Clinical Research Associate Jobs in California
Clinical Research Associate jobs in California are among the most active in the country, concentrated in the life sciences, biopharmaceutical, and medical device sectors, with openings at every level from entry-level CRA I positions through senior and principal roles. The largest hiring clusters are in the San Francisco Bay Area, San Diego, and Los Angeles, where established employers such as Genentech, AstraZeneca, and Medpace have long-standing California operations. Oncology, cardiology, and early-phase clinical trials are the most in-demand specialties across the state. Find a role that fits below and apply directly.
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Showing 5 of 208+ Clinical Research Associate jobs
Company Description
About AbbVie
AbbVie's mission is to discover and deliver innovative medicines and solutions that solve serious health issues today and address the medical challenges of tomorrow. We strive to have a remarkable impact on people's lives across several key therapeutic areas including immunology, oncology and neuroscience - and products and services in our Allergan Aesthetics portfolio. For more information about AbbVie, please visit us at www.abbvie.com. Follow @abbvie on LinkedIn, Facebook, Instagram, X and YouTube.
Job Description
Purpose
Advance AbbVie's pipeline by striving for excellence in clinical research, turning science into medicine for our patients and leveraging new advanced capabilities to drive industry leading performance.
Partners with the investigator and site staff for meaningful and effective engagements positioning AbbVie as the choice in clinical trials.
Focus on site clinical research that ensures appropriate conduct of the trial while driving improvement in data integrity, compliance, overall study performance and customer experience.
Responsibilities
- Considered as the primary point of contact for the investigative site. High level of competency or experience in providing contextual information on the clinical trials, connects stakeholder to the investigative sites and strengthens AbbVie’s positioning.
- Aligns, trains and motivates the site staff and principal investigator on the goals of the clinical trial program, protocol and patient treatment principles for the trial ensuring a trusted partnership.
- Conducts site evaluation, site training, routine, and site closure monitoring activities with compliance to the protocol and monitoring plans, in accordance with applicable regulations, Good Clinical Practices (GCPs), ICH Guidelines, AbbVie Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs), and quality standards, ensuring safety and protection of study subjects.
- Advanced understanding of site engagement and ability to customize site engagement strategy for assigned study (ies). Gather local/site insights and utilize site engagement tools such as the Customer Relationship Management (CRM) tool, to report/track progress and measure impact of that strategy.
- Advanced level of competency connecting the study protocol, scientific principles and clinical trial requirements to the day-to-day clinical trial execution activities. Evaluate and ensure effective recruitment and retention techniques/plans based on the patient disease journey.
- Develop solid knowledge of therapeutic area, asset and clinical landscape / patient journey to enable successful patient recruitment and overall protocol compliance.
- Possesses experienced level of competency to mentor and train less experienced CRAs on various aspects of work and provides input into their development.
- May participate in global/local task forces and initiatives. Responsible for activities as assigned by manager.
- Responsible for continuous risk-assessment proactively, and in collaboration with Central Monitoring team, monitor activities conducted by clinical sites to detect early overall study performance or patient safety issues.
- Advanced ability to think critically to resolve site risk signals while having robust understanding of site processes to drive study execution. Ensures preventative and corrective action plans are put into place, as needed, to mitigate risk and promote compliance using a customer centric approach.
- Identifies, evaluates and recommends new/potential investigators/sites on an ongoing basis. Potential sites may be identified through networking or internal AbbVie requests to assist in the placement of planned clinical studies with qualified investigators.
- Ensures quality of data submitted from study sites and assures timely submission of data, including appropriate reporting and follow-up for all safety events by site personnel.
- Ensures audit and regulatory inspection readiness at assigned clinical site at all times.
- Manages investigator payments as per executed contract obligations, as applicable.
Qualifications
- Appropriate tertiary qualification in health related disciplines (Medical, Scientific, Nursing) preferred.
- Minimum of 1 year of clinically related experience, of which a period of 6 months is required in clinical research monitoring of investigational drug or device trials. Familiar with risk-based monitoring approach, onsite and offsite monitoring.
