Lead Clinical Research Associate

Jazz Pharmaceuticals; United States; Remote; USD 122,000 - 182,000; Full time

Job summary

Jazz Pharmaceuticals is seeking a Lead Clinical Research Associate to independently manage monitoring activities for Jazz‑sponsored trials, serving as a subject‑matter expert and escalation point for site issues. You will mentor CRAs, translate analytics into action, and partner with study managers to ensure protocol compliance and regulatory readiness.

The role requires travel 40‑60% and a Bachelor’s in life sciences (RN or advanced degree a plus).

Qualifications

• 6+ years of clinical monitoring experience in pharma/biotech/CRO.
• Thorough knowledge of ICH‑GCP and global regulations.
• Experience with risk‑based monitoring and RBQM principles.

Responsibilities

• Oversee on-site and remote monitoring visits per monitoring plan and ICH‑GCP.
• Serve as primary contact for CRAs and escalate site issues.
• Translate KRIs and analytics into site‑level actions to mitigate risk.
• Provide in-field mentorship and training to CRAs and staff.
• Oversee TMF for assigned sites and ensure inspection readiness.
• Lead development of monitoring plans and site management strategies.

Skills

Clinical monitoring

ICH-GCP

RBQM

Site management

Communication

Education

Bachelor's degree in life science

RN or advanced degree

Tools

CTMS

eTMF

EDC

Remote monitoring tools

Job description

If you are a current Jazz employee please apply via the Internal Career site

Jazz Pharmaceuticals is a global biopharma company whose purpose is to innovate to transform the lives of patients and their families. We are dedicated to developing life‑changing medicines for people with serious diseases — often with limited or no therapeutic options. We have a diverse portfolio of marketed medicines, including leading therapies for sleep disorders and epilepsy, and a growing portfolio of cancer treatments. Our patient‑focused and science‑driven approach powers pioneering research and development advancements across our robust pipeline of innovative therapeutics in oncology and neuroscience. Jazz is headquartered in Dublin, Ireland with research and development laboratories, manufacturing facilities and employees in multiple countries committed to serving patients worldwide. Please visit www.jazzpharmaceuticals.com for more information.

Job Description

The Lead Clinical Research Associate (Lead CRA) independently manages clinical monitoring activities for a portfolio of investigator sites within one or more Jazz‑sponsored clinical trials, while also acting as a subject matter expert and point of escalation for site‑level issues. The Lead CRA provides in‑field mentorship and quality oversight to CRAs (internal and CRO‑partnered), helps translate centralized and risk‑based monitoring signals into site‑level action, and partners closely with the Global Study Manager and Central Monitoring team to ensure studies are conducted in compliance with the protocol, ICH‑GCP, and applicable regulations.

Essential Functions/Responsibilities

• Independently perform and oversee the full range of on‑site and remote monitoring visits (qualification, site initiation, interim/routine, close‑out, and oversight, and for‑cause) in accordance with the monitoring plan, SOPs, and ICH‑GCP.


• Serve as the primary point of contact and escalation path for a defined group of clinical research associates assigned to one or more Jazz‑sponsored clinical trials, proactively identifying and resolving site performance, compliance, and data quality issues.


• Partner with the Central Monitoring and Trial Risk Management functions to interpret key risk indicators (KRIs) and centralized analytics, and translate those signals into targeted, risk‑based actions at the site level (e.g., adjusted visit frequency, targeted source data verification, focused CRA follow‑up).


• Provide day‑to‑day guidance, mentorship, and in‑field co‑monitoring/training to internal CRAs and FSP staff, supporting their onboarding and ongoing development.


• Provide oversight and in‑field co‑monitoring and/or oversight monitoring visits of CRO‑partnered staff for outsourced clinical trials and monitor overall KPIs to evaluate performance of vendors.


• Review and approve monitoring visit reports and follow‑up letters for assigned CRAs prior to finalization; ensure timely, accurate, and audit‑ready documentation.


• Support site start‑up activities, including regulatory document collection, site contract and budget review, and site readiness assessments by collecting, filing and reconciling documents at qualification visits and site initiation visits.


• Ensure timely resolution of data queries, protocol deviations, and action items in partnership with sites, Data Management, and Biostatistics.


• Maintain oversight of the Trial Master File (TMF) for assigned sites, ensuring inspection readiness and adherence to filing timelines.


• Lead the development and continuous improvement of monitoring plans, site management strategies, and study‑specific tools and training materials.


• Support recruitment and retention strategy by monitoring enrollment trends and working with sites and the study team to address barriers.


• Participate in the evaluation and oversight of vendor and CRO monitoring performance, including co‑monitoring visits and quality checks.


• Support internal audits and regulatory inspections as a subject matter expert for assigned sites and studies.


• Escalate significant risks, quality issues, and site performance trends to the Global Study Manager, Central Monitoring, and Trial Risk Management functions in a timely manner.

Required Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities

• 6+ years of clinical monitoring experience in the pharmaceutical, biotechnology, or CRO industry, including demonstrated experience mentoring or providing lead direction and oversight of other CRAs. Lesser experience is considered for exceptional candidates.


• Thorough working knowledge of ICH‑GCP, applicable global regulations, and risk‑based quality management (RBQM) principles, with the ability to apply them independently and judgment across varied site situations.


• Experience with risk‑based monitoring approaches, including use of centralized analytics, key risk indicators (KRIs), and quality tolerance limits (QTLs) to inform site‑level monitoring decisions.


• Proficiency with CTMS, eTMF, EDC, and remote monitoring/collaboration platforms.


• Therapeutic area experience in oncology and/or neuroscience strongly preferred.


• Strong written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to communicate effectively with investigator sites, cross‑functional study teams, and senior stakeholders.


• Excellent organizational skills and demonstrated ability to manage competing priorities across multiple sites and studies.


• Sound judgment and problem‑solving ability, with a track record of identifying issues early and driving them to resolution.


• Previous experience managing people and/or teams.


• Ability to travel approximately 40‑60%, including overnight and occasional international travel, and to maintain a valid driver’s license and/or passport as required.

Required/Preferred Education and Licenses

Bachelor’s degree in a life science, nursing, or related discipline required; RN or advanced degree a plus.

Valid driver’s license and/or passport required, consistent with travel expectations of the role.

Jazz Pharmaceuticals is an equal opportunity/affirmative action employer and all qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, disability status, protected veteran status, or any characteristic protected by law.

FOR US BASED CANDIDATES ONLY

Jazz Pharmaceuticals, Inc. is committed to fair and equitable compensation practices and we strive to provide employees with total compensation packages that are market competitive. For this role, the full and complete base pay range is:

$121,600.00 - $182,400.00

Individual compensation paid within this range will depend on many factors, including qualifications, skills, relevant experience, job knowledge, and other pertinent factors. The goal is to ensure fair and competitive compensation aligned with the candidate’s expertise and contributions, within the established pay framework and our Total Compensation philosophy. Internal equity considerations will also influence individual base pay decisions. This range will be reviewed on a regular basis.

At Jazz, your base pay is only one part of your total compensation package. The successful candidate may also be eligible for a discretionary annual cash bonus or incentive compensation (depending on the role), in accordance with the terms of the Company’s Global Cash Bonus Plan or Incentive Compensation Plan, as well as discretionary equity grants in accordance with Jazz’s Long Term Equity Incentive Plan.

The successful candidate will also be eligible to participate in various benefits offerings, including, but not limited to, medical, dental and vision insurance, 401k retirement savings plan, and flexible paid vacation. For more information on our Benefits offerings please click here: https://careers.jazzpharma.com/benefits.html