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Drug Development Jobs in Michigan (NOW HIRING)

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Drug Development information

See Michigan salary details

$28.8K

$67.5K

$115.9K

How much do drug development jobs pay per year?

As of Jun 14, 2026, the average yearly pay for drug development in Michigan is $67,495.00, according to ZipRecruiter salary data. Most workers in this role earn between $51,000.00 and $78,900.00 per year, depending on experience, location, and employer.

What is the difference between Drug Development vs Pharmacologist?

AspectDrug DevelopmentPharmacologist
Required CredentialsBachelor's or Master's in Pharmaceutical Sciences, Chemistry, or related fields; often requires experience in clinical trialsDegree in Pharmacology, Pharmacy, or related fields; may require licensing or certification for clinical practice
Work EnvironmentResearch labs, pharmaceutical companies, clinical trial sitesResearch labs, hospitals, academic institutions, regulatory agencies
Industry UsageDeveloping new drugs, overseeing clinical trials, regulatory submissionsStudying drug effects, mechanisms, safety, and efficacy; advising on drug use

While both roles are integral to the pharmaceutical industry, Drug Development focuses on creating and bringing new drugs to market through research, testing, and regulatory processes. Pharmacologists primarily study how drugs interact with biological systems, often working in research or clinical settings to understand drug effects and safety. The two roles often collaborate but differ in their core responsibilities and career focus.

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

To thrive in Drug Development, you need a strong background in pharmaceutical sciences, biology, or chemistry, often supported by an advanced degree (e.g., PhD, PharmD, or MSc). Familiarity with regulatory compliance, clinical trial management systems, and data analysis software such as SAS or R is typically required. Excellent problem-solving, project management, and cross-functional communication skills help professionals excel in this multidisciplinary field. These competencies ensure that new drugs are developed safely, efficiently, and in accordance with regulatory standards.

What degree to develop drugs?

Drug development professionals typically hold degrees in pharmacy, chemistry, biochemistry, pharmacology, or related fields. Advanced roles often require a master's or doctoral degree, along with laboratory skills and knowledge of regulatory processes. Relevant certifications and experience in clinical trials or pharmaceutical research can also be important.

What is drug development?

Drug development is the process of bringing a new pharmaceutical drug to market. It involves several stages, including drug discovery, preclinical research, clinical trials, and regulatory approval. Each stage is designed to ensure the safety, efficacy, and quality of the drug before it can be made available to patients. The entire process can take several years and requires collaboration between scientists, clinicians, regulatory agencies, and pharmaceutical companies.

What is the highest paying job in pharmaceuticals?

In drug development, senior roles such as Vice President of Research and Development or Chief Scientific Officer typically have the highest salaries, often exceeding $200,000 annually. These positions require extensive experience, advanced degrees, and leadership skills, and they oversee large teams and strategic decision-making in pharmaceutical companies.

What job is drug development?

A job in drug development involves researching, designing, testing, and bringing new pharmaceutical drugs to market. Professionals in this field often work in laboratories or clinical settings, utilizing skills in biology, chemistry, and regulatory compliance to develop safe and effective medications.

How do you get into drug development?

To enter drug development, candidates typically need a strong background in science or engineering, often holding a bachelor's degree in fields like chemistry, biology, or pharmacology. Advanced roles may require a master's or Ph.D., along with experience in laboratory research, clinical trials, or regulatory processes. Gaining skills in data analysis, Good Laboratory Practice (GLP), and familiarity with regulatory agencies like the FDA can also be beneficial.

What are the typical stages of collaboration between different teams in a drug development role?

In drug development, professionals regularly collaborate across multidisciplinary teams, including research scientists, clinical trial coordinators, regulatory affairs specialists, and manufacturing experts. Early stages involve close work with research and discovery teams to identify promising compounds, followed by coordination with clinical teams during trial phases, and finally with regulatory and production teams as the drug moves toward approval and commercialization. Effective communication and cross-functional teamwork are essential, as each stage relies on timely data sharing and joint problem-solving to navigate complex challenges.
What are popular job titles related to Drug Development jobs in Michigan? For Drug Development jobs in Michigan, the most frequently searched job titles are:
What job categories do people searching Drug Development jobs in Michigan look for? The top searched job categories for Drug Development jobs in Michigan are:
What cities in Michigan are hiring for Drug Development jobs? Cities in Michigan with the most Drug Development job openings:
Drug Development jobs near you
Research Analyst I

Research Analyst I

Charles River Laboratories, Inc.

