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The UK’s official graduate careers website
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Typical employers include pharmaceutical companies, contract research organisations (CROs) or contract pharmaceutical organisations (that conduct research on behalf of pharmaceutical companies).
A CRO may organise the placement of a clinical research associate (CRA) on contract with the sponsor (the pharmaceutical company). Reporting directly to the sponsor, the CRO may organise and conduct the whole study or any part of it, with the CRA reporting to the organisation and feeding back to the sponsor. Alternatively, the CRO may organise and conduct the entire clinical trial programme.
Large contract organisations are more likely to recruit an inexperienced graduate into a monitoring role and provide the training to progress to the level of a CRA.
An experienced CRA can consider working freelance having developed contacts and secured a number of clients.
Hospital academic departments occasionally employ CRAs in clinical trials units.
Search graduate jobs on this site.
Useful websites include:
There are a number of specialist recruitment agencies dealing with clinical research and recruiting candidates for permanent positions and contract work. Relevant recruitment agencies and contract research organisations should have an entry on the Pharmafile website. Alternatively (or in addition) try approaching pharmaceutical companies and contract research organisations directly. Most will post vacancies on their own websites, but some are constantly looking for good candidates and will welcome well-researched speculative applications.
See also job hunting tips and applications, CVs and interviews.
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