Clinical Research Coordinators/Associates help design and monitor clinical research projects including clinical trials that test new pharmaceuticals on humans. They write detailed documents (protocols) describing how a clinical trial is to be conducted. They may help design the pre-clinical process, help recruit and screen human subjects for the clinical trials, and obtain informed consent from and manage participation of subjects. They may monitor clinical staff to ensure the clinical trials are conducted in compliance with governmental regulations and ethical standards. They may make presentations at conferences or write articles for scientific or technical journals.
| Hourly Wages: | Range | Median |
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New Hires, No Experience
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$13.80 - $27.50
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$18.14
|
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New Hires, with Experience
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$16.83 - $57.69
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$25.08
|
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After Three Years with the Firm
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$17.25 - $62.50
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$31.68
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Average Weekly Hours:
Almost all (84%) Clinical Research
Coordinators/Associates work full time, 48 hours per week.
Shifts:
Almost all Clinical Research Coordinators/Associates work a
regular day shift. A few work evenings.
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Full-Time Employees
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| Benefit Offered | % of Employers | |||||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
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Medical Insurance:
|
Yes*
|
93%
|
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Dental Insurance:
|
Yes
|
87%
|
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Vision Insurance:
|
Yes
|
80%
|
||||||||||||||||||||||
| Life Insurance: |
Yes
|
87%
|
||||||||||||||||||||||
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Disability:
|
Yes
|
87%
|
||||||||||||||||||||||
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Paid Sick Leave:
|
Yes
|
93%
|
||||||||||||||||||||||
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Paid Vacation:
|
Yes
|
93%
|
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Retirement Plan:
|
Yes
|
87%
|
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Child Care:
|
No
|
13%
|
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*22% of employers cover 100% of medical insurance premiums;
71% of employers cover 50-99% of medical insurance premium;
and
7% of employers cover 1-49% of medical insurance premiums.
Other
Employer Specified:
Flex Spending Plan.
EMPLOYER REQUIREMENTS
Education:
Many (53%) firms require a bachelor's degree. Some (26%) accept an associate's
degree. Few (7%) prefer a graduate degree.
Training:
Many (40%) prefer applicants with 2-3 years of vocational or technical training
as a Medical Assistant or Laboratory Technician; and many (40%) prefer
applicants with a clinical certificate. Few (13%) allow training to substitute
for experience. Employers prefer applicants with MS Office, word processing,
spreadsheet, database, and Internet skills.
Experience:
Almost all (80%) firms prefer applicants with 3-4 years prior experience as a
Clinical Research Coordinator/Associate. Almost all (80%) accept prior
experience in related occupations such as Research Assistant/Associate/Nurse,
Registered Nurse, Licensed Vocational Nurse, or Dietitian.
Skills rated "Very Important":
Ability to do detailed work
Ability to read and understand clinical protocols
Ability to work independently and on a team
Knowledge of clinical trial management
Possession of excellent writing skills
Possession of time management and organizational skills
Possession of strong analytical and communications skill
Ability to do research
Ability to keep up with the fast changing technology environment
Possession of advanced math skills
Knowledge of Institutional Review Board guidelines
Knowledge of computer applications
Ability to monitor clinical trials for assigned projects
EMPLOYMENT TRENDS
Supply and Demand:
Job
market for
Clinical Research Coordinators/Associates:
Employers report it "Moderately Difficult" finding
qualified, Experienced and Inexperienced applicants, resulting in some
competition for job seekers in their job search.
Recruitment Methods, Most Frequently
Used:
Internet, Employee Referrals, Newspapers.
Turnover:
Moderately low - 10% in the past 12 months.
Size of 2006 Local Employment:
Not available.
Gender Representation:
Local employer response indicates 87% female, 13% male.
Older Worker Retirement:
Few (8%) firms report that older worker retirements over the next 10 years will
affect their workforce.
To address the effects of older worker retirements, employers of this
occupation would: Do nothing, 73%; groom or train a replacement ahead of time,
20%; replace with any qualified applicant, 13%; initiate job sharing among
older workers, 20%; retain a retired older worker as a consultant, 13%.
Few (14%) firms report that older workers would face employment obstacles in
this occupation: physical and travel demands.
Where the Jobs Are:
Bioscience Research and Development Companies
Contract Research Organizations
Medical Device Manufacturers
Government Agencies
Pharmaceutical Companies
Employers' Employment Outlook:
15 employers responded, providing data representing 77 employees for this
occupation.
6 employers project employment to grow, and 9 expect it to remain stable over
the next twelve months.
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Average annual new jobs:
|
Not available
|
|
Average annual replacement jobs:
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Not available
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Average annual total openings:
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Not available
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New Job Growth Rate 2002 to 2012:Not available.
OTHER INFORMATION
Career
Ladder/Promotional Opportunities:
Promote from: Clinical Research Associate/Assistant, Medical Assistant,
and Pre-Clinical Technician.
Promote to: Clinical Research Manager/Associate, Director, Principal Scientist, and Project Manager.
Ex-Offender Employment:
Few (7%) responding employers would consider hiring an ex-offender. Of those:
100% would disqualify an ex-offender who committed fraud; 100%, homicide; 100%,
sex offenses; and 100%, assault/battery.
Alternate Job Titles:
Clinical Research Professional, Clinical Study Manager, Senior Staff Scientist,
and Director of Clinical Operations.
Related Codes:
MOC - Not available.
Data Collection Date:
Fall 2005.
