Clinical Research Associate (Level 1)

at  Thermo Fisher Scientific

JOB DESCRIPTION

At Thermo Fisher Scientific, you’ll discover meaningful work that makes a positive impact on a global scale. Join our colleagues in bringing our Mission to life - enabling our customers to make the world healthier, cleaner and safer. We provide our teams with the resources needed to achieve individual career goals while taking science a step beyond through research, development and delivery of life-changing therapies. With clinical trials conducted in 100+ countries and ongoing development of novel frameworks for clinical research through our PPD clinical research portfolio, our work spans laboratory, digital and decentralized clinical trial services. Your determination to deliver quality and accuracy will improve health outcomes that people and communities depend on – now and in the future.

EDUCATION AND EXPERIENCE:

Bachelor’s degree in a life sciences related field or a Registered Nursing certification or equivalent and relevant formal academic / vocational qualification.
Minimal clinical monitoring experience that provides the knowledge, skills, and abilities to perform the job (comparable to 2 years) in a clinical environment where experience is gained in clinical trials, medical terminology, medical research, clinical research or health care or experience in a health sciences field with formal training in medical terminology and anatomy may be considered.

KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS AND ABILITIES:

• Basic medical/therapeutic area knowledge and understanding of medical terminology
• Ability to attain and maintain a solid understanding of ICH GCPs and applicable regulations and procedural documents.
• Good oral and written communication skills, with the ability to communicate effectively with medical personnel.
• Good interpersonal skills.
• Ability to maintain customer focus through the utilization of good listening skills, attention to detail and the ability to perceive customers’ underlying issues.
• Good organizational and time management skills.
• Ability to remain flexible and adaptable in a wide range of scenarios.
• Well-developed critical thinking skills, including but not limited to: critical mindset, in-depth investigation for appropriate root cause analysis and problem solving
• Ability to manage Risk Based Monitoring concepts and processes.
• Ability to work in a team or independently as required.
• Good digital literacy: solid knowledge of Microsoft Office and the ability to learn appropriate software.
• Good English language and grammar skills.

SUMMARIZED PURPOSE:

Performs and coordinates different aspects of the clinical monitoring and site management process. Conducts remote or on-site visits to assess protocol and regulatory compliance and manages required documentation. Manages procedures and guidelines from different sponsors and/or supervising environments (i.e. FSO, FSP, Government, etc.). Acts as a site processes specialist, ensuring that the trial is conducted in accordance with the approved protocol, ICH-GCP guidelines, applicable regulations and SOPs to guarantee subjects rights, well-being and data reliability. Ensures audit readiness. Develops collaborative relationships with investigational sites. Detailed tasks and responsibilities assigned to role are outlined in the task matrix.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES

• Monitors investigator sites with a risk-based monitoring approach: applies root cause analysis (RCA), critical thinking and problem-solving skills to identify site processes failure and corrective/preventive actions to bring the site into compliance and decrease risks. Ensures data accuracy through SDR, SDV and CRF review as applicable through on-site and remote monitoring activities. Assess investigational product through physical inventory and records review. Documents observations in reports and letters in a timely manner using approved business writing standards. Escalates observed deficiencies and issues to clinical management expeditiously and follow all issues through to resolution. May need to maintain regular contact between monitoring visits with investigative sites to prove that the protocol is being followed, that previously identified issues are being resolved and that the data is being recorded in a timely manner. Conducts supervising tasks in accordance with the approved monitoring plan. Participates in the investigator payment process. Ensures a shared responsibility with other project team members on issues/findings resolution. Investigates and follows-up on findings as applicable.
• Participates in investigator meetings as vital. May help to identify potential investigators in collaboration with the client company to ensure the acceptability of qualified investigative sites. Initiates clinical trial sites according to the relevant procedures to ensure compliance with the protocol and regulatory and ICH GCP obligations, making recommendations where warranted. Performs trial close out and retrieval of trial materials.
• Ensures that required crucial documents are complete and in place, according to ICH-GCP and applicable regulations. Conducts on-site file reviews as per project specifications.
• Provides trial status tracking and progress update reports to the team as required. Ensures study systems are complete, accurate and updated per agreed study conventions (e.g. Clinical Trial Management System).
• Facilitates effective communication between investigative sites, the client company and internal project teams through written, oral and/or electronic contacts. Responds to company, client and applicable regulatory requirements/audits/inspections.
• Maintains and completes administrative tasks such as expense reports and timesheets in a timely manner.
• Contributes to the project team by assisting in preparation of project publications/tools and sharing ideas/suggestions with team members. Contributes to other project work and initiatives for process improvement, as required.