative (HCIR) credentialing requirements to enter facilities and organizations in your assigned territory. These HCIR credentialing requirements may include, but are not limited to, background checks, drug screens, and proof of immunization/vaccination for various diseases.
- Ability to learn and convey clinical and non-clinical technical information effectively.
- Ability to engage the audience and help them understand and retain information.
- Must be willing to travel up to 75% of the time.
Additional Information
Applicable only to applicants applying to a position in any location with pay disclosure requirements under state or local law:
- The compensation range described below is the range of possible base pay compensation that the Company believes in good faith it will pay for this role at the time of this posting based on the job grade for this position. Individual compensation paid within this range will depend on many factors including geographic location, and we may ultimately pay more or less than the posted range. This range may be modified in the future.
- We offer a comprehensive package of benefits including paid time off (vacation, holidays, sick), medical/dental/vision insurance and 401(k) to eligible employees.
- This job is eligible to participate in our long-term incentive programs.
Note: No amount of pay is considered to be wages or compensation until such amount is earned, vested, and determinable. The amount and availability of any bonus, commission, incentive, benefits, or any other form of compensation and benefits that are allocable to a particular employee remains in the Company's sole and absolute discretion unless and until paid and may be modified at the Company’s sole and absolute discretion, consistent with applicable law.
AbbVie is an equal opportunity employer and is committed to operating with integrity, driving innovation, transforming lives and serving our community. Equal Opportunity Employer/Veterans/Disabled.
US & Puerto Rico only - to learn more, visit https://www.abbvie.com/join-us/equal-employment-opportunity-employer.html
US & Puerto Rico applicants seeking a reasonable accommodation, click here to learn more:
https://www.abbvie.com/join-us/reasonable-accommodations.html
OPT Biotech & Pharma Job Roles in Washington DC
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Search Biotech & Pharma Jobs in Washington DCBiotech & Pharma OPT Sponsorship Jobs in Washington DC: Frequently Asked Questions
Which biotech and pharma companies sponsor F-1 OPT visas in Washington DC?
Emergent BioSolutions, MedImmune (an AstraZeneca subsidiary), and several NIH-affiliated contract research organizations are among the employers in the DC area that have hired F-1 OPT candidates in biotech and pharma roles. Government contractors and health policy consulting firms tied to federal agencies also participate in OPT sponsorship, particularly for research and regulatory positions.
Which areas in Washington DC have the most biotech and pharma F-1 OPT sponsorship jobs?
Most biotech and pharma OPT activity in the DC area concentrates along the I-270 corridor in Maryland, particularly in Rockville and Gaithersburg, which house a high density of life sciences firms. The DC proper area also offers opportunities through federal health agencies and their affiliated contractors, while Northern Virginia contributes roles in health tech and bioinformatics.
What types of biotech and pharma roles typically qualify for F-1 OPT sponsorship in Washington DC?
Roles that align with STEM-designated degree programs qualify for standard 12-month OPT and, where applicable, a 24-month STEM OPT extension. In the DC biotech and pharma market, this commonly includes positions in regulatory affairs, clinical data management, bioinformatics, lab research, pharmacovigilance, and quality assurance. The role must be directly related to your field of study to be authorized under OPT.
How do I find biotech and pharma F-1 OPT sponsorship jobs in Washington DC?
Migrate Mate is built specifically for international students and filters jobs by visa type, including F-1 OPT, and by industry. Searching the biotech and pharma category for Washington DC on Migrate Mate surfaces employers that have sponsored international hires before, which significantly narrows your search compared to general job boards. You can also filter by role type to match your degree field for STEM OPT eligibility.
Are there any DC-specific considerations for F-1 OPT sponsorship in biotech and pharma?
Washington DC's biotech and pharma hiring is heavily influenced by proximity to federal agencies like the FDA and NIH, which shapes the types of roles available. Some positions at government contractors may have citizenship or security clearance requirements that exclude F-1 OPT holders. It's worth confirming eligibility with the employer early in the process, as these restrictions vary by contract and agency.