How to hire a clinical data manager

How to hire a clinical data manager, step by step

Here's a step-by-step clinical data manager hiring guide:

• Step 1: Identify your hiring needs
• Step 2: Create an ideal candidate profile
• Step 3: Make a budget
• Step 4: Write a clinical data manager job description
• Step 5: Post your job
• Step 6: Interview candidates
• Step 7: Send a job offer and onboard your new clinical data manager
• Step 8: Go through the hiring process checklist

What does a clinical data manager do?

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1. Identify your hiring needs

   Before you start hiring a clinical data manager, identify what type of worker you actually need. Certain positions might call for a full-time employee, while others can be done by a part-time worker or contractor.

   Determine employee vs contractor status

   Is the person you're thinking of hiring a US citizen or green card holder?

   Yes

   No

   A clinical data manager's background is also an important factor in determining whether they'll be a good fit for the position. For example, clinical data managers from different industries or fields will have radically different experiences and will bring different viewpoints to the role. You also need to consider the candidate's previous level of experience to make sure they'll be comfortable with the job's level of seniority.

   This list presents clinical data manager salaries for various positions.

   Type of Clinical Data Manager	Description	Hourly rate
   Clinical Data Manager	Statisticians use statistical methods to collect and analyze data and to help solve real-world problems in business, engineering, healthcare, or other fields.	$32-66
   Data Manager	A data manager is responsible for monitoring the efficiency of the company's technology systems and network infrastructures. Data managers ensure the safety and security of the databases to avoid unauthorized access that may pose risks for business operations... Show more	$35-76
   Clinical Data Coordinator	A clinical data coordinator is primarily in charge of managing and organizing data gathered from various clinical research programs. Their responsibilities revolve around coordinating with different departments, updating databases with accurate information, identifying errors and inconsistencies, performing corrective measures, and maintaining records of all transactions... Show more	$21-48

   Show more

2. Create an ideal candidate profile

   Common skills:

   • Patients
   • Data Collection
   • Data Management
   • CRF
   • QC
   • Database Development
   • GCP
   • Pharmaceutical Industry
   • Study Start-Up
   • Electronic Data Capture
   • SAS
   • Completion Guidelines
   • ICH
   • Data Validation

   Check all skills

   Responsibilities:

   • Manage online survey execution and SPSS database for child substance abuse prevention program.
   • Manage all of the operational aspect of clinical trials in compliance with GCP regulations and Merck policy.
   • Lead training for new hire nurses and physicians in EMR system: develop training handouts and learning objectives
   • Manage CRO data management activities for the oncology clinical study.
   • Manage the biannual MedDRA upgrade implementation and the auto encoding optimization project
   • Manage accounting operations, accounting close, account reporting and reconciliations.

   More clinical data manager duties

3. Make a budget

   Including a salary range in the clinical data manager job description is a good way to get more applicants. A clinical data manager salary can be affected by several factors, such as the location of the job, the level of experience, education, certifications, and the employer's prestige.

   For example, the average salary for a clinical data manager in Wisconsin may be lower than in California, and an entry-level engineer typically earns less than a senior-level clinical data manager. Additionally, a clinical data manager with lots of experience in the field may command a higher salary as a result.

   Average clinical data manager salary

   $98,148yearly

   $47.19 hourly rate

   ---

   Entry-level clinical data manager salary

   $68,000 yearly salary

   Updated December 21, 2025

   Average clinical data manager salary by state

   Rank	State	Avg. salary	Hourly rate
   1	California	$129,222	$62
   2	Massachusetts	$103,336	$50
   3	Virginia	$101,595	$49
   4	Maryland	$100,085	$48
   5	Washington	$99,029	$48
   6	North Carolina	$97,943	$47
   7	District of Columbia	$96,871	$47
   8	Connecticut	$94,975	$46
   9	New York	$94,916	$46
   10	New Jersey	$94,503	$45
   11	Arizona	$88,814	$43
   12	Illinois	$88,451	$43
   13	Pennsylvania	$80,100	$39
   14	Colorado	$69,291	$33
   15	Wisconsin	$68,825	$33
   16	Utah	$57,571	$28

   Average clinical data manager salary by company

   Company

   Rank	Company	Average salary	Hourly rate	Job openings
   1	ZS	$144,549	$69.49	4
   2	bluebird bio	$139,363	$67.00
   3	Exelixis	$136,130	$65.45	18
   4	Columbia Consulting Group LLC	$134,463	$64.65
   5	Zymeworks	$132,466	$63.69
   6	Intuitive Surgical	$131,926	$63.43	29
   7	Jazz Pharmaceuticals	$131,826	$63.38
   8	Agenus	$129,362	$62.19
   9	Genentech	$125,725	$60.44	33
   10	JUUL	$124,194	$59.71
   11	Celldex Therapeutics	$122,915	$59.09	1
   12	Karyopharm	$120,917	$58.13
   13	Gillette	$120,820	$58.09
   14	Pharmacyclics	$119,980	$57.68
   15	Exact Sciences	$119,842	$57.62	1
   16	BD	$118,879	$57.15	7
   17	Edwards Lifesciences	$117,743	$56.61	81
   18	Bristol-Myers Squibb	$116,509	$56.01	20
   19	Novartis	$115,999	$55.77	3
   20	Parexel International	$114,469	$55.03	338

4. Writing a clinical data manager job description

   A clinical data manager job description should include a summary of the role, required skills, and a list of responsibilities. It's also good to include a salary range and the first name of the hiring manager. Below, you can find an example of a clinical data manager job description:

