Clinical Research Associate
Alira Health
Summary
The CRA is an important member of the Alira Health Clinical team. The CRA is highly motivated and functions independently to conduct site monitoring responsibilities for clinical trials; as well as providing oversight, leadership, and guidance in the management and execution of clinical trials to ensure compliance and quality. The CRA works closely with Lead CRAs, Sr CRAs, in-house CRAs, Associate Director of Clinical Monitoring and Project Managers to ensure protocol compliance, address site questions, and assist with study recruitment, site training, and other site-related issues.
Job description
Key Responsibilities
- Provides guidance, oversight, and feedback to the CRA team to ensure adherence to project scope, SOPs, timelines, and budget requirements.
- Reviews monitoring visit reports, conducts co-monitoring and evaluation visits as needed.
- Ensures appropriate and timely investigator site visits.
- Coordinates with appropriate cross-functional departments to facilitate negotiation/issue resolution for clinical trial monitoring related issues.
- Assists in development of study-specific Monitoring Plans and training presentations as required.
- Assists in set up/collection of site specific ethics documents and site contract negotiation as required.
- Provides monthly billing information to finance team as required.
- For monitoring stand-alone projects, manages study budget and acts as referent for the sponsor.
- Performs qualification, initiation, interim, and close-out visits both remotely and onsite, ensuring proper documentation of monitoring visits.
- Prepares consistently accurate and timely monitoring visit reports documenting site-related problems, resolutions, actions taken, protocol deviations, study progress, and enrollment status.
- Ensures integrity of CRF data through meticulous and thorough source document review and verification.
- Performs quality control and verification of documents collected at sites for eTMF/TMF.
- Conducts investigational product accountability.
- Reviews site regulatory binder for required documents.
- Maintains regular contact with study sites to ensure protocol/GCP compliance, assesses patient accrual rates, and responds to sponsor requests.
- Complies with and ensures team compliance with ICH GCP guidelines, FDA regulations, and company/Sponsor SOPs.
- Participates in internal, client/sponsor, scientific, and other meetings as required.
- Facilitates adverse event reporting and ensures the reconciliation of SAE reports with source documentation and CRFs.
- Works closely with in-house CRAs/CTC and data management to resolve queries on discrepant data.
- Proactively identifies site issues and develops problem-solving strategies for sites.
- Conducts audit preparation at study sites as needed.
- Works with other CRAs to maintain consistency and promote a collaborative team atmosphere.
- Assists in CRA new hire training and onboarding.
- Performs CRA mentoring.
- Collaborates with development and maintenance of Clinical Trial Management System (CTMS).
- Manages and resolves conflicting priorities to deliver on commitments.
- Performs additional duties as assigned.
Desired Qualification & Experience
- Ability to establish and maintain positive relationships with Sponsor, Site and Project Team members
- Ability to autonomously manage monitoring activities
Technical Competences & Soft Skills
- Quality focused; Proven ability to be careful, thorough, and detail-oriented
- Strong organizational skills and the ability to multi-task and work effectively in a fast-paced environment
- Able to manage priorities, organize time and solve problems
- Strong analytical, negotiation, meeting management, cross-functional team, and leadership skills
- Ability to travel
- Ability to manage stress
- Professional, trustworthy and disciplined
- Ability to problem-solve unstructured or ambiguous challenges
- Strong command of Local language, both written and verbal, in the country where monitoring activities are performed
- Excellent communication and interpersonal skills with customer service orientation
- Good computer skills, with ability to use clinical trial management systems, clinical trial databases and electronic data capture
- Self-starter who thrives in a collaborative, yet less structured team environment
- Knowledge of clinical research, ICH GCP and local regulations
- Knowledge of Regulatory and Ethical requirements
Requirements
- 2+ years monitoring experience required
- Bachelor of Science (BS) in Biology or Life Sciences
- Knowledge of clinical research, ICH GCP and local regulations
- Knowledge of Regulatory and Ethical requirements
- Ability to travel
- Strong command of English language, both written and verbal
- Excellent communication and interpersonal skills
- Good computer skills, with ability to use clinical trial management systems, clinical trial databases and electronic data capture
Company overview
Alira Health is a global healthcare consultancy and contract research organization (CRO) founded in 1999 with headquarters in Framingham, Massachusetts. The company operates as an international advisory firm providing integrated strategy, execution, and innovation services for healthcare and life science companies. With approximately 500-1,000 employees across six global offices in Boston, San Francisco, Paris, Munich, Milan, and Barcelona, Alira Health offers a comprehensive continuum of support throughout the product lifecycle. Their services encompass full-service CRO capabilities, consulting solutions, patient engagement training, and technology platforms. The company specializes in bridging clinical research with routine medical care, focusing on patient-centered solutions across therapeutic areas including rare diseases, oncology, autoimmune disorders, and medical devices. Alira Health has raised over $133 million in funding and serves 75% of the top 50 pharmaceutical companies and 80% of the top 50 MedTech companies globally, positioning itself as a trusted partner in advancing healthcare innovation through evidence-based approaches and patient-centric methodologies.