- Knowledge of appropriate therapeutic area indications is preferred with the ability to understand and apply scientific concepts as they relate to the conduct of clinical trials.
- Advanced knowledge on existing and emerging local regulatory and legal requirements, ICH/GCP Guidelines and applicable policies.
- Demonstrate strong cross-functional collaboration skills among internal and external stakeholders.
- Demonstrate strong planning and organizational skills and the ability to work effectively and efficiently in a dynamic environment with competing projects and deadlines.
- Advanced ability to leverage technology, tools and resources to provide customer centric support based on the health of the site.
- Strong interpersonal skills with excellent written, verbal, active listening and presentation skills, with ability to establish and leverage site relationships and trusted partnerships through engagement, motivation, and training.
- Ability to use functional expertise with appropriate guidance, leverage critical thinking skills and apply good judgement to address clinical site issues.
- Acts with integrity in accordance with AbbVie code of business conduct and leadership values. Self-motivated individual focused on delivering timely and quality outcomes in a fast-paced environment.
Additional Information
Applicable only to applicants applying to a position in any location with pay disclosure requirements under state or local law:
- The compensation range described below is the range of possible base pay compensation that the Company believes in good faith it will pay for this role at the time of this posting based on the job grade for this position. Individual compensation paid within this range will depend on many factors including geographic location, and we may ultimately pay more or less than the posted range. This range may be modified in the future.
- We offer a comprehensive package of benefits including paid time off (vacation, holidays, sick), medical/dental/vision insurance and 401(k) to eligible employees.
- This job is eligible to participate in our short-term incentive programs.
Note: No amount of pay is considered to be wages or compensation until such amount is earned, vested, and determinable. The amount and availability of any bonus, commission, incentive, benefits, or any other form of compensation and benefits that are allocable to a particular employee remains in the Company's sole and absolute discretion unless and until paid and may be modified at the Company’s sole and absolute discretion, consistent with applicable law.
AbbVie is an equal opportunity employer and is committed to operating with integrity, driving innovation, transforming lives and serving our community. Equal Opportunity Employer/Veterans/Disabled.
US & Puerto Rico only - to learn more, visit https://www.abbvie.com/join-us/equal-employment-opportunity-employer.html
US & Puerto Rico applicants seeking a reasonable accommodation, click here to learn more:
https://www.abbvie.com/join-us/reasonable-accommodations.html
Company Description
About AbbVie
AbbVie's mission is to discover and deliver innovative medicines and solutions that solve serious health issues today and address the medical challenges of tomorrow. We strive to have a remarkable impact on people's lives across several key therapeutic areas including immunology, oncology and neuroscience - and products and services in our Allergan Aesthetics portfolio. For more information about AbbVie, please visit us at www.abbvie.com. Follow @abbvie on LinkedIn, Facebook, Instagram, X and YouTube.
Job Description
Purpose
Advance AbbVie's pipeline by striving for excellence in clinical research, turning science into medicine for our patients and leveraging new advanced capabilities to drive industry leading performance.
Partners with the investigator and site staff for meaningful and effective engagements positioning AbbVie as the choice in clinical trials.
Focus on site clinical research that ensures appropriate conduct of the trial while driving improvement in data integrity, compliance, overall study performance and customer experience.
Responsibilities
- Considered as the primary point of contact for the investigative site. High level of competency or experience in providing contextual information on the clinical trials, connects stakeholder to the investigative sites and strengthens AbbVie’s positioning.
- Aligns, trains and motivates the site staff and principal investigator on the goals of the clinical trial program, protocol and patient treatment principles for the trial ensuring a trusted partnership.
- Conducts site evaluation, site training, routine, and site closure monitoring activities with compliance to the protocol and monitoring plans, in accordance with applicable regulations, Good Clinical Practices (GCPs), ICH Guidelines, AbbVie Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs), and quality standards, ensuring safety and protection of study subjects.
