---
title: 'Director, Field Medical/Medical Science Liaison - North Central at Kardigan'
canonical: 'https://feeny.ai/job/director-field-medical-medical-science-liaison-north-central-kardigan-chicago-q7cxveqp9f39'
type: 'job'
last_seen: '2026-09-12'
---

# Director, Field Medical/Medical Science Liaison - North Central at Kardigan

- **Company:** Kardigan
- **Location:** Chicago, IL / St. Paul, MN
- **Compensation:** $245k–$345k
- **Work type:** remote
- **Posted:** 2026-08-10
- **Last confirmed live:** 2026-09-12
- **Apply:** https://job-boards.greenhouse.io/kardigan/jobs/5385479008

## Job description

## About Us

Kardigan is a heart health company working to make cardiovascular disease preventable, curable and no longer the leading cause of death in the world.

It is Kardigan’s mission to develop multiple targeted treatments in parallel that bring people with cardiovascular diseases to the cures they deserve.

Led by Tassos Gianakakos, Jay Edelberg, M.D., Ph.D., and Bob McDowell, Ph.D., Kardigan’s co-founders have reunited after leading MyoKardia to discover and develop mavacamten, the first cardiac myosin inhibitor, resulting in an acquisition by Bristol Myers Squibb in 2020.

We have a cutting-edge discovery and translational research platform, a pipeline of late-stage candidates, and an industry-leading team that is driven to improve the lives of patients.

At Kardigan, we are motivated by our values which guide how we work, interact, and achieve our goals. Driven by patients and their families, we are deeply committed to improving the lives of patients and prioritizing their needs above all else. We believe in being authentic—leading with truth to bring out the best in others by creating an environment where every person knows they will be fully accepted. With an eagerness to learn, we encourage the highest levels of curiosity and are open to changing our minds. We are committed to winning as a team with urgency, excellence, and intention, and support each other no matter what role we play or where we sit. Lastly, we strive to enable the impossible because patients are counting on us. We are not afraid to take risks to unlock innovation and advance scientific discoveries.

These values are the foundation of our work, empowering us to make a real difference, every day.

Job Overview

*May be filled at the Associate Director level based on experience.

The Medical Science Liaison (MSL) serves as a field-based scientific leader responsible for advancing the medical strategy within a defined territory.

The individual acts as a scientific expert in cardiovascular disease (e.g., heart failure, cardiomyopathies, hypertension, cardiometabolic disease, etc.), builds trusted partnerships with key opinion leaders (KOLs), and implements the Cardiovascular Medical Strategy locally.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities

Scientific Engagement & KOL Development

- Develop and maintain strategic peer-to-peer relationships with leading cardiologists, heart failure specialists, interventionalists, and academic researchers.
- Conduct high-level scientific exchange regarding disease state, mechanism of action, clinical trial data, real-world evidence, and emerging pipeline assets.
- Identify opportunities for partnership with academic centers, centers of excellence, and/or systems of care to drive impact within the assigned territory.
- Present and interpret complex cardiovascular clinical data (Preclinical research, Phase I–IV, biomarker data).
- Identify unmet needs and evolving trends within cardiovascular treatment paradigms.
- Support national and local medical congresses (ACC, AHA, ESC, HFSA) through scientific engagement and insight capture.
- Capture actionable medical insights from external experts in support of medical strategy.

Clinical & Research Support

- Provide clinical trial support for company sponsored trials, facilitating relevant medical activities and working cross-functionally with Medical Affairs and Clinical Operations colleagues.
- Provide protocol education and scientific support in compliance with regulations.
- Support site feasibility, trial enrollment acceleration, and retention strategies.
- Facilitate investigator-initiated studies (IIS) and research collaborations, as appropriate.

Compliance & Governance

- Ensure all scientific interactions comply with FDA, EMA, Sunshine Act, and internal SOPs.
- Maintain accurate documentation of all field activities in CRM systems.
- Uphold ethical standards and scientific integrity in all engagements.

## Qualifications and Preferred Skills

Education

- MD, PharmD, PhD, or equivalent advanced scientific degree required.

## Experience

- 3+ years experience in cardiovascular Medical Affairs, clinical research, or related field.
- Deep knowledge of cardiology, cardiovascular trials, treatment landscape, and guideline development.
- Prior MSL experience strongly preferred.

Expertise Areas May Include

- Heart Failure
- Dilated and Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy
- Hypertension
- Valvular Heart Diseases (Aortic Stenosis)
- ASCVD & Lipid Disorders
- Thrombosis & Anticoagulation
- Cardiometabolic Disease
- Rare Cardiovascular Conditions

Anticipated travel (overnight/day) 60% -70%

Posted salary range is for MDs - Exact Compensation may vary based on skills, experience and location.

Exact Compensation may vary based on skills, experience and location.

