Clinical Research Coordinator Job Description (2026): Duties, Skills and Salary
A clinical research coordinator runs the day-to-day of a clinical trial at a site: screening and enrolling participants, scheduling visits, collecting and recording data, and making sure everything happens exactly as the protocol and IRB require. It's detail-heavy work where a missed step can affect a whole study's data.
Coordinators work in hospitals, academic medical centers, physician practices and dedicated research sites, usually supporting a principal investigator across one or several active trials. Regulatory knowledge matters as much as people skills, since the role sits between participants, physicians, sponsors and auditors.
Clinical Research Coordinator job description template
Copy it, replace everything in [brackets] and cut what doesn't apply. Keep the requirements to what the job really needs.
Template · replace the [brackets]
Clinical Research Coordinator
[Company] · [City and office days, or remote with the countries or time zones you hire in] · [Full-time]
About [Company]
[Two or three sentences on what your company does, who it serves and why this team matters now.]
About the role
[Site/Institution] is hiring a clinical research coordinator to support [therapeutic area] trials for [principal investigator/department]. You'll manage participant enrollment, visit logistics and data collection across [number] active studies.
What you'll do
- Screen and enroll study participants according to protocol eligibility criteria.
- Schedule and coordinate participant visits, procedures and follow-up assessments.
- Obtain and document informed consent in line with IRB and regulatory requirements.
- Collect, record and enter study data accurately into case report forms and EDC systems.
- Maintain regulatory binders and prepare for sponsor monitoring visits and audits.
- Track adverse events and report them per protocol and institutional policy.
- Communicate with sponsors, CROs and the IRB on study status and amendments.
- Support the principal investigator with protocol adherence and study logistics.
What you'll bring
- [X]+ years coordinating clinical trials, or equivalent clinical/research experience.
- Working knowledge of GCP (Good Clinical Practice) and IRB/regulatory requirements.
- Strong organizational skills for managing multiple studies and visit schedules at once.
- Accurate, detail-oriented data entry and documentation.
- Comfortable interacting with patients during screening, consent and visits.
- Clear written and verbal communication with investigators, sponsors and auditors.
- Proficiency with EDC systems and standard office software.
Nice to have
- CCRC or CCRP certification.
- Experience with [therapeutic area, e.g. oncology, cardiology or rare disease] trials.
- Clinical background as a nurse, medical assistant or lab professional.
- Experience preparing for FDA or sponsor audits.
What we offer
- [Pay range: e.g. $X–$Y base salary, plus bonus or equity if offered]
- [Certification exam and renewal fees covered, continuing education funding, hybrid scheduling for non-visit days]
- [Health cover, retirement or pension plan, paid time off, parental leave]
- [Work authorization: whether you can sponsor a visa or hire through an employer of record]
[Our process: a recruiter call, a review of your experience with protocols and regulatory documentation, a case discussion on handling a protocol deviation, and a final interview with the principal investigator.]
[Your equal opportunity statement, and how candidates can ask for adjustments during the process]
Put the pay range in the ad. Several US states, including California, Colorado, New York and Washington, require it in job postings, and the EU Pay Transparency Directive gives applicants the right to know the starting pay or its range before the interview.
Clinical Research Coordinator duties by seniority
What the job usually looks like at each level. Pitch the ad at one level and say which in the title.
Junior
- Supports enrollment and visit scheduling under close supervision.
- Learns protocol requirements and regulatory documentation standards.
- Handles data entry and basic participant communication.
Mid-level
- Manages full participant enrollment and visit logistics for one or more trials.
- Prepares regulatory binders independently and handles sponsor monitoring visits.
- Trains new coordinators on protocol-specific procedures.
Senior
- Coordinates multiple concurrent trials and complex protocols.
- Leads audit preparation and resolves findings with sponsors and the IRB.
- Mentors coordinators and may oversee a research team's day-to-day operations.
Clinical Research Coordinator career path
- Clinical Research Assistant
- Clinical Research Coordinator
- Senior Clinical Research Coordinator
- Clinical Research Manager or Site Director
Coordinators often enter from a clinical background such as nursing or medical assisting, or straight from a life sciences degree through a research assistant role. From there, the path leads to senior coordinator, research manager, site director, or across into clinical research associate (CRA) roles on the sponsor or CRO side.
Similar roles
- Medical Laboratory Scientist job description
Runs lab testing rather than managing participant enrollment and visits.
- Research Analyst job description
Analyzes data and findings rather than running trial logistics on-site.
- Project Coordinator job description
Coordinates projects broadly, without the clinical and regulatory specifics of trials.
- Registered Nurse job description
Delivers direct patient care rather than managing a study's protocol and data.
Clinical Research Coordinator job description FAQ
What does a clinical research coordinator do?
Manages the daily operations of a clinical trial at a site: screening and enrolling participants, scheduling visits, collecting data, maintaining regulatory documents and supporting the principal investigator through audits and monitoring visits.
What certifications should a clinical research coordinator job description require?
Many postings prefer CCRC or CCRP certification but don't require it for entry-level roles. State clearly whether certification is required or preferred, since many strong candidates are still working toward it.
Does a clinical research coordinator need a clinical background?
Not always. Some roles prefer a nursing or medical assisting background for patient-facing duties, while others hire from life sciences degrees and train coordinators on clinical procedures. Say which applies to your trials.
What's the difference between a clinical research coordinator and a clinical research associate?
The coordinator works at the trial site managing participants and day-to-day operations. The CRA typically works for the sponsor or CRO, monitoring multiple sites for protocol compliance and data quality.