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Clinical research specialist skills for your resume and career

Updated January 8, 2025
5 min read
Quoted experts
Ryan Barker,
Marianela Rivera Ph.D.
Below we've compiled a list of the most critical clinical research specialist skills. We ranked the top skills for clinical research specialists based on the percentage of resumes they appeared on. For example, 12.2% of clinical research specialist resumes contained patients as a skill. Continue reading to find out what skills a clinical research specialist needs to be successful in the workplace.

15 clinical research specialist skills for your resume and career

1. Patients

Here's how clinical research specialists use patients:
  • Investigated potential mechanisms of stroke generation in ventricular assist patients utilizing immunological assays and electron microscopy.
  • Facilitated critical care research activities by assisting in procedural cases for study enrolled patients.

2. Clinical Trials

Here's how clinical research specialists use clinical trials:
  • Performed Study Coordinator responsibilities for pharmaceutical clinical trials that involved medications for both children and adults with asthma and allergic rhinitis.
  • Utilized experience in psychiatric, psychological, and clinical trials research to help develop protocol content and increase study design feasibility.

4. Data Collection

Data collection means to analyze and collect all the necessary information. It helps in carrying out research and in storing important and necessary information. The most important goal of data collection is to gather the information that is rich and accurate for statistical analysis.

Here's how clinical research specialists use data collection:
  • Attract participation in data collection epidemiology studies by actively recruiting and following diverse group of women.
  • Work independently collaborating job assignments, performing ethical data collection and source verification.

5. IRB

An institutional review board (IRB), is a form of committee that applies research ethics by vetting research procedures to ensure they are ethical. In order to decide whether or not research can be undertaken, they often perform a kind of risk-benefit analysis. The IRB's function is to ensure that adequate safeguards are in place to protect the interests and health of humans who are participants of a research sample.

Here's how clinical research specialists use irb:
  • Prepared investigator initiated and industry study protocol for IRB review and approval.
  • Prepare new trials, continuing trials' applications, and closure of trials for Institutional Review Board (IRB) approval.

6. Research Data

Here's how clinical research specialists use research data:
  • Corresponded with collaborators, internal and external, to facilitate sharing of biological specimens and research data.
  • Involved in collection, compilation, documentation and analysis of clinical research data.

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7. Data Management

The administrative process that involves collecting and keeping the data safely and cost-effectively is called data management. Data management is a growing field as companies rely on it to store their intangible assets securely to create value. Efficient data management helps a company use the data to make better business decisions.

Here's how clinical research specialists use data management:
  • Review data management queries for completeness and accuracy.
  • Developed and initiated a project plan for conducting clinical studies in Europe and US; ensured integrity in study data management.

8. FDA

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is a division of the US Department of Health and Human Services that regulates the production and sale of food, pharmaceutical products, medical equipment, and other consumer goods, as well as veterinary medicine. The FDA is now in charge of overseeing the manufacture of products like vaccines, allergy treatments, and beauty products.

Here's how clinical research specialists use fda:
  • Ensured availability of all final study documentation in anticipation of a Sponsor or FDA audit.
  • Participated in study developments to ensure compliance with FDA regulations and guidelines.

9. GCP

Google Cloud Platform (GCP) is a collection of cloud computing services that allow users to develop, deploy, and operate original applications on the web. GCP carries a cloud computing infrastructure that facilitates it in keeping track of the resources (e.g., storage, processing speed, and power, network connectivity, database queries, etc.) of an application or a website, whenever it is run on the cloud platform.

Here's how clinical research specialists use gcp:
  • Develop study specific training materials targeted at GCP and federal requirements.
  • Tracked clinical sites and studies to ensure compliance with GCP's, SOP's and study protocols.

10. Data Entry

Data entry means entering data into a company's system with the help of a keyboard. A person responsible for entering data may also be asked to verify the authenticity of the data being entered. A person doing data entry must pay great attention to tiny details.

Here's how clinical research specialists use data entry:
  • Performed data entry and tracked critical study metrics into robust databases.
  • Perform database management including subject tracking and medical records data entry.

11. Clinical Research Studies

Here's how clinical research specialists use clinical research studies:
  • Performed daily assignments associated with multiple clinical research studies such as positively interacting and recruiting, patient screening, and assessments.
  • Recruit and screen potential study participants for multiple clinical research studies aimed at evaluating functionality of the endocrine system.

