Psychiatry Rater for Clinical Research

Position Summary

We are seeking a Psychiatric Rater to conduct clinician-administered diagnostic and symptom-severity assessments for participants in industry-sponsored psychiatric drug trials. You will be a key contributor to data quality, working closely with our Principal Investigator, clinical research coordinators, and study sponsors. Accuracy, consistency, and strong interviewing skills are essential to this role.

Key Responsibilities

• Administer protocol-required clinician-rated scales and structured interviews, such as the HAM-D, MADRS, HAM-A, PANSS, YMRS, CGI, C-SSRS, and MINI/SCID, depending on the study.
• Complete rater training and certification as required by each sponsor and central rater vendor, and maintain current certifications.
• Participate in rater calibration, inter-rater reliability checks, and sponsor-led or audio-recorded interview reviews.
• Conduct screening and baseline assessments to support accurate eligibility determination and diagnosis confirmation, in collaboration with the PI.
• Identify and promptly report safety concerns, including suicidal ideation or clinical deterioration, to the PI and study team.
• Document assessments accurately and on time in source documents and EDC/eCOA systems, in compliance with the protocol, ICH-GCP, and FDA regulations.
• Respond to data queries, and support monitoring visits and audits.
• Work collaboratively with coordinators on scheduling, visit flow, and participant retention.

Required Qualifications

• Master's degree in psychology (or closely related field, such as clinical psychology or counseling psychology) from an accredited institution.
• Experience conducting structured clinical interviews and administering standardized psychiatric rating scales.
• Strong knowledge of psychiatric diagnoses (DSM-5-TR) and symptom presentation across mood, psychotic, and anxiety disorders.
• Understanding of ICH-GCP and human subjects protections, or willingness to complete training before starting.
• Excellent interviewing, observational, and communication skills, with strong attention to detail.
• Ability to remain objective and consistent in scoring across participants and visits.

Preferred Qualifications

• Prior experience as a rater on industry-sponsored psychiatric clinical trials.
• Current rater certifications from sponsors or central rater vendors.
• Masters Degree, Doctoral degree or professional licensure (e.g., LPC, LMHC, LCSW, licensed psychologist, RN, DNP)
• Licensed in both NY and NJ
• Experience with eCOA platforms and EDC systems.
• Experience with a range of psychiatric populations, such as MDD, schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, or anxiety disorders.