Lead Clinical Research Associate

Psi CRO; Northern (KY); Hybrid; USD 90,000 - 120,000; Full time

Job summary

PSI CRO in the United States is seeking a Lead Clinical Research Associate to provide leadership, oversight, and mentorship across regional clinical trials. The role partners with Project Managers, Regional Project Leads, CRAs, and cross-functional teams to ensure high-quality study execution with a focus on remote oversight.

This position emphasizes leadership over site management, with minimal site assignments and low travel.

Qualifications

• MD/MPharm/RN or Life Sciences degree required.
• 4+ years site monitoring experience in global clinical projects as Lead Monitor or equivalent.
• Experience with Phase II/III monitoring visits.
• Oncology experience preferred.
• Radiation therapy, radiopharmaceuticals, CAR-T/gene/cell therapies preferred.
• GI (Crohn's, Ulcerative Colitis, IBS) experience preferred.
• Fluent English.
• MS Office proficiency.
• Ability to plan, multitask, and work in a dynamic team.
• Excellent communication and problem-solving skills.
• Ability to travel.
• Valid driver’s license if applicable.

Responsibilities

• Monitors project timelines, patient enrollment, data quality, and ensures regulatory compliance with CAPA.
• Reviews monitoring visit reports and ensures regional reporting compliance.
• Acts as main communication line between Monitor, Site Management Associate, Regional Lead, and Project Manager.
• Leads country-level project team calls and provides status updates to Regional Lead/Project Manager.
• Provides project-specific training and prepares materials under supervision.
• Oversees data integrity and site-level study risks and reconciliation of ISF/TMF.
• Coordinates safety information flow and protocol deviation reporting.
• Performs clinical supplies management and ensures timely tracking of documents.

Skills

Leadership & mentorship

English proficiency

MS Office

Travel readiness

Communication

Education

MD/MPharm/RN or Life Sciences degree

Job description

We are the company that cares - for our staff, our clients, our partners, and the quality of the work we do.

Founded in 1995, PSI CRO is a privately owned, global Contract Research Organization with more than 3,000 employees dedicated to advancing medical science and bringing new therapies to patients worldwide.

In an industry shaped by mergers, acquisitions, and restructures, PSI stands apart. We have remained privately held, have never undergone a merger or acquisition, and have never experienced company-wide layoffs. Our long-term stability allows us to invest in our people, foster meaningful careers, and build lasting partnerships with our clients.

If you're looking for a collaborative organization where you can continue to grow while making a meaningful impact, PSI is the right place for you.

Job Description

As a Lead Clinical Research Associate, you'll provide leadership, oversight, and mentorship across regional clinical trials while partnering closely with Project Managers, Regional Project Leads, CRAs, and cross-functional teams to ensure high-quality study execution.

This role focuses on leadership, mentorship, oversight, and consistency in monitoring practices rather than direct site management, with minimal to no site assignments and a low-travel model, emphasizing remote oversight and overall study quality.

Responsibilities:

• Monitors project timelines, patient enrollment, data cleaning, and ensuring compliance while implementing respective corrective and preventive measures.
• Reviews monitoring visit reports for all visit types and ensures reporting compliance of the Monitors in the region.
• Acts as the main communication line between Monitor, Site Management Associate, Regional Project Lead, and/ Project Manager.
• Leads project team calls on a country level as well as providesstatus updates and reports to Regional Lead/ Project Manager.
• Provides project-specific training and prepares training materials for the project team under supervision of a Project Manager and Regional Project Lead.
• Supervises source data verification and follows up on data queries at site level in the country/region; reviews and manages study risks on a site level.
• Ensures proper handling, use, accountability, reconciliation, and return of all Investigational Product(s) and clinical study supplies on a country/region level.
• Reviews essential study documents and supervises reconciliation of study Investigator Site File (ISF) / TMF at site level and country/region level.
• Ensures data integrity and compliance at a site level.
• Collaborates with investigator/ site feasibility and identification process, as well as study startup.
• Manages Monitors in the query resolution process, including Central Monitoring observations.
• Coordinates safety information flow and protocol/process deviation reporting.
• Performs clinical supplies management with vendors on a country and regional level.
• Ensures study-specific and corporate tracking systems are updated in a timely manner.
• Coordinates planning of supervised monitoring visits and conducts the visits.
• Manages the project team in site contracting and payments.
• Ensures ongoing evaluation of data integrity and compliance at a country/regional level.
• Conducts site audit preparation visits, may participate in site audits, and coordinates resolution of site audit findings on a country/regional level.
• Oversees project team in CAPA development and implementation.
• Coordinates project team in process deviations review, management and reporting.
• Conducts initial training and authorization monitoring visits for Monitors and acts as a mentor for newly promoted Lead CRAs.
• Delivers trainings and presentations at Investigator Meetings.
• Ensures that subject recruitment targets and project timelines are properly defined, communicated, recorded, and met at site level.
• Ensures accurate and timely information flow with trial sites on Adverse Events and protocol/process deviations.
• Supervises Site Management Associates in the flow of documents and laboratory supplies between the site and the Central/ Regional Lab/ Central Reviewer.
• Supports preparation of draft regulatory and ethics committee submission packages.

Qualifications

• Relevant educational background, such as MD, MPharm, RN or College/University degree in Life Sciences or an equivalent combination of education, training and experience.
• Minimum of 4years’ site monitoring experience with participation in global clinical projects as a Lead Monitor or equivalentqualification level.
• Experience with all types of monitoring visits in Phase II and/or III.
• Strong experience in Oncology preferred.
• Experience in Radiation Therapy or Radiopharmaceuticals, CAR-T Therapy or other types of Cell Therapy, Gene Therapy, or Nuclear Medicine is preferred.
• Strong experience in GI (Chron's, Ulcerative Colitis, IBS) preferred.
• Full working proficiency in English.
• Proficiency in MS Office applications.
• Ability to plan, multitask and work in a dynamic team environment.
• Excellent Communication, collaboration, and problem-solving skills.
• Ability to travel.
• Valid driver’s license (if applicable).

For this position PSI is not hiring individuals who require work visa for employment or continued employment now or anytime in the future.

Additional Information

Why Join PSI?

At PSI, we believe exceptional people deserve an exceptional workplace.

When you join PSI, you'll benefit from:

• A stable, privately held CRO that has never undergone a merger or acquisition and has never experienced company-wide layoffs.
• A unique leadership-focused CRA role with minimal travel and little to no routine site assignments.
• Opportunities to mentor other CRAs and expand your leadership skills.
• A collaborative, people-first culture where employees are genuinely supported.
• Career development opportunities across a growing global organization.
• The chance to contribute to innovative clinical research that improve patients' lives.