- Advanced understanding of site engagement and ability to customize site engagement strategy for assigned study (ies). Gather local/site insights and utilize site engagement tools such as the Customer Relationship Management (CRM) tool, to report/track progress and measure impact of that strategy.
- Advanced level of competency connecting the study protocol, scientific principles and clinical trial requirements to the day-to-day clinical trial execution activities. Evaluate and ensure effective recruitment and retention techniques/plans based on the patient disease journey.
- Develop solid knowledge of therapeutic area, asset and clinical landscape / patient journey to enable successful patient recruitment and overall protocol compliance.
- Possesses experienced level of competency to mentor and train less experienced CRAs on various aspects of work and provides input into their development.
- May participate in global/local task forces and initiatives. Responsible for activities as assigned by manager.
- Responsible for continuous risk-assessment proactively, and in collaboration with Central Monitoring team, monitor activities conducted by clinical sites to detect early overall study performance or patient safety issues.
- Advanced ability to think critically to resolve site risk signals while having robust understanding of site processes to drive study execution. Ensures preventative and corrective action plans are put into place, as needed, to mitigate risk and promote compliance using a customer centric approach.
- Identifies, evaluates and recommends new/potential investigators/sites on an ongoing basis. Potential sites may be identified through networking or internal AbbVie requests to assist in the placement of planned clinical studies with qualified investigators.
- Ensures quality of data submitted from study sites and assures timely submission of data, including appropriate reporting and follow-up for all safety events by site personnel.
- Ensures audit and regulatory inspection readiness at assigned clinical site at all times.
- Manages investigator payments as per executed contract obligations, as applicable.
Qualifications
- Appropriate tertiary qualification in health related disciplines (Medical, Scientific, Nursing) preferred.
- Minimum of 1 year of clinically related experience, of which a period of 6 months is required in clinical research monitoring of investigational drug or device trials. Familiar with risk-based monitoring approach, onsite and offsite monitoring.
- Knowledge of appropriate therapeutic area indications is preferred with the ability to understand and apply scientific concepts as they relate to the conduct of clinical trials.
- Advanced knowledge on existing and emerging local regulatory and legal requirements, ICH/GCP Guidelines and applicable policies.
- Demonstrate strong cross-functional collaboration skills among internal and external stakeholders.
- Demonstrate strong planning and organizational skills and the ability to work effectively and efficiently in a dynamic environment with competing projects and deadlines.
- Advanced ability to leverage technology, tools and resources to provide customer centric support based on the health of the site.
- Strong interpersonal skills with excellent written, verbal, active listening and presentation skills, with ability to establish and leverage site relationships and trusted partnerships through engagement, motivation, and training.
- Ability to use functional expertise with appropriate guidance, leverage critical thinking skills and apply good judgement to address clinical site issues.
- Acts with integrity in accordance with AbbVie code of business conduct and leadership values. Self-motivated individual focused on delivering timely and quality outcomes in a fast-paced environment.
Additional Information
Applicable only to applicants applying to a position in any location with pay disclosure requirements under state or local law:
- The compensation range described below is the range of possible base pay compensation that the Company believes in good faith it will pay for this role at the time of this posting based on the job grade for this position. Individual compensation paid within this range will depend on many factors including geographic location, and we may ultimately pay more or less than the posted range. This range may be modified in the future.
- We offer a comprehensive package of benefits including paid time off (vacation, holidays, sick), medical/dental/vision insurance and 401(k) to eligible employees.
- This job is eligible to participate in our short-term incentive programs.
Note: No amount of pay is considered to be wages or compensation until such amount is earned, vested, and determinable. The amount and availability of any bonus, commission, incentive, benefits, or any other form of compensation and benefits that are allocable to a particular employee remains in the Company's sole and absolute discretion unless and until paid and may be modified at the Company’s sole and absolute discretion, consistent with applicable law.
AbbVie is an equal opportunity employer and is committed to operating with integrity, driving innovation, transforming lives and serving our community. Equal Opportunity Employer/Veterans/Disabled.
