How to hire a senior clinical research associate

How to hire a senior clinical research associate, step by step

Here's a step-by-step senior clinical research associate hiring guide:

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

What does a senior clinical research associate do?

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1. Identify your hiring needs

   First, determine the employments status of the senior clinical research associate you need to hire. Certain senior clinical research associate roles might require a full-time employee, whereas others can be done by part-time workers or contractors.

   Determine employee vs contractor status

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

   Yes

   No

   A senior clinical research associate's background is also an important factor in determining whether they'll be a good fit for the position. For example, senior clinical research associates 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.

   The following list breaks down different types of senior clinical research associates and their corresponding salaries.

   Type of Senior Clinical Research Associate	Description	Hourly rate
   Senior Clinical Research Associate	Natural sciences managers supervise the work of scientists, including chemists, physicists, and biologists. They direct activities related to research and development, and coordinate activities such as testing, quality control, and production.	$30-68
   Study Director	Technically, a study director carries out scientific responsibilities for protocol design or study plan and approval. Study directors supervise the gathering, analysis, interpretation, documentation, and reporting of data results... Show more	$26-56
   Study Coordinator	Study coordinators oversee the entire process of clinical research from its inception to its completion. The coordinators make certain that human subjects are safe and well-protected... Show more	$16-31

   Show more

2. Create an ideal candidate profile

   Common skills:

   • Patients
   • Informed Consent
   • Oncology
   • CRA
   • Site Management
   • Field Training
   • Clinical Trial Management
   • Clinical Trials
   • Site Monitoring
   • Data Collection
   • Data Management
   • CRO
   • Clinical Sites
   • IRB

   Check all skills

   Responsibilities:

   • Manage a consultant to review scientific support and create dossiers on each product that make health claims in the EU.
   • Interact with FDA and other regulatory authorities to manage and facilitate approval of regulatory submissions.
   • Monitor U.S. sites in accordance with ICH and GCP guidelines.
   • Maintain investigators and subjects files, review investigators files for compliance with GCP and FDA regulations, review drug utilization records.
   • Verify informed consent procedures and protocol requirements base on applicable regulatory requirements to ensure protection of study patients.
   • Provide site management for both therapeutic and supportive care oncology protocols that are complex and require knowledge in advance therapeutic areas.

   More senior clinical research associate duties

3. Make a budget

   Including a salary range in your senior clinical research associate job description is a great way to entice the best and brightest candidates. A senior clinical research associate salary can vary based on several factors:

   • Location. For example, senior clinical research associates' average salary in oklahoma is 42% less than in washington.
   • Seniority. Entry-level senior clinical research associates earn 55% less than senior-level senior clinical research associates.
   • Certifications. A senior clinical research associate with a few certifications under their belt will likely demand a higher salary.
   • Company. Working for a prestigious company or an exciting start-up can make a huge difference in a senior clinical research associate's salary.

   Average senior clinical research associate salary

   $95,878yearly

   $46.10 hourly rate

   ---

   Entry-level senior clinical research associate salary

   $64,000 yearly salary

   Updated December 30, 2025

   Average senior clinical research associate salary by state

   Rank	State	Avg. salary	Hourly rate
   1	California	$115,110	$55
   2	Washington	$110,460	$53
   3	Massachusetts	$94,816	$46
   4	Connecticut	$93,573	$45
   5	New York	$92,642	$45
   6	New Jersey	$92,248	$44
   7	Delaware	$91,814	$44
   8	Pennsylvania	$91,271	$44
   9	Nevada	$90,612	$44
   10	Arizona	$89,809	$43
   11	District of Columbia	$88,244	$42
   12	Maryland	$87,845	$42
   13	Michigan	$86,171	$41
   14	Oregon	$85,911	$41
   15	Maine	$85,816	$41
   16	South Carolina	$85,122	$41
   17	Iowa	$82,766	$40
   18	Ohio	$82,397	$40
   19	North Carolina	$81,068	$39
   20	Texas	$80,368	$39

   Average senior clinical research associate salary by company

   Company

   Rank	Company	Average salary	Hourly rate	Job openings
   1	Acorda Therapeutics	$131,660	$63.30
   2	Zymeworks	$127,115	$61.11
   3	Emergent BioSolutions	$126,066	$60.61
   4	Edwards Lifesciences	$119,327	$57.37	114
   5	Allergan plc	$118,636	$57.04	2
   6	ImClone Systems LLC	$113,171	$54.41
   7	AbbVie	$111,452	$53.58	62
   8	Merck	$111,192	$53.46	21
   9	Stryker	$107,788	$51.82	132
   10	Moderna	$104,645	$50.31	1
   11	Parexel International	$101,523	$48.81	330
   12	REGENXBIO	$100,861	$48.49	4
   13	Boston Scientific	$100,321	$48.23	97
   14	Pharmaceutical Research Associates, Inc.	$99,818	$47.99
   15	BioMarin	$99,041	$47.62	11
   16	Seagen	$98,794	$47.50
   17	FibroGen	$96,122	$46.21
   18	Randstad North America, Inc.	$93,664	$45.03
   19	Astellas Pharma	$93,447	$44.93	13
   20	Teleflex	$92,748	$44.59	16

