Senior CRA Team Lead - Remote Trials

Merck; Boise (ID); Remote; USD 142,000 - 224,000; Full time

Job summary

Merck is seeking a senior Clinical Research Manager to oversee a team of 6–14 CRAs, ensuring trial and site performance with strict adherence to ICH GCP and SOPs. You will partner with country CRMs/PLMS, support training, and drive resource planning while maintaining high-quality study conduct.

The role requires strong leadership, stakeholder collaboration, and extensive clinical research experience, with up to 50% travel and remote work flexibility. Primary location is Rahway, NJ.

Qualifications

• CORE Competency Expectations: Ability to work independently and in a team environment.
• Excellent people management, time management, project management and organizational skills.
• History of strong performance.
• Skills and judgment required to be a good steward/decision maker for the company.
• Fluent in Local Language and business proficient in English (verbal and written).
• Excellent working knowledge of all applicable ICH/GCP regulations and Good Documentation Practices and ability to work within these guidelines.
• Expertise in and excellent working knowledge of core trial management systems and tools.

Responsibilities

• Work allocation, staff development and performance appraisal.
• Provides input for capacity planning, including reporting of current manpower and forecasting of CRA capacity and needs, to provide efficient use of resources.
• Work with CRAs, PLMS and other functions to ensure consistency of processes and protocol implementation across the country, to reduce variability and provide predictability.
• Interacts with sites as needed to resolve site or CRA operational issues to meet commitments in a timely manner in coordination with the study CRM.
• Attend local Investigator Meetings if requested to.
• Interface with Global Clinical Trial Organization (GCTO) partners on clinical trial execution.
• Escalates site performance issues to CRM and Clinical Research Director (CRD).
• Manage CRA – career development, performance reviews, etc., including addressing low-performance situations, and taking appropriate actions.
• Support and resolve escalation of issues from CRAs.
• Liaise with local HR and finance functions as required.
• Contribute to HQ capacity/resource planning activities to ensure efficient allocation of resources and work. Manage local conflicts between resource and work.
• Provides training, support and mentoring to the CRA to ensure continuous development.
• Ensures CRA compliance to corporate policies, procedures and quality standards

Skills

Adaptability

Clinical Research

Leadership Management

People Management

Communication Skills

Emotional Intelligence

Clinical Study Management

ICH GCP Guidelines

Education

Bachelor's degree in Science

Advanced degree

Job description

Merck is seeking a senior Clinical Research Manager to oversee a team of 6–14 CRAs, ensuring trial and site performance with strict adherence to ICH GCP and SOPs. You will partner with country CRMs/PLMS, support training, and drive resource planning while maintaining high-quality study conduct.

The role requires strong leadership, stakeholder collaboration, and extensive clinical research experience, with up to 50% travel and remote work flexibility. Primary location is Rahway, NJ.