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New · posted Oct 31

ACADIA Pharmaceuticals · Pharmaceuticals

Senior Medical Safety Scientist

  • Princeton, NJ +1 more
  • Hybrid
  • Full-time
  • Senior & Principal
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EmploymentFull-time
DeadlineOpen until filled

The role

The Senior Medical Safety Scientist is a scientific safety expert within Drug Safety & Pharmacovigilance (PV), reporting to the Executive Director, Drug Safety & Pharmacovigilance, Medical Safety. This role serves as the primary scientific safety lead for assigned products across the Acadia portfolio, driving safety surveillance, signal detection and evaluation, aggregate safety assessments, and benefit-risk evaluations throughout the product lifecycle. The Senior Medical Safety Scientist collaborates closely with Safety Physicians and cross-functional stakeholders to proactively identify, evaluate, communicate, and manage safety risks while supporting regulatory submissions and safety governance activities.

Please note that this position is based in either San Diego, CA, or Princeton, NJ. Acadia's hybrid model requires this role to work in our office three days per week on average.

What you need

Education/Experience/Skills

  • PharmD, PhD, MS, MSN, MPH, RN, NP, PA, or equivalent degree from an accredited institution
  • 7+ years of experience in drug safety, pharmacovigilance, clinical safety, or risk management within the pharmaceutical or biotechnology industry
  • Experience in safety surveillance, signal detection and management, aggregate safety data review, benefit-risk assessment, and product safety evaluation
  • Experience authoring regulatory safety documents including signal assessments, DSURs, PBRERs, safety sections of clinical documents, aggregate reports, and health authority responses
  • Advanced knowledge of FDA, EU, and ICH regulations and guidelines related to pharmacovigilance, clinical trial safety monitoring, signal management, aggregate reporting, and post-marketing surveillance
  • Expertise in safety signal detection, validation, evaluation, and risk assessment methodologies
  • Experience with pharmacovigilance databases and safety systems, including Argus Safety, as well as signal detection tools
  • Strong knowledge of MedDRA coding conventions, safety data review methodologies, and adverse event analysis
  • Proficiency in Microsoft Office Suite (Word, Excel, PowerPoint)
  • Ability to travel domestically and internationally as required

In addition to a competitive base salary, this position is also eligible for discretionary bonus and equity awards based on factors such as individual and organizational performance. Actual amounts will vary depending on experience, performance, and location.

What you'll do

  • Serve as the scientific safety lead for assigned products, providing pharmacovigilance expertise across clinical development and post-marketing activities
  • Conduct routine and ad hoc review of safety data from clinical trials, post-marketing sources, literature, business partners, and other relevant sources to support ongoing safety surveillance
  • Lead signal detection, validation, evaluation, tracking, and aggregate safety analyses, including review of case series, adverse event trends, data mining outputs, and benefit-risk assessments
  • Author and maintain key safety deliverables including signal assessments, safety evaluations, benefit-risk assessments, safety narratives, AOSEs, Safety Surveillance Plans (SSPs), and signal management documentation
  • Support aggregate safety reports, regulatory submissions, health authority responses, core safety information, Risk Management Plans (RMPs), REMS activities, and other product risk management initiatives
  • Provide scientific safety expertise to governance committees and cross-functional teams, including Clinical Development, Regulatory Affairs, Biostatistics, Medical Writing, Epidemiology, Medical Affairs, and Quality
  • Review safety listings, line listings, adverse event summaries, and retrospective safety data analyses to identify and evaluate emerging safety concerns and risks
  • Support audits, inspections, and regulatory authority inspections by ensuring safety documentation is accurate, complete, and inspection ready while maintaining compliance with global pharmacovigilance regulations and Good Pharmacovigilance Practices (GVP)
  • Maintain current knowledge of safety science methodologies, signal management practices, and evolving global regulatory requirements
  • Other duties as assigned

Pay and benefits

$145,000 – $181,700 a year

Employer provided
How this compares

$145,000—$181,700 USD

What we offer US-based Employees

  • Competitive base, bonus, new hire and ongoing equity packages

  • Medical, dental, and vision insurance

  • Employer-paid life, disability, business travel and EAP coverage

  • 5%

    401(k) Plan with a fully vested company match 1:1 up to 5%

  • Employee Stock Purchase Plan with a 2-year purchase price lock-in

  • 15+ vacation days

  • 13 -15 paid holidays, including office closure between December 24th and January 1st

  • 10days

    10 days of paid sick time

  • Paid parental leave benefit

  • Tuition assistance

EEO Statement (US-based Employees): Studies have shown that women and people of color are less likely to apply for jobs unless they believe they meet every one of the qualifications in the exact way they are described in job postings. We are committed to building a diverse, equitable, inclusive, and innovative company, and we are looking for the BEST candidate for the job. That candidate may be one who comes from a less traditional background or may meet the qualifications in a different way. We strongly encourage you to apply, especially if the reason you are the best candidate isn’t exactly what we describe here.

It is the policy of Acadia to provide equal employment opportunities to all employees and employment applicants without regard to considerations of race, including related to hairstyle, color, religion or religious creed, sexual orientation, gender, gender identity, gender expression, gender transition, country of origin, ancestry, citizenship, age, physical or mental disability, genetic information, legally-protected medical condition or information, marital status, domestic partner status, family care status, military caregiver status, veteran or military status (including reserve status, National Guard status, and military service or obligation), status as a victim of domestic violence, sexual assault or stalking, enrollment in a public assistance program, or any basis protected under federal, state or local law.

