ZipRecruiter

Log In

1

Clinical Study Startup Jobs in California (NOW HIRING)

Medasource

Clinical Trial Budget Analyst

Sacramento, CA · On-site +1

$62/hr

Supporting study startup and activation activities. * Ensuring alignment between clinical trial budgets and contract terms. * Preparing and maintaining budget amendments. * Maintaining financial ...

Abbott

Clinical Research Associate I

Alameda, CA · On-site

$73K - $116K/yr

As the Clinical Research Associate I you will assist in the clinical execution and management of ... Responsible for assisting senior study startup staff during site selection * Maintain and audit ...

Abbott

Clinical Research Associate I

Alameda, CA · On-site

$73K - $116K/yr

As the Clinical Research Associate I you will assist in the clinical execution and management of ... Responsible for assisting senior study startup staff during site selection * Maintain and audit ...

Abbott

Clinical Research Associate I

Alameda, CA · On-site

$73K - $116K/yr

As the Clinical Research Associate I you will assist in the clinical execution and management of ... Responsible for assisting senior study startup staff during site selection * Maintain and audit ...

Hyperfine

Clinical Scientist

Palo Alto, CA · On-site +1

$134K - $155K/yr

Clinical Scientist Location:Palo Alto, CA As a Clinical Scientist, you will support the Clinical ... Support study startup activities, including IRB submissions and coordination with internal teams

Hyperfine

Clinical Scientist

Palo Alto, CA · Hybrid

$134K - $155K/yr

Clinical Scientist Location: Palo Alto, CA As a Clinical Scientist, you will support the Clinical ... Support study startup activities, including IRB submissions and coordination with internal teams

Hyperfine

Clinical Scientist

Palo Alto, CA · Hybrid

$134K - $155K/yr

Clinical Scientist Location: Palo Alto, CA As a Clinical Scientist, you will support the Clinical ... Support study startup activities, including IRB submissions and coordination with internal teams

next page

Showing results 1-20

All JobsClinical Study Startup JobsClinical Study Startup Jobs in California

Clinical Study Startup information

See California salary details

$28

$61

$94

How much do clinical study startup jobs pay per hour?

As of Aug 30, 2026, the average hourly pay for clinical study startup in California is $61.70, according to ZipRecruiter salary data. Most workers in this role earn between $50.05 and $69.52 per hour, depending on experience, location, and employer.

What is a clinical study startup?

A Clinical Study Startup job involves managing the initial phases of a clinical trial, ensuring all regulatory, ethical, and logistical requirements are met before patient enrollment begins. Responsibilities typically include submitting regulatory documents, coordinating with ethics committees, negotiating contracts, and ensuring trial sites are fully prepared. This role requires strong knowledge of clinical research regulations, timelines, and collaboration with internal and external stakeholders. Effective study startup is crucial for minimizing delays and ensuring compliance with industry standards.

What are the typical responsibilities of someone working in clinical study startup?

Professionals in Clinical Study Startup are primarily responsible for coordinating and executing study initiation activities, including regulatory document collection, ethics submissions, site contracting, and start-up logistics. They work closely with investigators, sponsors, and cross-functional teams to ensure all regulatory and site requirements are met before the clinical trial begins. This role often involves tight deadlines and frequent communication with stakeholders both internally and externally. It's a fast-paced position that is ideal for individuals who enjoy detail-oriented work and project coordination in a collaborative environment.

What are the key skills and qualifications needed to thrive in clinical study startup, and why are they important?

Success in a Clinical Study Startup role requires a strong understanding of clinical research processes, regulatory requirements, project management, and often a life sciences degree or related field. Familiarity with clinical trial management systems (CTMS), electronic trial master files (eTMF), and regulatory submission platforms is essential, along with certifications like GCP (Good Clinical Practice) being advantageous. Attention to detail, proactive problem-solving, and excellent organizational and communication skills help candidates excel. These qualifications ensure smooth study initiation, regulatory compliance, and effective cross-functional collaboration within demanding timelines.

What are the most commonly searched types of Clinical Study Startup jobs in California?

The most popular types of Clinical Study Startup jobs in California are:

What are popular job titles related to Clinical Study Startup jobs in California?

