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Contract Research Jobs in California (NOW HIRING)

Actalent

Clinical Research Coordinator

Artesia, CA · On-site

$25.25 - $33.50/hr

Maintain clear and timely communication with contract research organizations (CROs) and study sponsors, as needed, to support trial conduct and issue resolution. * Follow established standard ...

The Steely Group

Sr. Research Associate

Novato, CA · On-site

$45 - $51/hr

Support technology transfer of assays to internal groups and contract research organizations (CROs) * Contribute to method qualification, validation, and sample analysis in compliance with regulatory ...

Artiva Biotherapeutics

Contract Manager

San Diego, CA · On-site

$122K - $145K/yr

Collaborate with representatives from contract research organizations (CROs) on clinical trial agreements (CTAs) and amendments with clinical trial sites, including development of CTA templates and ...

Artiva Biotherapeutics, Inc.

Contract Manager

San Diego, CA · On-site

$122K - $145K/yr

Collaborate with representatives from contract research organizations (CROs) on clinical trial agreements (CTAs) and amendments with clinical trial sites, including development of CTA templates and ...

Artiva Biotherapeutics, Inc.

Contract Manager

San Diego, CA · On-site

$122K - $145K/yr

Collaborate with representatives from contract research organizations (CROs) on clinical trial agreements (CTAs) and amendments with clinical trial sites, including development of CTA templates and ...

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Contract Research information

What is contract research?

Contract research refers to research services provided by an external organization, known as a Contract Research Organization (CRO), to other businesses, academic institutions, or government agencies. These services often include conducting clinical trials, laboratory testing, data analysis, or product development on a contractual basis. Contract research allows companies to access specialized expertise, reduce costs, and focus on their core activities while outsourcing complex or resource-intensive research tasks.

What are the key skills and qualifications needed to thrive as a contract research associate?

To thrive as a Contract Research Associate, you need a background in life sciences or a related field, strong research methodology knowledge, and often a relevant degree (such as a BSc or MSc). Familiarity with clinical trial management systems (CTMS), Good Clinical Practice (GCP) certification, and data analysis tools like SPSS or SAS are typically required. Attention to detail, strong organizational skills, and effective communication are vital soft skills for coordinating studies and managing stakeholders. These abilities ensure high-quality, compliant research execution and reliable study outcomes within regulatory frameworks.

What are some common challenges faced by professionals in contract research roles and how can they be managed?

Professionals in contract research often navigate tight deadlines, shifting client requirements, and the need to maintain strict regulatory compliance. Balancing multiple projects simultaneously and communicating effectively with both internal teams and external sponsors can be demanding. Proactively managing workload, staying organized, and maintaining clear, consistent communication with stakeholders are key strategies to overcome these challenges. Additionally, staying updated on industry regulations and leveraging project management tools can help ensure successful outcomes.

What are the most commonly searched types of Research jobs in California?

The most popular types of Research jobs in California are:

What are popular job titles related to Contract Research jobs in California?

For Contract Research jobs in California, the most frequently searched job titles are:

What job categories do people searching Contract Research jobs in California look for?

The top searched job categories for Contract Research jobs in California are:

What cities in California are hiring for Contract Research jobs?

Cities in California with the most Contract Research job openings:

Contract Research jobs near you
Infographic showing various Contract Research job openings in California as of August 2026, with employment types broken down into 1% Internship, 1% As Needed, 87% Full Time, 9% Part Time, and 2% Contract. Highlights an 83% Physical, 4% Hybrid, and 13% Remote job distribution.

Research Scientist, Life Sciences (Chemistry)

San Francisco, CA

Anthropic
11 - 50 employees
Learn more about Anthropicexternal

Full-time

Posted 10 days ago

Job description

About the role

Anthropic's Life Sciences team is building a research group focused on biological discoveries by combining AI with hands-on biological research. We're seeking research scientists with deep medicinal chemistry expertise to join the team. Our goal is to speed up progress in the life sciences by an order of magnitude, and this role puts that mission into practice. You'll be an expert medicinal chemist with hands-on experience designing, synthesizing, purifying, and characterizing small molecules. Above all, you'll close the loop between AI-generated hypotheses and experimental data to share with the community. Working alongside AI researchers and engineers, you'll drive experimental programs end to end and pressure-test AI-designed molecules and AI-proposed synthetic routes against real chemistry.

This role is fully on-site in the San Francisco Bay Area.

Key responsibilities
  • Design multi-step synthetic routes for small molecules and oversee their execution end to end, including route selection, reaction optimization, purification strategy, and interpretation of full characterization data (NMR, LC-MS, HPLC)
  • Coordinate synthesis and biological evaluation with external contract research organizations and academic partners
  • Evaluate AI-designed molecules and AI-proposed synthetic routes, drive them to experimental readout, and feed results back to research teams
  • Apply medicinal chemistry principles, including SAR analysis and physicochemical property optimization, to compound design and prioritization
  • Ensure experimental data across programs is high quality and well documented, including procedures, spectra, and failure modes
  • Communicate findings clearly to chemistry, AI research, and life sciences audiences
Minimum qualifications
  • PhD in chemistry
  • Demonstrated medicinal chemistry experience, including SAR-driven design and optimization of small molecules, with recent, sustained hands-on synthetic work
  • Comfort navigating ambiguity and defining problems in a rapidly evolving research environment
  • Ability to work independently while collaborating effectively across cross-functional teams, with strong written and verbal communication skills
Preferred qualifications
  • 5+ years of medicinal chemistry experience beyond the PhD
  • Track record of advancing programs from hit identification through lead optimization
  • Experience directing synthetic chemistry activities at contract research organizations
  • Computational chemistry, cheminformatics, or coding skills, for example Python with RDKit or pandas for data analysis and automation
  • Experience using AI or ML tools in the life sciences
  • Publications and/or patents demonstrating scientific impact

Apply