Mattawan, MI

$23.50/hr

Full-time

Medical, Retirement, PTO

Posted 10 days ago

Charles River Laboratories rating

8.2

Company rating: 8.2 out of 10

Based on 91 frontline employees who took The Breakroom Quiz

26th of 71 rated pharmaceutical

Job description

For 75 years, Charles River employees have worked together to assist in the discovery, development and safe manufacture of new drug therapies. When you join our family, you will have a significant impact on the health and well-being of people across the globe. Whether your background is in life sciences, finance, IT, sales or another area, your skills will play an important role in the work we perform. In return, we’ll help you build a career that you can feel passionate about.

Job Overview

The Immunology and Immunochemistry disciplines support large molecule drug development using ligand binding assays (LBA), such as enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), to measure large molecules and their immune responses. The main types of assays include Pharmacokinetic (PK) assays to measure drug and Immunogenicity assay to measure anti-drug antibodies (ADA) and neutralizing antibodies (NAb). Other assay types also performed are branched DNA (bDNA) and cell-based assays. An array of platforms are used to support these assays that include spectrophotometer, Meso Scale Discovery (MSD), Luminex and Gyrolab. Utilizing these platforms/assays, the teams are responsible for the method development, validation and routine sample analysis in both the regulated and non-regulated space of non-clinical and clinical studies.


Essential Functions (The fundamental Competencies/Skills & Responsibilities of the role (products and services provided/results accomplished) include, but are not limited to, those listed:
 

  • Efficiently perform and document all procedures, materials and results in compliance with applicable regulatory standards as applicable (protocols, methods, SOPs, etc.)
  • Demonstrate effective communication skills through informal discussions with peers, supervisor, and team
  • Assist with laboratory maintenance functions
  • Independently perform laboratory support functions such as labeling and solution preparations
  • Assist with maintaining study specific inventory of consumables with oversight
  • Write both study and non-study deviations with minimal oversight
  • Actively participate in process improvement initiatives with oversight
  • Develop critical thinking, troubleshooting and time management skills aligned with needs of the operational area
  • Assist in execution of routine sample analysis studies with oversight
  • Assist in execution of method validation projects with oversight as needed
  • Operate laboratory instruments with complete oversight
  • Assist with data analysis in appropriate software for at least one analytical platform
  • Performs all other related duties as assigned
Job Requirements

Education:

  • Minimum of a Bachelor’s degree (BA/BS) or equivalent experience.
  • No previousexperience required
  • Ability to communicate verbally and in writing at all levels inside and outside the organization
  • Basic familiarity with Microsoft Office Suite
  • Computer skills, commensurate with Essential Functions, including the ability to learn a validated system
  • Ability to work extended hours beyond normal work schedule to include, but not limited to evenings, weekends, extended shifts, and/or extra shifts, sometimes on short notice
  • Ability to work under specific time constraints

Workplace Requirements

  • While performing the duties of this job, the employee must be able to perform general office and/or laboratory procedures, which require, talking, hearing, standing, or sitting for long periods of time, typing/entering data into a computer, using appropriate instruments, reaching with hands and arms, and wearing safety equipment (PPE) according to OSHA regulations and company standards.
  • Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision, color vision, depth perception, and the ability to adjust focus.
  • General office working conditions, the noise level in the work environment is usually quiet.
  • While performing the duties of this job the employee may occasionally be required to wear protective clothing (goggles, face shield, surgical mask, cap, gloves, scrubs, boots), work near toxic or caustic chemicals, work with biohazards, and/or work with live animals with risk of exposure to allergens and/or zoonotic diseases.
  • The employee may occasionally be exposed to fumes or airborne particles, unpleasant odors, and/or wet, humid and/or extreme temperature conditions.
  • Must be authorized to work in the United States without a sponsor visa, now or in the future.
     