US & Puerto Rico only - to learn more, visit https://www.abbvie.com/join-us/equal-employment-opportunity-employer.html
US & Puerto Rico applicants seeking a reasonable accommodation, click here to learn more:
https://www.abbvie.com/join-us/reasonable-accommodations.html
See All 208+ Clinical Research Associate Jobs in California
Find roles in California that match your experience and apply in just a few clicks.
Find JobsClinical Research Associate Jobs by City in California
Where California roles are concentrated, by current openings.
Clinical Research Associate Job Market in California
A snapshot from current California openings, updated as new roles post.
Who's Hiring
- Revolution Medicines21
- University of California, San Francisco17
- City of Hope8
- Neurocrine Biosciences6
- Precision Medicine6
Top Industries Hiring
- Biotechnology & Pharmaceuticals110
- Education40
- Healthcare & Medical Services37
- Science & Research31
- Medical Devices8
What California Employers Look For
The qualifications that appear most often in clinical research associate jobs across California.
- Bachelor's degree in life sciences, nursing, or a related health sciences field
- ACRP or SOCRA certification (CCRA or CCRP) strongly preferred by California employers
- Minimum one to two years of clinical trial monitoring or site management experience
- Working knowledge of ICH-GCP guidelines, FDA regulations, and 21 CFR requirements
- Proficiency with electronic data capture systems such as Medidata Rave or Veeva Vault
- Ability to travel to clinical trial sites throughout California and occasionally out of state
Clinical Research Associate Jobs in California: Frequently Asked Questions
How do you become a clinical research associate in California?
The standard path is a bachelor's degree in a life sciences or health-related field, followed by hands-on clinical trial experience through a site coordinator, clinical data, or research assistant role. California does not require a state-issued license to work as a clinical research associate, but employers across San Diego and the Bay Area strongly favor candidates who hold the Certified Clinical Research Associate credential from ACRP or the CCRP from SOCRA, both of which require documented monitoring experience.
Which companies hire clinical research associates in California?
Employers hiring clinical research associates in California right now include Revolution Medicines, University of California, San Francisco, and City of Hope, based on current listings on Migrate Mate as of June 2026. California's dense concentration of biopharmaceutical headquarters and contract research organizations means new openings appear regularly across both sponsor-side and CRO positions.
Which California cities have the most clinical research associate jobs?
San Francisco, San Diego, and Redwood City have the most clinical research associate openings in California right now. The Bay Area and San Diego lead because they are home to the state's highest concentration of biopharmaceutical headquarters and research campuses, while Los Angeles draws demand through its large academic medical centers and growing biotech corridor in areas such as Torrance and El Segundo.
Are there remote clinical research associate jobs in California?
Yes, but they are limited. About 13% of clinical research associate openings tied to California are remote or hybrid as of June 2026, reflecting the reality that site monitoring requires regular in-person visits to clinical trial locations. The tasks most likely to be handled remotely are remote source document review, study start-up activities, and sponsor team meetings, rather than on-site monitoring visits.
How can I get hired as a clinical research associate in California with little or no experience?
The most realistic entry point is a clinical research coordinator or site coordinator role at a California academic medical center or hospital, such as those affiliated with UC San Diego, UCSF, or UCLA Health, which regularly recruit coordinators with no prior monitoring experience. Large CROs with California offices, including ICON and IQVIA, also run associate CRA programs designed for candidates transitioning from coordination or data roles. Completing your ACRP or SOCRA certification while in a coordinator position gives your application a measurable advantage when applying to CRA I openings.
Where can I find and apply to clinical research associate jobs in California?
You can find and apply to clinical research associate jobs in California on Migrate Mate, which lists current California openings across the biopharmaceutical, CRO, and medical device sectors. Search the listings, find the roles that match your experience and preferred location, and apply directly to each one.
See All 208+ Clinical Research Associate Jobs in California
Find roles in California that match your experience and apply in just a few clicks.
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