1

Clinical Development Jobs in Boston, MA (NOW HIRING)

Head of Clinical Development

Boston, MA

$86K - $118K/yr

The Head of Clinical Development leads Every Cure's clinical research and development function, serving as both strategic architect and working clinical lead on priority programs. They manage a ...

Head of Clinical Development

Boston, MA · On-site

$86K - $118K/yr

The Head of Clinical Development leads Every Cure's clinical research and development function, serving as both strategic architect and working clinical lead on priority programs. They manage a ...

The primary role is to drive Alkermes's clinical development portfolio in Neurology. Specifically, this position will have critical hands-on leadership responsibilities within the Clinical department ...

next page

Showing results 1-20

Clinical Development information

See Boston, MA salary details

$15

$37

$97

How much do clinical development jobs pay per hour?

As of Jul 30, 2026, the average hourly pay for clinical development in Boston, MA is $37.61, according to ZipRecruiter salary data. Most workers in this role earn between $18.03 and $35.77 per hour, depending on experience, location, and employer.

What is the difference between Clinical Development vs Clinical Research Coordinator?

AspectClinical DevelopmentClinical Research Coordinator
Required CredentialsBachelor's degree, often advanced degrees in life sciences or related fields; certifications like CCRP or RACBachelor's degree in health sciences or related field; certifications like CCRP beneficial
Work EnvironmentPharmaceutical or biotech companies, clinical trial teams, R&D departmentsClinical trial sites, hospitals, research centers
Employer & Industry UsageUsed in pharmaceutical, biotech, and medical device industries during drug development phasesUsed in hospitals, research institutions, and clinical trial sites for managing patient studies

While both roles are involved in clinical trials, Clinical Development focuses on designing and managing the overall drug development process, whereas Clinical Research Coordinators handle the day-to-day operations at trial sites, ensuring protocol adherence and patient coordination.

How much does a clinical development trial lead make?

A clinical development trial lead at Eli Lilly typically earns between $120,000 and $160,000 annually, depending on experience and location. The role often requires strong project management skills and knowledge of clinical trial processes, with some positions offering additional bonuses or benefits.

What jobs pay $500,000 a year in the US?

In clinical development, senior roles such as Vice President or Chief Medical Officer can reach or exceed $500,000 annually, especially in large pharmaceutical or biotech companies. These positions typically require extensive experience, advanced degrees, and leadership skills, often involving strategic decision-making and regulatory oversight.

What is clinical development?

Clinical development is the process by which new pharmaceutical drugs, biologics, or medical devices are tested and evaluated in humans to assess their safety and effectiveness. It typically involves a series of phases (Phase I-IV) of clinical trials, starting with small groups of volunteers and expanding to larger patient populations. The goal is to gather the data needed for regulatory approval and to ensure that new treatments provide benefits that outweigh their risks. Clinical development is a critical step in bringing new therapies from the laboratory to patients.

What do you do in clinical development?

A professional in clinical development designs, manages, and oversees clinical trials to evaluate the safety and effectiveness of new medical treatments or drugs. They coordinate with cross-functional teams, ensure compliance with regulatory standards, and analyze data to support product approval processes.

What is the highest paying job in clinical research?

The highest paying roles in clinical research are often senior positions such as Clinical Development Director or Vice President of Clinical Development, which can offer salaries exceeding $150,000 annually. These roles typically require extensive experience, advanced degrees, and leadership skills, and they oversee large-scale clinical programs and strategic planning.

What are the key skills and qualifications needed to thrive in Clinical Development, and why are they important?

To thrive in Clinical Development, you need a strong background in life sciences, clinical trial management, and regulatory compliance, often supported by a relevant degree and experience in clinical research. Familiarity with clinical trial management systems (CTMS), electronic data capture (EDC) tools, and certifications like GCP (Good Clinical Practice) are typically required. Excellent communication, problem-solving, and leadership skills help professionals coordinate multidisciplinary teams and adapt to evolving study demands. These skills and qualifications ensure the design, execution, and oversight of safe, effective, and compliant clinical trials essential for successful drug development.

