Participant Recruitment Lead

Hemispheric; Boston (MA); Hybrid; USD 120,000 - 180,000; Full time

Job summary

Hemispheric seeks an experienced Participant Recruitment Lead to own recruitment of healthy participants and patients with mental health disorders for observational clinical trials. You will build this function from the ground up, initially owning the lead funnel through social channels and direct outreach, then expanding to coach a team as the site scales.

This senior individual contributor role requires strong cross-functional leadership, strategic mindset, and a sensitive approach to mental

Qualifications

• Experience in clinical recruitment or healthcare recruitment is required.
• Ability to own the lead funnel and patient-facing outreach.
• Strong analytical skills with funnel metrics.
• Comfort managing sensitive populations and cross-functional teams.

Responsibilities

• Own the participant recruitment process end-to-end and hit enrollment targets.
• Translate recruitment strategy into day-to-day operations on the ground.
• Identify and engage partner organizations (hospitals, clinics, advocacy groups).
• Build and coach a recruitment team as the site scales.
• Manage CRM, intake funnel, and recruitment reporting infrastructure.

Skills

Clinical recruitment

Lead generation

Team leadership

Cross-functional collaboration

Stakeholder management

Tools

CRM

Job description

We are seeking an experienced Participant Recruitment Lead to join our global data operations team. In this role, you will own the recruitment of both healthy participants and patients with mental health disorders for our observational clinical trials. You will build this function from the ground up. In the early phase, you will personally own the lead funnel to generate leads through our social channels and other means (for example: Facebook, Instagram, etc.), and secure each lead yourself. As the function grows, you will build and coach a team responsible for coordination and scheduling, while you gradually move from a hands-on role to a supervisor role. This is a senior individual contributor role of strategic importance and a critical part of the site’s core team, with strong cross-functional leadership and a clear path to functional ownership.

In this position, you will:

• Own the participant recruitment process end-to-end and hit enrollment targets across both healthy and patient populations, reporting directly to the Site Head
• Execute the recruitment strategy defined at the company level, translating it into day-to-day operations on the ground
• Identify and prioritize partner organizations to engage: hospitals, clinics, physicians, patient advocacy groups, community organizations, etc., and own the outreach to open those relationships
• Manage and grow existing partnerships, serving as the primary point of contact
• Manage the day-to-day relationship with marketing and recruitment personnel for healthy participant lead generation, including briefing, reviewing, and approving content
• Develop the social and digital outreach playbook based on business need - including organic social media outreach and sensitive population-appropriate messaging
• Assume a more hands-on role in the early phases:
• Screen and qualify participants based on study criteria, ensuring eligibility, compliance, and fit
• Coordinate scheduling and lab capacity to ensure efficient and smooth site operations
• Own participant attendance and show rates confirmations, reminders, and proactive follow-ups to reduce no-shows
• Ensure a sensitive, professional, and compliant participant experience, especially when working with vulnerable populations
• Support study execution: assist with session logistics, protocol adherence, and coordination between participants and the data operations team throughout the study lifecycle
• Maintain ongoing communication with enrolled participants throughout the study to build rapport, address questions, and ensure completion rates
• Grow the recruitment team as the site scales, including day-to-day oversight and performance tracking
• Own and maintain the participant CRM, intake funnel, and recruitment reporting infrastructure; track performance, conversion rates, and cost per enrolled participant
• Apply sensitivity and care when working with patient populations facing mental health challenges, and ensure the same across the recruitment team and any external collaborators
• Track and manage recruitment KPIs, driving continuous improvement in conversion and efficiency
• Collaborate closely with site leadership, clinical coordination, data operations, and global stakeholders to ensure smooth participant flow and business success

Our ideal candidate will have:

• Clinical recruitment, human-subjects research, or healthcare-recruitment experience is required - this role personally owns the lead funnel and patient-facing outreach. Marketing experience is helpful but not required for the right candidate.3-5+ years of experience in participant recruitment, clinical operations, or other high-touch, pipeline-driven roles
• Demonstrated hands-on success in clinical recruitment, participant recruitment for human-subjects research, or healthcare recruitment, including direct phone follow-up, scheduling, and conversion of leads to enrolled participants
• Demonstrated success closing partnerships and managing relationships with external organizations (hospitals, clinics, advocacy groups, community organizations, or similar)
• Strong analytical skills and comfort working with recruitment funnel metrics: conversion rates, no-show rates, cost per enrolled participant, and lead-to-enrollment timing
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to direct creative work and give feedback
• Hands-on builder mentality - comfortable doing the work yourself in the early phase (calling leads, scheduling, follow-ups), and equally comfortable handing it off as the team grows
• Comfort when working with sensitive populations, including individuals with mental health conditions
• Strong follow-through and conversion focus, with experience moving participants from initial interest through scheduling, attendance, and session completion.
• Familiarity with Good Clinical Practice (GCP) guidelines and their application in a research or clinical study setting
• High degree of ownership, reliability, and ability to operate independently in ambiguity
• Quick learning skills and the ability to get things done across multiple workstreams

Preferred:

• Prior experience scaling a clinical or research recruitment function through a growth phase
• Leadership experience and the ability to hire, onboard, and grow a team
• Experience with digital marketing / lead generation channels (e.g., Facebook, Instagram) for a brand, organization, or community - including posting, content planning, and engagement
• Familiarity with IRB-governed research and participant-facing compliance requirements
• Established network with hospitals, clinics, or patient advocacy organizations in the Greater Boston area
• Prior experience or established rapport in the mental health field - including work with patients, caregivers, or clinical teams in mental health settings
• Background as a Clinical Coordinator or in a similar clinical research coordination role

This is a full-time position based in Boston (Charlestown), MA. The role will be hybrid initially while the office is being built out, and is fully onsite once the lab is operational.