The pay rate for this role is $23.50/hour.

About Safety Assessment
Charles River is committed to helping our partners expedite their preclinical drug development with exceptional safety assessment services, state-of-the-art facilities and expert regulatory guidance. From individual specialty toxicology and IND enabling studies to tailored packages and total laboratory support, our deeply experienced team can design and execute programs that anticipate challenges and avoid roadblocks for a smooth, efficient journey to market.  Each year approximately 300 investigational new drug (IND) programs are conducted in our Safety Assessment facilities.


About Charles River
Charles River is an early-stage contract research organization (CRO). We have built upon our foundation of laboratory animal medicine and science to develop a diverse portfolio of discovery and safety assessment services, both Good Laboratory Practice (GLP) and non-GLP, to support clients from target identification through preclinical development. Charles River also provides a suite of products and services to support our clients’ clinical laboratory testing needs and manufacturing activities. Utilizing this broad portfolio of products and services enables our clients to create a more flexible drug development model, which reduces their costs, enhances their productivity and effectiveness to increase speed to market.

With over 20,000 employees within 110 facilities in over 20 countries around the globe, we are strategically positioned to coordinate worldwide resources and apply multidisciplinary perspectives in resolving our client’s unique challenges. Our client base includes global pharmaceutical companies, biotechnology companies, government agencies and hospitals and academic institutions around the world.

At Charles River, we are passionate about our role in improving the quality of people’s lives. Our mission, our excellent science and our strong sense of purpose guide us in all that we do, and we approach each day with the knowledge that our work helps to improve the health and well-being of many across the globe. We have proudly worked on 80% of the drugs approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in the past five years.

We’re committed to providing benefits that elevate your quality of life.  Based on your position these may include:  bonus/incentives based on performance, 401K, paid time off, stock purchase program, Health and wellness coverage, employee and family wellbeing support programs, and work life balance flexibility.

Equal Employment Opportunity

Charles River is an equal opportunity employer and is committed to providing equal employment opportunities for all qualified applicants and employees without regard to race, color, sex, religion, national origin, ancestry, age, mental or physical disability, family status, pregnancy, military or veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state, or local laws.

It is unlawful in some states (including Massachusetts) to require or administer a lie detector test as a condition of employment or continued employment. An employer who violates this law shall be subject to criminal penalties and civil liability.

If you are interested in applying to Charles River Laboratories and need special assistance or an accommodation due to a disability to complete any forms or to otherwise participate in the resume submission process, please contact a member of our Human Resources team by sending an e-mail message to crrecruitment_US@crl.com. This contact is for accommodation requests for individuals with disabilities only and cannot be used to inquire about the status of applications.

For more information, please visit www.criver.com.

What Charles River Laboratories employees say

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About Charles River

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Charles River is an early-stage contract research organization (CRO). We have built upon our foundation of laboratory animal medicine and science to develop a diverse portfolio of discovery and safety assessment services, both Good Laboratory Practice (GLP) and non-GLP, to support clients from target identification through preclinical development. Charles River also provides a suite of products and services to support our clients' clinical laboratory testing needs and manufacturing activities. Utilizing this broad portfolio of products and services enables our clients to create a more flexible drug development model, which reduces their costs, enhances their productivity and effectiveness to increase speed to market. With over 20,000 employees within 110 facilities in 20 countries around the globe, we are strategically positioned to coordinate worldwide resources and apply multidisciplinary perspectives in resolving our client's unique challenges. Our client base includes global pharmaceutical companies, biotechnology companies, government agencies and hospitals and academic institutions around the world. At Charles River, we are passionate about our role in improving the quality of people's lives. Our mission, our excellent science and our strong sense of purpose guide us in all that we do, and we approach each day with the knowledge that our work helps to improve the health and well-being of many across the globe. We have proudly supported the development of 86% of the drugs approved by the FDA in 2021.

Industry

Scientific research and development services

Company size

10,000+ Employees

Headquarters location

Wilmington, MA, US

Year founded

1947

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