4. Writing a senior clinical research associate job description

   A job description for a senior clinical research associate role includes a summary of the job's main responsibilities, required skills, and preferred background experience. Including a salary range can also go a long way in attracting more candidates to apply, and showing the first name of the hiring manager can also make applicants more comfortable. As an example, here's a senior clinical research associate job description:

   Senior clinical research associate job description example

   At Premier Research, we help biotech and specialty pharma companies transform life-changing ideas into reality. What we do is profoundly connected to saving and improving lives, and we recognize our staff members are the most valuable asset in delivering success. Inspiring and nurturing staff to do their best work means a better, healthier future for all. We're a community of 2,000 people in more than 20 countries delivering unmatched expertise, operational skills, and dedication to meet the most challenging needs facing clinical trials today.
   We're looking for a Senior Clinical Research Associate to join our Clinical Monitoring team in the Northeast region of North America. As a member of the Premier Research team, you'll help create tangible solutions for patients in need while building cross-functional partnerships that enable your growth and success.
   
   What you'll be doing: Perform monitoring activities (both on-site and remote) for Phase I-IV clinical trials, as well as device trials with opportunities to work in such therapeutic areas as: cardiovascular, oncology, pediatrics, rare disease, women's health, dermatology, neurology, etc. Ensure the validity, correctness, and completeness of clinical data collected at sites with a focus on data integrity and patient safety as dictated by trial protocol, ICH-GCP/ISO 141155, and customer requirements. Serve as the primary point of contact for investigative sites, manage query resolution, support Trial Master File activities, participate in Investigators' Meetings, and complete other project tasks in accordance with study timelines and budget. Identify and escalate potential risks and possible retraining opportunities for investigative sites. Schedule and plan day-to-day activities to include study monitoring visits, timely completion of high-quality trip reports, and active management of all deliverables. What we are searching for:
   Bachelor's degree, or local equivalent, in a clinical, biological, scientific, or health-related field or its international equivalent 4+ years of independent on-site monitoring experience with all types of site visits Completion of a CRA training program through a CRO Ability to travel to meet the requirement of 8 DOS You must live in the following states: MA, CT, DC, DE, ME, MD, NH, NJ, NY, OH, PA, RI, VT Why choose Premier Research?
   Premier Research is more than a company - it's a community of people that truly care about one another, about our clients, and about our mission of furthering research to improve the lives of patients in critical need. Our cultural anchors - Caring & Empathy, Empowerment, Aspiration, One Team - mirror the flexibility and trust that our team embodies. As a Premier team member, you have the power to make an impact, regardless of job title and location. Our dedication to biotech and specialty pharma is unlike any other. We provide our staff with innovative technologies and continuous learning opportunities so that they have the tools they need to be successful. At Premier Research, our mission is to improve healthcare by transforming life-changing ideas into new medical treatments that address the unmet needs of a diverse global population. Achieving this is impossible without creating a culture where our employees are given the power to think creatively, challenge ideas, and solve complex problems fearlessly.
   
   Through a commitment to diversity, equity, inclusion, and empowerment, we strive to create a community of belongingness where our differences are welcomed and celebrated. It fuels our innovation and better connects us to the patients, physicians, and customers we serve.
   
   Premier Research is proud to be an equal opportunity employer that is compliant with all federal guidelines. All qualified applicants will receive equitable consideration without regard to race, color, religion, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability or veteran status.
   
   #LI-CA1
   #LI-Remote

   Copy this example

   

5. Post your job

   There are a few common ways to find senior clinical research associates for your business:

   • Promoting internally or recruiting from your existing workforce.
   • Ask for referrals from friends, family members, and current employees.
   • Attend job fairs at local colleges to meet candidates with the right educational background.
   • Use social media platforms like LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter to recruit passive job-seekers.

   Post your job online:

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

6. Interview candidates

   To successfully recruit senior clinical research associates, 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.

   You should also ask about candidates' unique skills and talents to see if they match the ideal candidate profile you developed earlier. Candidates good enough for the next step can complete the technical interview.

   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 senior clinical research associate

   Once you've decided on a perfect senior clinical research associate candidate, it's time to write an offer letter. In addition to salary, it should include benefits and perks available to the employee. Qualified candidates may be considered for other positions, so make sure your offer is competitive. Candidates may wish to negotiate. Once you've settled on the details, formalize your agreement with a contract.

   It's equally important to follow up with applicants who don't get the job with an email letting them know that the position has been filled.

   After that, you can create an onboarding schedule for a new senior clinical research associate. Human Resources and the hiring manager should complete Employee Action Forms. Human Resources should also ensure that onboarding paperwork is completed, including I-9s, benefits enrollment, federal and state tax forms, etc., and that new employee files are 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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