What does a principal investigator do?
A Principal Investigator is the primary person who is responsible for designing, conducting, and reporting a research project. They report to a designated official such as the department head or division chief.
Principal investigator responsibilities
Here are examples of responsibilities from real principal investigator resumes:
- Serve chemistry project leads for two early-stage drug discovery projects.
- Design, build and manage CADD, NMR and MRI facilities.
- Attain IRB approval, recruit participants, analyze the data and present results
- Manage outsource projects, and interact with vendors for API sourcing, and device components base on project needs.
- Conduct research using industry standards: GCP, GLP, SORP and compliance with IRB.
- Receive IRB approval and clearance for research
- Work are heavily involve with the mainframe applications of SAS.
- Modify the SAS data sets by labeling, grouping and reclassifying.
- Re-Educate the principal investigator on the importance of GCP and maintaining study binders.
- Develop an efficient DNA extraction protocol to be used for polymerase chain reaction.
- Maintain, organize, and review study records for the study sponsors and FDA.
- Prepare the responses to EMA and FDA ask questions to regulatory-file document (NDA and MAA).
- Write, submit, and follow-up on grant applications with the NIH, NSF and various other government agencies.
- Used and introduce high-accuracy GPS and survey equipment to complete advancedgeospatial and surveys in several mid-Atlantic states for FEMA.
- Evaluate the efficacy of zoledronic acid as a countermeasure for preventing bone loss in quadriplegics with acute spinal cord injury.
Principal investigator skills and personality traits
We calculated that 10% of Principal Investigators are proficient in Patients, Data Collection, and Project Management. They’re also known for soft skills such as Decision-making skills, Leadership skills, and Problem-solving skills.
We break down the percentage of Principal Investigators that have these skills listed on their resume here:
- Patients, 10%
Issued and interpreted subjective physical activity questionnaires Research Assistant Physical Activity Characteristics of Peripheral Artery Disease Patients.
- Data Collection, 9%
Design data collection instruments and methodology; validate instruments; supervision of data collection; analyze data; reporting and publication.
- Project Management, 8%
Project management, systems design, theoretical development of signal detection, signal classification, target detection and tracking algorithms.
- Technical Reports, 6%
Drafted environmental assessments and other technical reports documenting research and subsequent findings of various environmental, health and safety related activities.
- FDA, 4%
Prepared the responses to EMA and FDA asked questions to regulatory-filed document (NDA and MAA).
- Data Analysis, 4%
Performed exploratory data analysis and created data visualizations with the statistical package R. Networked within client organizations for additional consultative projects.
Most principal investigators use their skills in "patients," "data collection," and "project management" to do their jobs. You can find more detail on essential principal investigator responsibilities here:
Decision-making skills. To carry out their duties, the most important skill for a principal investigator to have is decision-making skills. Their role and responsibilities require that "because principals are responsible for students, staff, and the overall operation of the school, they consider many factors when making decisions." Principal investigators often use decision-making skills in their day-to-day job, as shown by this real resume: "excavated areas were ultimately determined and managed through use of field screening analytical methods to determine regulatory exceedances. "
Leadership skills. Another essential skill to perform principal investigator duties is leadership skills. Principal investigators responsibilities require that "principals set educational goals and establish policies and procedures for the school." Principal investigators also use leadership skills in their role according to a real resume snippet: "provided physician leadership of phase ii-phase iv clinical trials at a clinical site in phoenix arizona. "
Problem-solving skills. Another skill that relates to the job responsibilities of principal investigators is problem-solving skills. This skill is critical to many everyday principal investigator duties, as "teachers, students, and other staff report problems to the principal." This example from a resume shows how this skill is used: "applied solution state nmr techniques to develop new synthetic routes to new monomers. "
Communication skills. For certain principal investigator responsibilities to be completed, the job requires competence in "communication skills." The day-to-day duties of a principal investigator rely on this skill, as "principals must communicate effectively with students, teachers, and parents." For example, this snippet was taken directly from a resume about how this skill applies to what principal investigators do: "conducted a study with web camera communication in nursing homes and its effects on patients' quality of life. "
The three companies that hire the most principal investigators are:
- Accenture126 principal investigators jobs
- Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (finra)31 principal investigators jobs
- AECOM6 principal investigators jobs
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Principal investigator vs. Research leader
Research Leaders are academicians who oversee a group of researchers conducting a study. They are usually well-known researchers in their field of study or area of interest. They manage the group throughout the whole research process. They may orient them at the start of the engagement to ensure that everyone is on the same page. Research Leaders direct the group in identifying the resources needed, finding these resources, and eventually managing them. They also guide the team in conducting the research properly by providing strategic direction, sharing techniques, and helping them analyze the gathered data. With their experience in the field, Research Leaders usually provide frameworks that the team may work within.
