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Clinical Trial Startup Jobs (NOW HIRING)

VENESCO LLC

Clinical Trial Manager

Frederick, MD · On-site

$125K - $143K/yr

Manage all phases of clinical trial startup, conduct, and closeout. * Develop and maintain project plans and timelines. * Coordinate protocol development and study documentation. * Manage Trial ...

VENESCO, LLC

Clinical Trial Manager

Fort Detrick, MD · On-site

$125K - $143K/yr

Manage all phases of clinical trial startup, conduct, and closeout. * Develop and maintain project plans and timelines. * Coordinate protocol development and study documentation. * Manage Trial ...

Clinovo

Clinical Trial Manager

Cambridge, MA · On-site

$175K/yr

Contribute to study planning activities, including protocol implementation, startup efforts, site ... Strong knowledge of clinical trial operations, ICH-GCP guidelines, regulatory requirements, and ...

New

Impulse Dynamics

Clinical Trial Manager

Marlton, NJ · On-site

$95K - $115K/yr

Lead study startup processes, including but not limited to conduct of the clinical trial Investigator meeting together with clinical and medical leadership, site selection, and finalization of site ...

Novocure

Clinical Trial Lead

Boonton, NJ · Hybrid

$147K - $190K/yr

Clinical Trial Lead Hybrid / Full Time / Chesterbrook, PA At Novocure, we're working to extend the ... Lead cross-functional Clinical Study Teams from study startup through closeout. * Serve as the ...

Novocure

Clinical Trial Lead

Manhattan, NY · Hybrid

$147K - $190K/yr

Clinical Trial Lead Hybrid / Full Time / Chesterbrook, PA At Novocure, we're working to extend the ... Lead cross-functional Clinical Study Teams from study startup through closeout. * Serve as the ...

Novocure

Clinical Trial Lead

Philadelphia, PA · Hybrid

$147K - $190K/yr

Clinical Trial Lead Hybrid / Full Time / Chesterbrook, PA At Novocure, we're working to extend the ... Lead cross-functional Clinical Study Teams from study startup through closeout. * Serve as the ...

Novocure

Clinical Trial Lead

Wayne, PA · Hybrid

$147K - $190K/yr

Clinical Trial Lead Hybrid / Full Time / Chesterbrook, PA At Novocure, we're working to extend the ... Lead cross-functional Clinical Study Teams from study startup through closeout. * Serve as the ...

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Clinical Trial Startup information

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How much do clinical trial startup jobs pay per hour?

As of Aug 12, 2026, the average hourly pay for clinical trial startup in the United States is $37.67, according to ZipRecruiter salary data. Most workers in this role earn between $25.72 and $48.08 per hour, depending on experience, location, and employer.

What are some common challenges faced during the clinical trial startup phase and how can they be managed?

One of the main challenges during the clinical trial startup phase is navigating complex regulatory requirements and ensuring timely ethics committee approvals. Delays can also occur due to contract negotiations with sites and gathering essential documentation. Proactively engaging with stakeholders, maintaining clear communication, and leveraging project management tools help mitigate these issues. Collaboration with cross-functional teams, such as regulatory affairs, legal, and clinical operations, is essential for keeping the process on track and ensuring a smooth study launch.

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

To excel in Clinical Trial Startup, you need a solid understanding of clinical research processes, regulatory requirements, and project management, often supported by a degree in life sciences or a related field. Familiarity with electronic trial master files (eTMF), clinical trial management systems (CTMS), and GCP certifications is highly valuable. Strong organizational skills, attention to detail, and effective cross-functional communication help ensure smooth site activations and compliance. These competencies are crucial for minimizing delays and ensuring the successful and ethical launch of clinical trials.

What is the difference between Clinical Trial Startup vs Clinical Trial Coordinator?

AspectClinical Trial StartupClinical Trial Coordinator
CredentialsBachelor's degree, industry-specific knowledgeBachelor's degree, often certifications in clinical research
Work EnvironmentPlanning phase, project management, cross-functional teamsMonitoring trials, data collection, site communication
Employer & Industry UsagePharmaceutical companies, CROs, biotech firmsResearch sites, hospitals, clinical research organizations

While both roles are essential in clinical research, Clinical Trial Startup focuses on initiating and planning new trials, including site selection and regulatory setup. In contrast, Clinical Trial Coordinators manage ongoing trial activities, ensuring protocol adherence and data accuracy. Understanding these differences helps clarify career paths and job expectations in the clinical research industry.

What is clinical trial startup?

Clinical trial startup refers to the initial phase of setting up a clinical research study before patient enrollment begins. This process includes activities such as protocol development, site selection, regulatory submissions, contract negotiations, ethics committee approvals, and preparing trial materials. The goal is to ensure all the necessary legal, regulatory, and logistical requirements are met, so the study can start smoothly and on time. Efficient trial startup is crucial for minimizing delays and optimizing the overall timeline of a clinical trial.
More about Clinical Trial Startup jobs
What cities are hiring for Clinical Trial Startup jobs? Cities with the most Clinical Trial Startup job openings:
What states have the most Clinical Trial Startup jobs? States with the most job openings for Clinical Trial Startup jobs include:
What job categories do people searching Clinical Trial Startup jobs look for? The top searched job categories for Clinical Trial Startup jobs are:
Clinical Trial Startup jobs near you
Infographic showing various Clinical Trial Startup job openings in the United States as of August 2026, with employment types broken down into 3% As Needed, 72% Full Time, 17% Part Time, and 8% Contract. Highlights an 95% Physical, 1% Hybrid, and 4% Remote job distribution, with an average salary of $78,347 per year, or $37.7 per hour.

