VP of Research and Scientific Communication

Strategic Responsibilities

• Partner directly with the Chief Commercial Officer and Sales leadership to leverage RWE as a primary closer for large-scale health plan and employer contracts.
• Serve as a lead spokesperson for Virta’s science at global conferences, in top-tier media outlets, and during high-stakes presentations with prospective Fortune 50 clients.
• Drive the integration of clinical evidence into the core product roadmap, ensuring that RWE insights directly inform coaching protocols and technological iterations.
• Lead the development of a long-term scientific strategy that moves the industry from traditional treatment paradigms to a focus on long-term health outcomes and economic impact.
• Orchestrate a global network of Key Opinion Leaders (KOLs) and academic partners to validate Virta’s care model and accelerate its adoption across the healthcare ecosystem.

Key Day-to-Day Responsibilities

• Lead and mentor a high-performing team of doctoral-level investigators, fostering a culture of technical excellence and career advancement.
• Collaborate with the Marketing team to translate complex clinical data into compelling narratives that resonate with both scientific audiences and commercial buyers.
• Sit on the Virta Medical Group leadership team to lead evidence-based initiatives that improve the quality and efficiency of care for thousands of patients.
• Oversee the generation of economic and clinical outcomes data from diverse sources, including internal registries, claims sets, and external health plan data warehouses.
• Lead and nurture Virta’s team of experienced clinical researchers who have decades of combined experience developing, implementing, and publishing data from pivotal clinical trials in metabolic health, as well as presenting and publishing on analyses from our own registry data.
• Build a network of key investigators who are interested in collaborating with Virta researchers on trials that extend the impact of the Virta program.
• Strategically align Virta’s scientific work with key national and international conferences, meetings, and symposia.
• Represent Virta’s science on the podium at scientific meetings, in calls and presentations with Virta’s clients and sales prospects, and at internal meetings.
• Participate as an active member of the Virta Medical Group leadership team, representing the scientific point of view and leading/collaborating on evidence-based clinical initiatives that advance the quality and efficiency of the care Virta provides to thousands of patients suffering from metabolic health adversity.

Qualifications

• A PhD, MD, or equivalent research doctorate in HEOR, Epidemiology, Health Economics, or a related quantitative health discipline.
• Minimum of 10 years of experience (with at least 5+ in a senior leadership capacity) building and scaling research teams in high-growth, start-up, or health-tech environments.
• Demonstrated track record of using clinical research and RWE to directly influence and close significant business deals.
• A strong point of view on how to communicate science to different audiences outside of the typical presentation/publication pathway.
• Experience developing and executing KOL engagement strategies, including formal KOL mapping, identification and prioritization of key stakeholders, advisory board planning, scientific communications, and ongoing external relationship management.
• Extensive experience as a senior author on peer-reviewed publications, with a focus on clinical and economic outcomes.
• Deep subject matter expertise in metabolic health and behavior change is essential.
• Technical depth to guide SQL-based data strategies and rigorous trial designs.
• Exceptional "poise" and the ability to command authority on a podium or in a boardroom.