What are some common challenges faced in a Clinical Development role, and how can I prepare for them?

Professionals in Clinical Development often encounter challenges such as managing complex regulatory requirements, coordinating multi-site clinical trials, and ensuring timely patient recruitment. Staying organized, maintaining clear communication with cross-functional teams, and keeping up-to-date with evolving industry guidelines can help you navigate these hurdles. Developing strong project management and problem-solving skills is also essential for success in this dynamic field.
What are the most commonly searched types of Clinical Development jobs in Boston, MA? The most popular types of Clinical Development jobs in Boston, MA are:
What are popular job titles related to Clinical Development jobs in Boston, MA? For Clinical Development jobs in Boston, MA, the most frequently searched job titles are:
What cities near Boston, MA are hiring for Clinical Development jobs? Cities near Boston, MA with the most Clinical Development job openings:
Infographic showing various Clinical Development job openings in Boston, MA as of July 2026, with employment types broken down into 86% Full Time, and 14% Contract. Highlights an 86% In-person, and 14% Remote job distribution, with an average salary of $78,223 per year, or $37.6 per hour.

Director, Clinical Development

Wave Life Sciences

Lexington, MA • On-site

$89K - $122K/yr

Full-time

Medical, Dental, Vision, Life, Retirement, PTO

Re-posted 28 days ago


Job description

Wave Life Sciences is a biotechnology company focused on unlocking the broad potential of RNA medicines to transform human health. Our RNA medicines platform, PRISM, combines multiple modalities, chemistry innovation and deep insights in human genetics to deliver scientific breakthroughs that treat both rare and prevalent disorders. Our toolkit of RNA-targeting modalities including RNAi silencing and RNA editing provides us with unmatched capabilities for designing and sustainably delivering candidates that optimally address disease biology. Our diversified pipeline is focused on our obesity, alpha-1 antitrypsin deficiency and PNPLA3 I148M liver disease programs and includes clinical programs for Duchenne muscular dystrophy and Huntington's disease, as well as several preclinical programs utilizing our versatile RNA medicines platform.  Driven by the calling to "Reimagine Possible", we are leading the charge toward a world in which human potential is no longer hindered by the burden of disease. 

Description: 

The Director, Clinical Development is responsible for providing clinical leadership for product(s) in development. This includes the design, planning, execution, scientific integrity, and medical oversight of clinical studies for all phases of development for various therapeutic areas (TA) including cardiometabolic, hepatology, and potentially additional TA programs from early clinical development through regulatory approval. The Director, Clinical Development will collaborate closely with cross-functional partners including Clinical Operations for study design and implementation, Pharmacovigilance, Regulatory Affairs, Medical Affairs, Biostats, Quality Assurance, Program Management, Preclinical Development and other functions to ensure aligned strategy and execution of all programs. This person will oversee medical monitors and provide medical input to relevant documents (e.g. IB, IMPD, DSUR, SUSAR, IND, NDA/BLA, PIP, etc.). The Director, Clinical Development will be responsible for interpretation and dissemination of study results, including clinical study reports and related publications as well as present data at conferences and other scientific or regulatory forums. This position serves as a core member of the clinical development team, will contribute to devising the overall clinical strategy and ensure all activities occur in compliance with the appropriate regulations. They will provide support to translational medicine efforts within assigned TA, working closely with research to define strategy and grow the discovery pipeline. The successful candidate will support the SVP, Clinical Development in providing medical input into the design of clinical development programs, and strategic and tactical plans for investigational products. 