12. Institutional Review

Here's how clinical research specialists use institutional review:
  • Coordinated research progress with the National Institutes of Health, Institutional Review Board and10 varied pharmaceutical companies.
  • Worked with the Institutional Review Board for trial compliance.

14. Clinical Data

Here's how clinical research specialists use clinical data:
  • Performed SAE critical data points reconciliation between Safety and Clinical Databases prior to Interim Analyses.
  • Evaluate clinical data/information, providing interim and final reports for assigned clinical study.

15. Principal Investigators

A principal investigator is an individual who's responsible for preparing, conducting, and overseeing a sponsored project, research grant, training, contract,or any project in line with the regulations and instituted laws guiding the conduct of a sponsored research. It majorly applies to research projects, and the PI or principal investigator ensures everything is fully supervised to align with the laws of a sponsored research project.

Here's how clinical research specialists use principal investigators:
  • Communicated discrepancy to study coordinators and Principal investigators via audit report or problem resolution sheet.
  • Assisted principal investigators and research staff in reviewing study budget development and research billing plan.
top-skills

What skills help Clinical Research Specialists find jobs?

Tell us what job you are looking for, we’ll show you what skills employers want.

What clinical research specialist skills would you recommend for someone trying to advance their career?

Ryan Barker

Visiting Instructor, State University of New York at Oswego

Gap years are great for experience, do your best to find a job on the ground in your local area but keep mastering things like Zoom or Webex and other telecommunication services. Take the time to set up a designated site in your apartment or home and be prepared to use it because foriegn firms want American talent to strength their presence in the American and global market.

What technical skills for a clinical research specialist stand out to employers?

Marianela Rivera Ph.D.Marianela Rivera Ph.D. LinkedIn profile

Assistant Professor of Spanish, Foreign Languages Division Coordinator, Faculty Affiliate, Center for Critical Race & Ethnic Studies, Florida Gulf Coast University

In the past, technology was not necessarily one of the main concerns for people interested in romance languages, literatures, and linguistics; however, even before the pandemic, a variety of platforms and resources were made available to facilitate teaching courses related to those fields. The pandemic has highlighted the need to adapt to evolving times, so now technical skills are definitely something employers look for in potential candidates in addition to teaching and research excellence. Knowledge of and experience in online course development, technical writing, social media management, learning management systems, and project management are definitely skills that would stand out to employers.

What soft skills should all clinical research specialists possess?

Dr. DeQuan SmithDr. DeQuan Smith LinkedIn profile

Assistant Director, Graduate Education & Career Connections, Morehouse School of Medicine

Adaptability, collaboration, learning agility, emotional intelligence, creativity, interpersonal communication, growth mindset, focus mastery, and innovation.

List of clinical research specialist skills to add to your resume

Clinical research specialist skills

The most important skills for a clinical research specialist resume and required skills for a clinical research specialist to have include:

  • Patients
  • Clinical Trials
  • Informed Consent
  • Data Collection
  • IRB
  • Research Data
  • Data Management
  • FDA
  • GCP
  • Data Entry
  • Clinical Research Studies
  • Institutional Review
  • Consent Forms
  • Clinical Data
  • Principal Investigators
  • Clinical Trial Management
  • HIPAA
  • Regulatory Compliance
  • Electronic Data
  • CRFs
  • Site Management
  • Site Initiation
  • QC
  • Study Sponsors
  • Data Queries
  • Data Analysis
  • ICH
  • EDC
  • Clinical Practice
  • NIH
  • Clinical Research
  • PET
  • Study Sites
  • Worksheets
  • IND
  • Study Start-Up
  • CRO
  • Clinical Sites
  • IDE
  • Vital Signs
  • Clinical Operations
  • CTMS
  • Home Health
  • SAEs
  • Clinical Study Reports
  • TMF

Updated January 8, 2025

Zippia Research Team
Zippia Team

Editorial Staff

The Zippia Research Team has spent countless hours reviewing resumes, job postings, and government data to determine what goes into getting a job in each phase of life. Professional writers and data scientists comprise the Zippia Research Team.

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