These skill sets are where the common ground ends though. The responsibilities of a principal investigator are more likely to require skills like "patients," "project management," "technical reports," and "dod." On the other hand, a job as a research leader requires skills like "market research," "python," "human centered design," and "research methods." As you can see, what employees do in each career varies considerably.
Research leaders tend to make the most money working in the pharmaceutical industry, where they earn an average salary of $131,194. In contrast, principal investigators make the biggest average salary, $96,881, in the technology industry.research leaders tend to reach similar levels of education than principal investigators. In fact, research leaders are 2.9% less likely to graduate with a Master's Degree and 14.1% less likely to have a Doctoral Degree.Principal investigator vs. School business manager
A school business manager is responsible for providing leadership and management of all teaching and non-teaching staff in a school setting and ensuring they perform their duties accordingly to achieve the required standards of learning. The duties and responsibilities include attending senior managerial meetings and taking the lead of all school responsibilities in the absence of the headteacher.
While some skills are similar in these professions, other skills aren't so similar. For example, resumes show us that principal investigator responsibilities requires skills like "patients," "data collection," "project management," and "technical reports." But a school business manager might use other skills in their typical duties, such as, "k-12," "professional development," "payroll," and "financial reports."
School business managers may earn a lower salary than principal investigators, but school business managers earn the most pay in the education industry with an average salary of $62,552. On the other hand, principal investigators receive higher pay in the technology industry, where they earn an average salary of $96,881.school business managers earn similar levels of education than principal investigators in general. They're 3.4% less likely to graduate with a Master's Degree and 14.1% less likely to earn a Doctoral Degree.Principal investigator vs. School superintendent
A school superintendent leads and oversees a school district, working with school leaders to ensure that operations run smoothly and efficiently according to standards and regulations. They are primarily in charge of establishing short and long-term goals, developing strategies to meet them. They are also responsible for supervising the employment procedures, selecting the ideal resources to support the students' and schools' needs, monitoring operations, and solving issues and concerns when any arise. Moreover, a school superintendent has the authority to make significant decisions while adhering to the district's vision and mission.
There are many key differences between these two careers, including some of the skills required to perform responsibilities within each role. For example, a principal investigator is likely to be skilled in "patients," "data collection," "project management," and "technical reports," while a typical school superintendent is skilled in "curriculum development," "k-12," "student achievement," and "public schools."
When it comes to education, school superintendents tend to earn higher degree levels compared to principal investigators. In fact, they're 5.5% more likely to earn a Master's Degree, and 9.4% more likely to graduate with a Doctoral Degree.Principal investigator vs. After school program coordinator
An after school program coordinator is primarily in charge of coordinating after-school learning and recreational activities designed for children to enhance their potentials and skills. Their job entails performing research and assessments, collaborating with fellow educators and experts, developing and implementing curricula, and monitoring the students' progress, communicating with parents as necessary. Additionally, as an after-school program coordinator, it is essential to empower the students and create strategies to keep a productive and healthy environment for them.
Types of principal investigator
Updated January 8, 2025











