Entry-level clinical research assistant jobs: what the job is, skills and open roles

A clinical research assistant helps run medical studies: enrolling participants, collecting data and keeping records that regulators can audit. Right now 613 entry-level clinical research assistant jobs are open on employers’ own career sites.

What a clinical research assistant does

In the healthcare administration family of jobs. Non-clinical roles that run patient access, billing, records and scheduling.

A typical day

  1. 1. Screen and schedule participants
  2. 2. Collect and enter study data
  3. 3. Maintain regulatory files
  4. 4. Prepare supplies and forms
  5. 5. Support monitoring visits

Do you need experience?

19 of the 613 open entry-level clinical research assistant jobs say in their own text that no experience is required. The figures are counted from the posting text and change as jobs open and close.

Open entry-level clinical research assistant jobs

Taken from employers’ own career sites and checked to still be open within the last week.

Showing the newest 15 of about 613 verified open jobs here. Search all jobs

Search all clinical research assistant jobs

Skills for clinical research assistant jobs

The skills this job uses, most important first. Most can be learned or shown before the first day.

Skills to build or show

  1. 1. Attention to detail
  2. 2. Research ethics and consent
  3. 3. Data entry
  4. 4. Medical terminology
  5. 5. Organization

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The market for clinical research assistant work

Every figure names its source.

Open entry-level clinical research assistant jobs
613

Source: NextChapter, checked against employer career sites, last 7 days.

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Openings that say no experience is required
19

Source: The posting’s own text, counted by NextChapter.

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Median pay in listings that state it
$68,500

Source: NextChapter verified openings (107 with pay).

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Across 107 open entry-level clinical research assistant listings that state an annual pay figure, the middle half run from $62,000 to $80,000, with a median of $68,500. Listings that state pay are not every listing, and some roles add commission or bonus on top.

Where entry-level clinical research assistant jobs are

Between jobs? Unemployment benefits and severance rules in these states, or in every state.

Employers hiring clinical research assistants now

  • Mount Sinai Health System 31
  • Emory University 21
  • Oxford College of Emory University 17
  • Iterative Health 15
  • University Of California San Francisco Foundation 12
  • Energy Innovation: Policy and Technology 10
  • Stanford University 10
  • Actalent 9
  • Flourish 9
  • University of Virginia 9

More jobs like clinical research assistant

Roles that use the same skills, and where this job commonly leads.

Questions about clinical research assistant jobs

What does a clinical research assistant do?
A clinical research assistant helps run medical studies: enrolling participants, collecting data and keeping records that regulators can audit. A typical day includes: screen and schedule participants; collect and enter study data; maintain regulatory files; prepare supplies and forms; support monitoring visits.
Can I get an entry-level clinical research assistant job with no experience?
19 of the 613 open entry-level clinical research assistant jobs say in their own text that no experience is required. The figures are counted from the posting text and change as jobs open and close.
What skills do you need to be a clinical research assistant?
The skills this job uses most are attention to detail, research ethics and consent, data entry, medical terminology, organization. Most can be learned before the first day through coursework, short courses, practice or a related job.
How much does an entry-level clinical research assistant make?
Across 107 open entry-level clinical research assistant listings that state an annual pay figure, the middle half run from $62,000 to $80,000, with a median of $68,500. Listings that state pay are not every listing, and some roles add commission or bonus on top.
Where can a clinical research assistant job lead?
People in this job commonly move to research assistant, compliance analyst, health information technician, project coordinator. The link between jobs is the shared skills; the path is not guaranteed and depends on the employer.

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