Clinical Development Specialist Jobs in Pennsylvania
Clinical Development Specialist jobs in Pennsylvania are consistently active, with demand concentrated in pharmaceutical development, medical device companies, and academic medical research across entry-level coordinator roles through senior specialist positions. Philadelphia, King of Prussia, and Pittsburgh anchor most of the hiring, where organizations like GlaxoSmithKline, Merck, and UPMC maintain large clinical operations. Protocol management, regulatory submissions support, and Phase II through IV trial oversight are the most in-demand specialties across the state. Find a role that fits below and apply directly.
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Position Detail:
- Full-time, 40 hours per week, salaried position
- Travel within UPMC Central PA region
-
Work Schedule:
- Monday - Friday, Day Shift
- No weekends and/or holidays expected
- Some recruiting efforts occur in off shifts and weekends. Minimal expectation and often rotated throughout team. These events are planned in advance.
- Oversee education opportunities for operating room staff at UPMC Community Osteopathic
- Specialty Certification preferred
- Flexible work environment
- Autonomous role with a team-oriented atmosphere
Purpose:
The Clinical Professional Development Specialist has the authority, responsibility and accountability for delivery of clinical education curriculum to clinical staff. Orientation and ongoing clinical education are the main objectives of this position. The Clinical Professional Development Specialist ensures clinical staff in assigned area of responsibility receive ongoing training/education to provide high-quality patient care and the UPMC Patient Experience to patients.
Responsibilities:
- Develops and maintains productive working relationships internally and externally by building teams and relationships through mentoring, support and positive communication working directly with frontline clinical staff
- Conveys information and ideas clearly through a variety of media to individuals or groups in a manner that engages the audience and helps them understand and retain the message.
- Serve as a formal and informal mentor for new clinical staff members and mentor new preceptors to be successful in their role.
- Responsible for unit-based onboarding and orientation.
- Teach staff how to manage the care of patients including assessment, interdisciplinary planning, implementation, evaluation of patient care, teaching and discharge planning. Identify, communicate and respond to meet the learning needs of clinical staff.
- Serves as a resource/consultant for patients, nursing staff and other disciplines in area of specialty. Promotes patient education needs for frontline clinical staff
- Participate in department-based Performance Improvement projects.
- Participate in professional and community organizations.
- Develops professional coaching and feedback skills to support and validate UPMC Experience initiatives not limited to Bedside Shift Report, Hourly Rounding, AIDET, etc.
- Training/education of clinical staff during non-traditional work hours may be required based on the needs of assigned unit*Performs in accordance with system-wide competencies/behaviors.
- Performs other duties as assigned.
- Bachelor’s degree required; Master’s degree preferred
- Minimum of 2 years of clinical experience required
-
Relevant teaching experience preferred
Licensure, Certifications, and Clearances:
- CPR required based on AHA standards that include both a didactic and skills demonstration component within 30 days of hire UPMC approved certification preferred
- Basic Life Support (BLS) OR Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation (CPR)
- Registered Nurse (RN)
- Act 31 Child Abuse Reporting with renewal
- Act 33 with renewal
- Act 34 with renewal
- Act 73 FBI Clearance with renewal
- Current licensure either in the state where the facility is located or, if the facility is in a state covered by the multistate Nursing Licensure Compact (NLC) agreement, a multistate license issued by a participating NLC state. Hires and current employees working on an out-of-state NLC license who later change their residency to the state where the facility is also located will have 60 days upon changing their residency to apply for licensure within that state.
UPMC is an Equal Opportunity Employer/Disability/Veteran
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Find JobsClinical Development Specialist Jobs by City in Pennsylvania
Where Pennsylvania roles are concentrated, by current openings.
Clinical Development Specialist Job Market in Pennsylvania
A snapshot from current Pennsylvania openings, updated as new roles post.
Who's Hiring

Top Industries Hiring
- Healthcare & Medical Services
What Pennsylvania Employers Look For
The qualifications that appear most often in clinical development specialist jobs across Pennsylvania.
- Bachelor's degree in life sciences, nursing, or a related clinical field required
- Minimum two years of clinical research or drug development experience preferred
- Familiarity with ICH-GCP guidelines and FDA regulatory requirements
- Experience with clinical trial management systems such as Medidata or Veeva
- Strong protocol development, monitoring, and data review skills
- Ability to collaborate cross-functionally with regulatory, biostatistics, and medical affairs teams
Clinical Development Specialist Jobs in Pennsylvania: Frequently Asked Questions
How do you become a clinical development specialist in Pennsylvania?
Most employers in Pennsylvania require a bachelor's degree in a life science, pharmacy, or nursing field, with many preferring a master's or equivalent clinical research experience. Although Pennsylvania does not issue a state license specific to this role, many hiring managers expect candidates to hold or pursue the Certified Clinical Research Professional credential offered by the Society of Clinical Research Associates. Large Philadelphia-area employers and Pittsburgh academic medical centers typically look for GCP-trained candidates with hands-on trial experience.
How much do clinical development specialists make in Pennsylvania?
Clinical development specialists in Pennsylvania earn a median of about $71,350 a year, based on May 2025 Bureau of Labor Statistics wage data, ranging from around $45,040 for the lowest 10% to over $118,270 for the top 10%. Pay rises with experience, specialty, and employer.
Which companies hire clinical development specialists in Pennsylvania?
Employers hiring clinical development specialists in Pennsylvania right now include UPMC, based on current listings on Migrate Mate as of August 2026. Pennsylvania's concentration of established pharmaceutical headquarters and large academic health systems means openings appear regularly across both industry and research-institution settings.
Which Pennsylvania cities have the most clinical development specialist jobs?
Pittsburgh, Altoona, and Carlisle account for the most clinical development specialist openings in Pennsylvania. Philadelphia and its surrounding suburbs in Montgomery and Chester counties drive volume through a dense cluster of pharmaceutical headquarters and contract research organizations, while Pittsburgh's activity is largely tied to UPMC and Carnegie Mellon-affiliated research centers.
How can I get hired as a clinical development specialist in Pennsylvania with little or no experience?
The most realistic entry path is a clinical research coordinator position at a Pennsylvania academic medical center or hospital network, where GCP training is often provided on the job. UPMC in Pittsburgh and Jefferson Health and Penn Medicine in Philadelphia regularly post coordinator and associate specialist roles that do not require prior industry experience. A background in nursing, pharmacy, or a research-focused graduate program strengthens early applications, and completing a GCP certification course before applying gives candidates a concrete credential to point to.
Where can I find and apply to clinical development specialist jobs in Pennsylvania?
You can find and apply to clinical development specialist jobs in Pennsylvania on Migrate Mate, which lists current Pennsylvania openings. Find roles that fit your background and apply directly to the employers posting them.
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