Clinical Research Associate / Sr. Clinical Research Associate

Novartis; Madrid; Hybrid; EUR 36,000 - 67,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Insurance plans

Retirement plans

Parental leave (14 weeks)

Job summary

Novartis AG in Madrid is seeking a Clinical Research Associate (CRA) / Senior CRA for a dual posting. The role involves monitoring Phase I–IV trials, building trusted site partnerships, and delivering high-quality trial execution both on-site and remotely.

The position requires English and local language fluency and a scientific/healthcare degree. The candidate will train site personnel, manage monitoring activities, and ensure adherence to GCP, regulatory standards, and data integrity while

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in a scientific or healthcare discipline.
• CRA: minimum 1.5 years of experience in clinical research; Sr CRA: minimum 3 years.
• Knowledge of Good Clinical Practice and ICH guidelines and regulatory standards.
• Fluency in written and spoken English and the local language.

Responsibilities

• Serve as primary contact between Novartis and clinical trial sites, ensuring strong partnerships.
• Manage assigned Phase I-IV study sites in compliance with protocols, monitoring plans, and regulatory requirements.
• Conduct site initiation visits to ensure site teams are trained on study protocols and expectations.
• Deliver ongoing training for amendments and new site personnel to maintain compliance and consistency.
• Perform on-site and remote monitoring activities to ensure patient safety, data integrity, and protocol adherence.
• Identify risks, assess site performance, and implement mitigation strategies to improve outcomes.
• Identify process gaps and collaborate with sites to drive continuous improvement and operational excellence.
• Promote a strong compliance culture with ethical standards, regulations, and data privacy.

Skills

Clinical Research

Site Management

Monitoring

Communication

Education

Bachelor's degree in science/healthcare

Job description

Salary Range:

€36,100.00 - €67,100.00

Job Description Summary

Job Title: CRA / Sr CRA (Dual Posting)

#LI-Hybrid

Location: Madrid Provincial, Spain

Relocation Support: This role is based in Madrid Provincial, Spain. Novartis is unable to offer relocation support: please only apply if accessible.

Step into a role where your work directly advances clinical innovation and brings life-changing therapies closer to patients. As a Clinical Research Associate / Sr. Clinical Research Associate, you will be at the forefront of trial delivery-building trusted site partnerships, ensuring high-quality execution, and driving performance across Phase I-IV studies. In this site-facing role, you will take ownership of monitoring activities, proactively identify risks, and collaborate closely with cross-functional teams to ensure trials are delivered with excellence, integrity, and impact.

Key Responsibilities

• Serve as primary point of contact between Novartis and clinical trial sites, ensuring strong, collaborative partnerships
• Manage assigned Phase I-IV study sites in compliance with protocols, monitoring plans, and regulatory requirements
• Conduct site initiation visits to ensure site teams are fully trained on study protocols and expectations
• Deliver ongoing training for amendments and new site personnel to maintain compliance and consistency
• Perform on-site and remote monitoring activities to ensure patient safety, data integrity, and protocol adherence
• Proactively assessing site performance, identifying risks and implementing mitigation strategies to improve outcomes
• Identify process gaps and collaborate with sites to drive continuous improvement and operational excellence
• Promote a strong compliance culture, ensuring adherence to ethical standards, regulations, and data privacy requirements
• Build strong site relationships to enhance patient recruitment and reduce operational challenges
• Lead site closeout activities, ensuring completion of follow-up actions and proper documentation and archiving

Essential Requirements

• This is a dual posting for a CRA / Sr CRA. The final level and title offered will be determined by the hiring team based on the candidate's skills, experience, and capabilities for the level offered.
• Bachelor's degree in a scientific or healthcare-related discipline.
• CRA: Minimum 1.5 years of experience in clinical research, including monitoring or site management; Sr CRA: Minimum 3 years of experience in clinical research, including monitoring or site management.
• Understanding of clinical trial processes, including Good Clinical Practice and International Council for Harmonization guidelines.
• Knowledge of applicable regulatory requirements and standards, including global and local health authorities.
• Strong communication and relationship-building skills to effectively collaborate with clinical trial sites.
• Ability to manage multiple priorities, demonstrating strong organization and time management skills.
• Analytical and risk-based thinking with the ability to identify issues and implement effective mitigation strategies.
• Fluency in written and spoken English and the local language.

Desirable Requirements

• Strong understanding of the drug development process and clinical research methodologies.

Benefits & Rewards

At Novartis, we're committed to reimagining medicine together - and rewarding the people who make it happen.

Expected Annual Base Salary Range for role: € 36,100 to € 67,100

The base salary offered is determined based on gender-neutral objectives, such as relevant skills, competencies and experience in accordance with the Novartis pay setting policy and upon joining Novartis will be reviewed periodically.

In addition to your base salary, you may be eligible for a performance-based bonus depending on certain performance parameters.

The rewards of being part of our team go far beyond base pay and incentives. We also offer a variety of competitive benefits in kind to help you thrive personally and professionally, such as insurance plans, retirement plans, wellbeing resources and global recognition programs. In addition, we provide flexible and hybrid working options, where possible, and minimum 14 weeks paid parental leave.

You may be eligible for a company vehicle or a car allowance in accordance with the applicable local Novartis policies and guidelines.

Pay equity is a fundamental principle of our employment policy and reflects our commitment to create a diverse, equitable and inclusive environment that treats all employees with dignity and respect, as outlined in our Code of Ethics.

Read our brochure to learn more about our global total rewards offering:

https://www.novartis.com/sites/novartis_com/files/novartis-life-handbook.pdf

Note: Benefits and compensation may vary by country and are subject to local legal requirements, including provisions of collective bargaining agreements where applicable. A full overview of your compensation package, including any relevant c