   Clinical data manager job description example

   Responsibilities
   
   As the Data Manager, you will participate in all research activities as part of the clinical research team located at UCLA/UCLA Santa Monica while under the direction of the COG Principal Investigator, Lead COG Study Coordinator (team leader), study investigators, Division Chief, and Clinical Research Lead in the Department of Pediatrics. You are responsible for completing the data management of clinical research studies of all clinical research studies specific to the Division of Pediatric Hematology/Oncology. This includes responsibility for collection and transcription of research patient data and study related information into research records (CRFs) and assists with maintenance of regulatory files to fulfill research requirements. You will work with study monitors to process and collect accurate data in a timely manner and assist investigators and study coordinators in clinic settings. You will work flexible hours and/or overtime to meet study deadlines and requirements. Work may be assigned by the Division Chief/PI, Lead Study Coordinator, Regulatory Coordinator, investigator or administration, and assignments may be changed on an as-needed basis in order to ensure that studies and patient care needs are handled appropriately and in a timely manner.
   
   Qualifications
   
   Required Skills, knowledge, and abilities:
   
   Demonstrated working knowledge of current medical terminology specific to oncology, to accurately read entries in patient charts and record accurately and timely, information into study records and other appropriate research data forms.
   
   Clinical research experience, with in depth knowledge of clinical oncology as it pertains to clinical trials and studies.
   
   Demonstrated knowledge of 'good clinical practices' for clinical research as defined by the FDA.
   
   Demonstrated organizational skills to efficiently and effectively provide data management/monitoring support for multiple clinical trials and projects, providing accurate information in a timely manner.
   
   Demonstrated knowledge of all components the research process as it pertains to clinical trials and studies, i.e., IRB procedures and processes, data management, patient care management, etc.
   
   Computer skills using PC platform computers with proficiency in Excel, Word, FileMaker pro to enter data and generate correspondence accurately.
   
   Preferred Skills, knowledge and abilities
   
   Bachelors degree in related field
   
   UCLA is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, or protected Veteran status.
   
   UCLA Health welcomes all individuals, without regard to race, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, religion, national origin or disabilities, and we proudly look to each person's unique achievements and experiences to further set us apart.

   Copy this example

   

5. Post your job

   To find clinical data managers for your business, try out a few different recruiting strategies:

   • Consider internal talent. One of the most important talent pools for any company is its current employees.
   • Ask for referrals. Reach out to friends, family members, and your current work to ask if they know any clinical data managers they would recommend.
   • Recruit at local colleges. Attend job fairs at local colleges to recruit entry-level clinical data managers with the right educational background.
   • Social media platforms. LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter have more than 3.5 billion users, and they're a great place for company branding and reaching potential job candidates.

   Post your job online:

   • Post your clinical data manager job on Zippia to find and recruit clinical data manager candidates who meet your exact specifications.
   • Use field-specific websites.
   • Post a job on free websites.

6. Interview candidates

   To successfully recruit clinical data managers, your first interview needs to engage with candidates to learn about their interest in the role and experience in the field. You can go into more detail about the company, the role, and the responsibilities during follow-up interviews.

   It's also good to ask about candidates' unique skills and talents. You can move on to the technical interview if a candidate is good enough for the next step.

   Sometimes, it's not enough to interview clinical data manager candidates, so you can ask them to do a test project. If you are not a technical person and don't know what a test project should be, you can use these websites:

   • TestDome
   • CodeSignal
   • Testlify
   • BarRaiser
   • Coderbyte

   The right interview questions can help you assess a candidate's hard skills, behavioral intelligence, and soft skills.

7. Send a job offer and onboard your new clinical data manager

   Once you've found the clinical data manager candidate you'd like to hire, it's time to write an offer letter. This should include an explicit job offer that includes the salary and the details of any other perks. Qualified candidates might be looking at multiple positions, so your offer must be competitive if you like the candidate. Also, be prepared for a negotiation stage, as candidates may way want to tweak the details of your initial offer. Once you've settled on these details, you can draft a contract to formalize your agreement.

   You should also follow up with applicants who don't get the job with an email letting them know that you've filled the position.

   To prepare for the new employee's start date, you can create an onboarding schedule and complete any necessary paperwork, such as employee action forms and onboarding documents like I-9 forms, benefits enrollment, and federal and state tax forms. Human Resources should also ensure that a new employee file is created.

8. Go through the hiring process checklist

   • Determine employee type (full-time, part-time, contractor, etc.)
   • Submit a job requisition form to the HR department
   • Define job responsibilities and requirements
   • Establish budget and timeline
   • Determine hiring decision makers for the role
   • Write job description
   • Post job on job boards, company website, etc.
   • Promote the job internally
   • Process applications through applicant tracking system
   • Review resumes and cover letters
   • Shortlist candidates for screening
   • Hold phone/virtual interview screening with first round of candidates
   • Conduct in-person interviews with top candidates from first round
   • Score candidates based on weighted criteria (e.g., experience, education, background, cultural fit, skill set, etc.)
   • Conduct background checks on top candidates
   • Check references of top candidates
   • Consult with HR and hiring decision makers on job offer specifics
   • Extend offer to top candidate(s)
   • Receive formal job offer acceptance and signed employment contract
   • Inform other candidates that the position has been filled
   • Set and communicate onboarding schedule to new hire(s)
   • Complete new hire paperwork (i9, benefits enrollment, tax forms, etc.)

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How much does it cost to hire a clinical data manager?