Notice to Search Firms/Third-Party Recruitment Agencies (Recruiters): The Talent Acquisition team manages the recruitment and employment process for Acadia Pharmaceuticals Inc. (“Acadia”). Acadia does not accept resumes from recruiters or search firms without an executed search agreement in place. Resumes sent to Acadia employees in the absence of an executed search agreement will not obligate Acadia in any way with respect to the future employment of those individuals or potential remuneration to any recruiter or search firm. Candidates should never be submitted directly to our hiring managers or employees.

Where you'll work

Princeton, NJ +1 moreHybridOpen in Maps (opens in a new tab)

Also posted for: San Diego, CA

More jobs in Princeton, NJ +1 more
Acadia community partnership participants gathered at a company-supported event

From the posting

About ACADIA Pharmaceuticals

Acadia is committed to turning scientific promise into meaningful innovation that makes the difference for underserved neurological and rare disease communities around the world. Our commercial portfolio includes the first and only FDA-approved treatments for Parkinson’s disease psychosis and Rett syndrome. We are developing the next wave of therapeutic advancements with a robust and diverse pipeline that includes mid- to late-stage programs in Alzheimer’s disease psychosis and Lewy body dementia psychosis, along with earlier-stage programs that address other underserved patient needs. At Acadia, we’re here to be their difference.

ACADIA Pharmaceuticals company page · 9 open roles
Equal opportunity, accessibility and legal noticesACADIA Pharmaceuticals's statements, word for word

As an equal opportunity employer, Acadia is committed to a diverse workforce. If you are a qualified individual with a disability or a disabled veteran, you have the right to request a reasonable accommodation. Furthermore, you may request additional support if you are unable or limited in your ability to use or access Acadia’s career website due to your disability, along with any accommodations throughout the interview process. To request or inquire about your reasonable accommodation, please complete our Reasonable Accommodation Request Form or contact us at [email protected] or 858-261-2923.

Please note that reasonable accommodations granted throughout the recruiting process are not guaranteed to be the same accommodations given if hired. A new request will need to be submitted for any ADA accommodations after starting employment.

California Applicants: Please see Additional Information for California Residents within our Privacy Policy.

Canadian Applicants: Please see Additional Information for Canadian Residents within our Privacy Policy.

Applicants in the European Economic Area, Switzerland, the United Kingdom, and Serbia: Please see Additional Information for Individuals in the European Economic Area, Switzerland, the United Kingdom, and Serbia within our Privacy Policy.

Job intelligence

The context around this role

Live data · October 31, 2026

Salary intelligence

How the pay compares

This role's midpoint is 12% below the US median for Clinical Safety & Pharmacovigilance roles at this level.

This roleEmployer provided

$145,000 to $181,700 a year

Senior & Principal roles in the US9 roles publishing pay

Middle half $145,000 to $201,500, median $186,000
Annual base pay
Annual base payLowMedianHigh
This role$145,000—$181,700
All US$145,000$186,000$201,500

This role: ACADIA Pharmaceuticals's own published range. Comparisons: the base pay employers published on open Clinical Safety & Pharmacovigilance roles at the same level on Regulatory Jobs, October 31, 2026. Nothing is estimated.

Career trajectory

Where this role sits in Clinical Safety & Pharmacovigilance

The general path across 113 open Clinical Safety & Pharmacovigilance roles on Regulatory Jobs, with the titles they carry most. Not ACADIA Pharmaceuticals's own promotion track.

  1. One step back

    Associate & Specialist

    Often: Associate, Pharmacovigilance Operations/Drug Safety · Clinical Sciences Partnership COE Coordinator

  2. This role

    Senior & Principal

    Often: Senior Safety Scientist · Clinical FSP Quality Manager

    $186K median11 open
  3. Next step

    Manager

    Often: Senior Manager, Clinical Quality Assurance · Clinical FSP Quality Manager

    $170K median15 open
  4. Later

    Director

    Often: Director · Senior Medical Director

    $260K median70 open
  5. Later

    VP & Executive

    Often: Head of Multiple Myeloma & AML, Oncology · Head of Patient-Facing Quality Assurance

    $347K median12 open

Skills DNA

What this role leans on

How many of the posting's 23 duty, requirement and summary lines touch each area. The posting's emphasis, not a proficiency score.

GMP and compliance: 2 linesLab testing and methods: 3 linesDocumentation and SOPs: 7 linesValidation and qualification: 2 linesRegulatory submissions: 3 linesQuality systems and risk: 6 linesData and digital systems: 1 lineClinical trial conduct: 7 linesCollaboration and leadership: 4 linesGMPLab testingDocumentationValidationSubmissionsQuality systemsData systemsClinical trialsTeamwork
  • Documentation and SOPs7
  • Clinical trial conduct7
  • Quality systems and risk6
  • Collaboration and leadership4
  • Lab testing and methods3
  • Regulatory submissions3
  • GMP and compliance2
  • Validation and qualification2
  • Data and digital systems1

Company hiring pulse

ACADIA Pharmaceuticals on Regulatory Jobs

9
Open roles
9
Distinct roles
1
Locations

By discipline

  • Clinical4 44%
  • Regulatory3 33%
  • Quality2 22%

By level

  • Director6 67%
  • Manager2 22%
  • Senior & Principal1 11%
See all 9 ACADIA Pharmaceuticals roles

More roles at ACADIA Pharmaceuticals

All 9 ACADIA Pharmaceuticals roles

Similar Clinical Safety & Pharmacovigilance roles elsewhere

Senior Medical Safety Scientist at ACADIA Pharmaceuticals

Open until filled. $145K–$182K a year, employer provided.

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