Pay range $245,000—$345,000 USD

## About Kardigan

## Company Overview
- **One-liner**: Kardigan is a publicly traded biopharmaceutical company developing targeted cardiovascular therapies with the aim of transforming treatment from symptom management toward functional cures.
- **Entity Type**: Public (ticker not available from provided sources; IPO closed as per company announcement)
- **Headquarters**: South San Francisco, California, United States (with additional offices in Princeton, New Jersey and Chicago, Illinois)
- **Founded**: Year not specified in available sources
- **Founders**: Tassos Gianakakos (Co-Founder, CEO & Chair), Dr. Jay Edelberg (Co-Founder & Chief Medical Officer), Dr. Bob McDowell (Co-Founder & Scientific Adviser), Brianne Puglisi (Co-Founder)

## Core Business
- **Primary industry**: Biopharmaceuticals – cardiovascular drug discovery and development
- **Target customers**: B2B / B2G – healthcare providers, hospitals, payers, and patients; the company develops prescription medicines for serious cardiovascular conditions
- **Mission or purpose statement**: “To make cardiovascular disease preventable, curable and no longer the leading cause of death in the world.” ([kardigan.bio](https://www.kardigan.bio/))

## Products & Services
- **Tonlamarsen**: A Phase 2/3 candidate for acute severe hypertension (ASH) and uncontrolled hypertension. Positive Phase 2 data presented as a late-breaker at ACC.26 and simultaneously published in JACC. ([kardigan.bio](https://www.kardigan.bio/))
- **Danicamtiv**: A Phase 3 candidate for genetic dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM), targeting the underlying inherited cardiac muscle disease. ([kardigan.bio](https://www.kardigan.bio/))
- **Calcific Aortic Valve Stenosis (CAVS) Program**: A late-stage clinical program addressing calcium deposition that stiffens the aortic valve. ([kardigan.bio](https://www.kardigan.bio/))
- **Prolaio Subsidiary**: An AI and real‑world data platform integrated into Kardigan to generate insights, inform clinical trial design, and reduce time/cost of drug development. ([kardigan.bio](https://www.kardigan.bio/about-us/))
- **Cardiac Intelligence Platform**: A discovery and translational research engine that uses real‑world patient data, AI, and deep cardiovascular expertise to identify disease drivers and design targeted therapies. ([kardigan.bio](https://www.kardigan.bio/))

## Market Standing
- **Valuation/Market Cap**: Not disclosed in provided sources
- **Key Metric**: Public company (IPO closed); annual revenue not disclosed
- **Notable Investors/Partners**: Not explicitly listed in provided sources; company built on the team’s track record from MyoKardia (acquired by Bristol Myers Squibb for $13.1B in 2020)
- **Growth Signals**:
  - Positive Phase 2 pivotal data for Tonlamarsen in hypertension, presented at ACC.26 and published in JACC
  - Three late‑stage clinical programs (CAVS, ASH, DCM) running in parallel
  - Active job postings across 210+ roles in clinical operations, data science, manufacturing, and corporate strategy, indicating scaling ([job-boards.greenhouse.io/kardigan](http://job-boards.greenhouse.io/kardigan))
  - Integration of Prolaio’s AI platform to accelerate R&D

## Competitive Advantages
- **Leadership expertise**: CEO Tassos Gianakakos previously scaled MyoKardia from startup to a $13.1B acquisition; the team includes veterans from MyoKardia, Sanofi, BMS, and Merck.
- **Parallel pipeline strategy**: Multiple late‑stage programs targeting distinct cardiovascular diseases (valve, hypertension, cardiomyopathy) de‑risks development and creates data synergies.
- **Cardiac Intelligence platform**: Proprietary combination of real‑world data, AI, and deep biological insight to move beyond symptom management toward modifying underlying disease.
- **Focus on functional cures**: Each program aims to alter the course of disease rather than merely treat symptoms, creating potential for breakthrough efficacy.

## Strategic Focus
- **Advance late‑stage clinical trials**: Continue Phase 2/3 studies for Tonlamarsen, Danicamtiv, and CAVS while preparing for potential regulatory submissions.
- **Expand platform capabilities**: Leverage Prolaio’s AI and real‑world evidence to design smarter, faster trials and discover new drug targets.
- **Build commercial infrastructure**: Growing corporate strategy, medical affairs, and manufacturing teams in South San Francisco, Princeton, and Chicago signals preparation for launch.

## Why Work Here
- **Culture**: “Everything we do starts with patients – and it’s powered by people.” Emphasis on collaboration, purpose‑driven work, and achieving the impossible together. Mission‑oriented environment focused on curing cardiovascular disease. ([kardigan.bio](https://www.kardigan.bio/job-openings/))
- **Work model**: Roles are listed for South San Francisco, Princeton, NJ, and Chicago, IL; likely on‑site/hybrid given the lab and clinical development nature. Not purely remote.
- **Benefits**:
  - Competitive salaries and annual bonus program
  - Comprehensive medical, dental, and vision coverage
  - 401(k) plan, life and disability insurance
  - Flexible spending and health savings accounts
  - Commuter benefits, cellphone allowance
  - Paid holidays and time off
  - Employee assistance program ([kardigan.bio](https://www.kardigan.bio/job-openings/))
- **Engineering & data science culture**: Active recruitment for data analytics, AI, and clinical data science roles; Executive Director of Data, AI & Collaboration Services is an open position, reflecting a strong tech‑driven R&D approach.

## Sources
1. [kardigan.bio](https://www.kardigan.bio/) – Company homepage and pipeline descriptions
2. [kardigan.bio/about-us](https://www.kardigan.bio/about-us/) – About Us, mission, and Prolaio integration
3. [kardigan.bio/job-openings](https://www.kardigan.bio/job-openings/) – Careers page with benefits and open roles
4. [kardigan.bio/leadership](https://www.kardigan.bio/leadership/) – Leadership team and co‑founder backgrounds
5. [job-boards.greenhouse.io/kardigan](http://job-boards.greenhouse.io/kardigan) – Detailed job listings (32+ postings)

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