For Clinical Study Startup jobs in California, the most frequently searched job titles are:

What job categories do people searching Clinical Study Startup jobs in California look for?

The top searched job categories for Clinical Study Startup jobs in California are:

What cities in California are hiring for Clinical Study Startup jobs?

Cities in California with the most Clinical Study Startup job openings:

Clinical Study Startup jobs near you
Infographic showing various Clinical Study Startup job openings in California as of August 2026, with employment types broken down into 2% As Needed, 71% Full Time, 18% Part Time, and 9% Contract. Highlights an 85% Physical, 1% Hybrid, and 14% Remote job distribution, with an average salary of $128,331 per year, or $61.7 per hour.

Head of Clinical Operations & Study Delivery

RDI

Los Angeles, CA • On-site

Full-time

Posted 6 days ago

RDI Corporation rating

5.4

Company rating: 5.4 out of 10

Based on 20 frontline employees who took The Breakroom Quiz

48th of 72 rated call and contact centers

Job description

The Role

Can you take a difficult clinical study, figure out what is actually stopping it, and get it under control?

RDI runs diagnostic studies for some of the largest IVD companies in the world. Clients often bring us the hard ones: aggressive timelines, difficult recruitment, unusual sample requirements, complicated site models, or programs that simply need a different approach.

We like that work.

We need another load-bearing operator to own Clinical Operations alongside our CEO and COO and build the team and operating system that let us handle more of it.

This is not a role where you inherit a large department and manage from above. You will lead people, but you also need to understand the work well enough to step into a study, find what is wrong, make the call, and help fix it.

Your job is not to preserve the way RDI operates today. Your job is to make us better.

The Work

You will own clinical study delivery across RDI, including:

  • Turn protocols and scopes into real execution plans.
  • Keep timelines, enrollment, sites, samples, budgets, risks, and client commitments under control.
  • See problems before they become fire drills.
  • Make sure project status reflects reality, not optimism.
  • Lead and develop PMs, CTMs, CRAs, and clinical staff.
  • Decide when to coach, when to delegate, and when to step directly into the work.
  • Improve how we manage study startup, sites, recruitment, monitoring, samples, data, and closeout.
  • Build systems that make accountability and study status obvious.
  • Work directly with clients when difficult programs require senior operational judgment.
  • Build the Clinical Operations organization capable of handling a larger and harder portfolio.
Who We Are Looking For

You have run clinical research yourself. You know what happens between the protocol and the final dataset because you have lived it.

You may come from a CRO, sponsor, research site, laboratory, startup, or academia. IVD and diagnostics experience is valuable, but we care more about what you have personally owned and built than the logo on your résumé.

The strongest candidate is probably a little underleveraged today: highly capable, frustrated by how slowly decisions move, and ready to own substantially more than their current company will give them.

If you have built a research site, laboratory, clinical program, CRO, or operating team, we want to hear about it.

What We Are Not Looking For
  • Someone whose primary skill is managing other senior people.
  • Someone who needs a finished playbook before they can operate.
  • Someone who delegates work they no longer understand how to do.
  • Someone who waits for perfect information before making a decision.
  • Someone looking for a prestigious title, a large staff, and a predictable corporate job.

No leader at RDI gets to stay above the work.

Why Join

Because you want to build a Clinical Operations function rather than inherit one.

Because you want the authority to fix the things you already know are broken.

Because a few years from now, you want to be able to say: I built the clinical operating system that company runs on.

This role is in person at our Los Angeles / Van Nuys office, five days a week. Relocation assistance is available.

If that sounds like a downside, this is probably not the right job.

About RDI

RDI is an IVD-focused CRO. Since 2008, we have run hundreds of diagnostic trials for leading test manufacturers.

We are a small team that moves quickly and expects real ownership. There is no passing a problem along because it sits outside your job description. If something matters, you help get it solved.

The pace is high. The expectations are high. The amount of ownership available to the right person is also unusually high.

About Our Process

Our recruiting process is management-led. If your background is a strong fit, you will hear directly from RDI senior leadership for an initial conversation.

Given applicant volume, we cannot respond to everyone, but we respond to every strong application.

What RDI Corporation employees say

Pay

Benefits

Hours and flexibility

Workplace

Get the full story on Breakroom