Clinical Trial Study Startup Specialist

Vitalief

New Brunswick, NJ • On-site

$75K - $90K/yr

Full-time

Medical, Life, Retirement, PTO

Posted 8 days ago

Job description

ABOUT VITALIEF
Vitalief is a clinical research consulting firm focused exclusively on the clinical research industry, providing consulting, staffing, and technology-enabled services to academic medical centers, health systems, sponsors, CROs, and site networks. By combining deep subject matter expertise with the experience of senior research practitioners, we help organizations accelerate study activation, optimize operations, improve financial performance, and build scalable workforce solutions that reduce costs, increase efficiency, and advance clinical breakthroughs for patients.
POSITION SUMMARY
We are seeking an experienced Clinical Trial Study Startup Specialist to join Vitalief as a full-time and support a multi-site health system cardiovascular clinical research initiative focused on accelerating industry-sponsored trial activations across a large health system network.
The Study Startup Specialist will serve as a central coordinator between Clinical Research Coordinators (CRCs), sponsors, investigators, and internal support teams including Contracts, Finance, IRB, Regulatory, Compliance, and IT. This individual will facilitate communication, track startup progress, identify bottlenecks, and help ensure studies move efficiently through the startup lifecycle. This role is focused on coordination and oversight rather than direct execution of startup activities, with CRCs and functional teams retaining responsibility for submissions and operational deliverables.
The ideal candidate will possess strong project management, stakeholder coordination, communication, and organizational skills, along with a solid understanding of clinical trial startup processes within academic medical centers or complex healthcare systems.
WHY VITALIEF?
  • Impactful Work: Be at the center of a first-of-its-kind cardiovascular research expansion at one of New Jersey's largest health systems - your work directly accelerates access to cutting-edge treatments for cardiac patients.
  • People-First Culture: Thrive in an environment that fosters growth, innovation, and collaboration.
  • Comprehensive Benefits: Enjoy 20 PTO days, 9 paid holidays, company-paid life insurance, short- and long-term disability, a 401(k)-retirement plan, and robust healthcare options.
  • Work Location: Hybrid role - 2 to 3 days on-site in New Brunswick, NJ with limited local travel to other hospital sites.
  • Salary Range: $75,000 to $90,000 - Based on experience level.

RESPONSIBILITIES
  • Serve as the central coordination point between CRCs, sponsors, investigators, and internal support teams throughout the clinical trial startup process.
  • Coordinate and track startup activities including feasibility, contracts, budgets, IRB submissions, regulatory reviews, site qualification visits, and system setup activities.
  • Monitor startup timelines, identify bottlenecks, and proactively escalate issues to help ensure timely study activation.
  • Facilitate ongoing communication regarding study status, outstanding action items, dependencies, and activation readiness across all stakeholders.
  • Partner with CRCs and functional departments while maintaining their ownership of study startup execution activities and deliverables.
  • Coordinate sponsor communications related to startup timelines, documentation requests, site qualification visits (SQVs), and activation planning.
  • Maintain startup tracking tools, dashboards, and status reports to support operational visibility and leadership reporting.
  • Support onboarding coordination for CRCs and help ensure operational readiness across participating sites.
  • Identify process inefficiencies and support continuous improvement efforts to enhance startup timelines and stakeholder collaboration.

QUALIFICATIONS
  • Bachelor's degree required (healthcare, life sciences, business, project management, or related field preferred).
  • Minimum of 5 years of clinical research experience, including 2 years of clinical research experience in study startup, clinical trial operations, and/or clinical trial management.
  • Strong understanding of the clinical trial startup process within site, Academic Medical Center (AMC), or health system environments.
  • Demonstrated project management and stakeholder coordination experience across multiple concurrent studies or initiatives.
  • Strong communication and interpersonal skills with the ability to effectively coordinate across sponsors, investigators, CRCs, Legal, Finance, IRB, and operational teams.
  • Experience identifying workflow bottlenecks, facilitating issue resolution, and driving cross-functional accountability.
  • Working knowledge of study startup components including feasibility, contracts, budgets, IRB processes, regulatory requirements, and site activation workflows.
  • Familiarity with ICH-GCP, HIPAA, and general clinical research regulatory requirements preferred.
  • Experience using CTMS and/or project management platforms such as OnCore, ClickUp, Smartsheet, Monday.com, or equivalent systems preferred.
  • Ability to manage competing priorities and maintain organization in a fast-paced, highly collaborative environment.
  • Proactive, solutions-oriented mindset with strong attention to detail and follow-through.
  • Prior experience supporting cardiovascular or industry-sponsored clinical trials preferred.
  • CRC, CCRP, CCRA, PMP, or related certification preferred.

PHYSICAL DEMANDS: Standing, sitting, walking, visual perception, talking and hearing. Lifting up to 20 lbs. Limited travel to hospital sites local to New Brunswick, NJ.
IMPORTANT NOTE: Vitalief partners with clients such as major medical centers and academic institutions that often requires all on-site resources such as prospective Vitalief consultants to be inoculated annually for Influenza and successfully pass a Mantoux Tuberculin Skin Test (TST) for Mycobacterium Tuberculosis.

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