Medical Affairs & MSL Recruiters
Find medical affairs people who can work across scientific and business teams. We recruit medical science liaisons and medical affairs leaders for life sciences employers, with attention to therapeutic experience, communication and the scope of the role.
I'm looking to hire
Roles we recruit
We begin with the therapeutic area, audience, territory and responsibilities. An MSL assignment and a medical affairs leadership role need different experience, so we agree on the requirements before approaching candidates. The search considers scientific depth and how the candidate has worked with colleagues and external stakeholders.
- Medical science liaisons (MSLs)
- Senior medical science liaisons
- MSL team leaders
- Medical affairs managers and directors
- Medical directors
- Heads of medical affairs
How a search works
- 1
Intake
Agree on the responsibilities, essential experience and hiring priorities.
- 2
Sharpen the pitch
Define the role and the reasons a candidate would move.
- 3
Work the network
Map relevant teams and approach candidates directly.
- 4
Shortlist to start date
Support interviews, references and the offer through to the hire.
Plan your offer with the market in mind
Annual salary figures from our 2026 guide. Choose a city to see the roles covered for this function.
Medical Science Liaison
Boston · 2026 guide
- Low
- $161,000
- Median
- $271,000
- High
- $345,000
Published annual salary figures; individual offers depend on the role, experience and compensation package. These titles represent different responsibilities and levels.
Compare all 34 cities
| City | Low | Median | High |
|---|---|---|---|
| Atlanta | $109,000 | $184,000 | $234,000 |
| Austin | $114,000 | $193,000 | $246,000 |
| Baltimore | $118,000 | $199,000 | $253,000 |
| Boston | $161,000 | $271,000 | $345,000 |
| Cambridge | $161,000 | $271,000 | $345,000 |
| Chicago | $118,000 | $200,000 | $254,000 |
| Cincinnati | $98,000 | $165,000 | $211,000 |
| Columbus | $101,000 | $171,000 | $217,000 |
| Dallas | $112,000 | $189,000 | $241,000 |
| Denver | $126,000 | $212,000 | $270,000 |
| Fargo | $109,000 | $183,000 | $234,000 |
| Fort Worth | $106,000 | $180,000 | $229,000 |
| Houston | $100,000 | $167,000 | $213,000 |
| Indianapolis | $104,000 | $176,000 | $224,000 |
| Irvine | $148,000 | $250,000 | $317,000 |
| Jacksonville | $105,000 | $178,000 | $226,000 |
| Los Angeles | $152,000 | $256,000 | $326,000 |
| Miami | $122,000 | $205,000 | $261,000 |
| Milwaukee | $105,000 | $178,000 | $227,000 |
| Minneapolis | $120,000 | $201,000 | $256,000 |
| New Haven | $126,000 | $212,000 | $270,000 |
| New York | $186,000 | $314,000 | $399,000 |
| Orlando | $109,000 | $185,000 | $235,000 |
| Philadelphia | $121,000 | $203,000 | $258,000 |
| Pittsburgh | $102,000 | $172,000 | $219,000 |
| Raleigh | $113,000 | $191,000 | $243,000 |
| Rochester | $116,000 | $197,000 | $250,000 |
| Salt Lake City | $112,000 | $190,000 | $242,000 |
| San Antonio | $97,000 | $163,000 | $208,000 |
| San Diego | $158,000 | $266,000 | $340,000 |
| San Francisco | $196,000 | $331,000 | $421,000 |
| San Jose | $187,000 | $315,000 | $402,000 |
| Seattle | $144,000 | $242,000 | $309,000 |
| Syracuse | $108,000 | $183,000 | $233,000 |
Frequently asked questions
What to know before starting a search.
Do you recruit medical science liaisons?
Yes. We recruit MSLs and MSL leaders alongside other medical affairs roles. We define the therapeutic background, territory, travel expectations and responsibilities with the hiring manager.
Can you recruit a medical affairs leader?
We recruit director and department leadership roles. We discuss the team, responsibilities and scientific background needed, rather than relying on the title alone.
How do you approach a hard-to-fill therapeutic area?
We identify the experience that is essential, map relevant teams and approach candidates directly. If the candidate pool is narrow, we discuss the tradeoffs with the hiring team as the search progresses.
Where can we find MSL salary information?
The salary guide section reproduces the medical science liaison figures for 34 cities from Surf Search’s 2026 salary guide. They are a budgeting reference; the individual role and candidate experience still matter.
Tell us about the role
Share your hiring priorities. One of our recruiters will get back to you.
How our recruiting process works