Experience:

  • Board certified MD required
  • Formal cardiometabolic and/or hepatology training is preferred 
  • 5+ years of industry experience or combined industry/academic experience 
  • Experience with all stages of clinical development 
  • Proficient in all aspects of management of clinical trials from inception to completion across all phases of development including study design
  • Significant experience in communicating/presenting key/complex information to department/functional lead(s)/senior management

Responsibilities:    

  • Champion product(s) under development  
  • Serve as a subject matter expert (SME)
  • Keep up to date on current literature, competitive environment, and regulatory guidelines 
  • Provide oversight and management of clinical programs including planning, execution, and completion of clinical trials according to all applicable regulations and guidance, ICH/GCP, and Wave SOPs
  • Partner with Clinical Operations to ensure all clinical study activities are completed in accordance with applicable regulations and guidance; ICH GCP, and Wave SOPs
  • Review clinical data from all phases of development and assist in generating study reports and publications
  • Manage, coordinate, and provide ongoing assessment, evaluation, and communication with other Wave departments (e.g., Regulatory, PV, and Biometrics, etc.) and external vendors (CRO, consultants, etc.) to ensure study objectives/timelines are accomplished
  • Serve as study medical monitor, as needed
  • Develop and maintain professional relationships with academic and community-based study sites, consultants, HCPs, and KOLs
  • Represent Wave in interactions with regulatory agencies 
  • Provide input and support the SVP, Clinical Development in managing program budgeting and financial planning
  • Deliver management personnel with timely updates on progress and changes in scope, schedule, and resources as required
  • Develop and implement SOPs for clinical trials and related activities, as required
  • Ensure compliance with all applicable regulatory standards related to global clinical trials and interactions with physicians
  • Interface with departments within and outside of R&D including Finance, Legal, etc. 
  • Analyze and present study data in conferences and scientific forums             
  • May mentor and manage matrix and direct reports (if applicable)

Key Skills:

  • Strong scientific background in cardiometabolic diseases
  • Expertise in project planning, leadership, negotiation, and presentation skills as well as an ability to contribute creative yet practical solutions to problems
  • Knowledge of FDA and ICH regulations
  • Competence in clinical medicine and clinical pharmacology and associated disciplines (e.g. biostatistics, data management, medical writing)
  • Familiarity of Good Clinical Practice (CGP)

Pay Range External Disclosure Statement

The annual base salary range for this position is $255,000 - $345,000.

The range provided is based on what we believe is a reasonable estimate for the annual base salary pay range for this position at the time of posting. Actual annual base salary will vary based on several factors including, but not limited to, relevant skills, experience, qualifications, position criticality, and internal equity.  This position is eligible for a discretionary annual bonus. In addition to compensation, Wave offers a comprehensive and competitive range of benefits designed to support our employees' and their families physical and financial health and overall well-being. These include, but are not limited to, company-sponsored medical, dental, vision, life, long and short-term disability insurances, generous paid time off (including a week-long company shutdown in the Summer and the Winter), and 401K participation with matching contributions.

Wave Life Sciences provides equal employment opportunities (EEO) to all employees and applicants for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, disability or genetics. In addition to federal law requirements, Wave Life Sciences complies with applicable state and local laws governing nondiscrimination in employment in every location in which the company has facilities. This policy applies to all terms and conditions of employment, including recruiting, hiring, placement, promotion, termination, layoff, recall, transfer, leaves of absence, compensation and training.

Wave Life Sciences expressly prohibits any form of workplace harassment based on race, color, religion, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, national origin, age, genetic information, disability, or veteran status. Improper interference with the ability of Wave Life Sciences' employees to perform their job duties may result in discipline up to and including discharge.

We value our relationships with professional recruitment firms. To protect the interests of all parties, and given the large volume of inquiries received from third-party placement agencies, we are not able to respond to all agency inquiries. We do not accept unsolicited resumes from any source other than directly from candidates for current or future positions. Submission of unsolicited resumes in advance of a signed agreement between our company and a placement agency does not create an implied obligation and, if an unsolicited candidate represented by a placement agency is hired, we are not obligated to pay a fee. Only approved recruitment firms will be allowed to provide services to Wave Life Sciences, USA.