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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This 60% position (24 hours per week) will involve conducting on-site study visits at Benioff Children’s Hospital in San Francisco's Mission Bay, and may require presence at Benioff Children’s Hospital in Oakland, based on the needs of the department. Flexibility is required, as the study's needs will determine the number of hours worked on any given day.
Duties include conducting study visits, participant recruitment, data entry, regulatory maintenance, conducting monitoring visits, submitting to the Institutional Review Board, and other study coordination duties.
We invite candidates to please address the following questions in your cover letter:
- Describe your experience with research, clinical trials, working with patients, children, families, or children with hormone conditions.
- Describe your organizational skills and provide an example of how you handle competing priorities.
- What are your plans for the next 2-3+ years (are you planning to go back to school, if so, what program/timeline for matriculation, etc.)?
- Are you currently in school or employed? If so, please describe.
- Do you speak any other languages? If so, which one(s)?
- This position is 24 hours per week, primarily Monday through Friday at the UCSF Mission Bay Campus.
- Some remote work may be possible depending on the needs of the studies and current department policies.
- The number of hours worked per day varies each week depending on the needs of the studies.
- There are occasional evening and rare weekend hours to accommodate our patients’ schedules, usually for a phone call to discuss the study.
- There is the possibility of increasing the number of hours per week in the future.
- Are you able to commit to this schedule?
- If selected for this position, when would you be able to start?
Required Qualifications:
- High School Diploma; or equivalent experience
- Excellent verbal and written communication, organizational, and interpersonal skills to work effectively in a diverse team
- Attention to detail; strong interpersonal skills; excellent, effective verbal and written communication skills to coordinate with subjects, team members, other departments, and outside institutions; and the ability to multitask in a fast-paced environment while working with a diverse subject population
- Ability to work well independently, complete projects in a timely manner, and prioritize multiple projects to ensure the completion of essential tasks by deadlines
- Proficiency with Microsoft Word, PowerPoint, Excel, Outlook, and Windows
- Excellent analytical and problem-solving skills
- Ability to work effectively in a fast-paced, team-based environment; project management and coordination skills; ability to prioritize tasks and meet multiple deadlines on concurrent projects
- Ability to establish cooperative working relationships with patients, co-workers, & physicians Experience and/or comfort working with children, adolescents, and families
Preferred Qualifications:
- Career interest in working with children and/or adolescents and their families
- Fluency in the usage of Institutional Review Board (IRB) online iRIS system for submission, renewal, and modification of protocols through this system
- Understanding of patient population to create rapport and a relationship, while also giving insight to what is realistic and appropriate for patient participation
- Certification by the Society of Clinical Research Associates or the Association of Clinical Research Professionals
- Experience with accessing electronic medical records and entering the data into REDCap and other platforms
- Knowledge of UCSF and departmental policies for dealing with reimbursement, guidelines for research, confidentiality and HIPPA regulations, following the UCSF mission statement and purpose for research, and a clear understanding of policies and procedures on patient safety and confidentiality (electronic and hard copy medical records, patient charts, communication, etc.); knowledge of medical terminology, research policies and guidelines, guidelines for packing/shipping infectious substances, database building/analysis, and data management within some of the following: Access, Stata, SASS/ SPSS, and Teleform programming platforms
- Experience applying the following regulations and guidelines:
- Good Clinical Practice Guidelines
- Health Information and Accountability Act (HIPAA)
- The Protection of Human Research Subjects
- IRB regulations for recruitment and consent of research subjects
- Effective Cash Handling Procedures
- Environmental Health and Safety Training
- Fire Safety Training
This 60% position (24 hours per week) will involve conducting on-site study visits at Benioff Children’s Hospital in San Francisco's Mission Bay, and may require presence at Benioff Children’s Hospital in Oakland, based on the needs of the department. Flexibility is required, as the study's needs will determine the number of hours worked on any given day.
Duties include conducting study visits, participant recruitment, data entry, regulatory maintenance, conducting monitoring visits, submitting to the Institutional Review Board, and other study coordination duties.
We invite candidates to please address the following questions in your cover letter:
- Describe your experience with research, clinical trials, working with patients, children, families, or children with hormone conditions.
- Describe your organizational skills and provide an example of how you handle competing priorities.
- What are your plans for the next 2-3+ years (are you planning to go back to school, if so, what program/timeline for matriculation, etc.)?
- Are you currently in school or employed? If so, please describe.
- Do you speak any other languages? If so, which one(s)?
- This position is 24 hours per week, primarily Monday through Friday at the UCSF Mission Bay Campus.
- Some remote work may be possible depending on the needs of the studies and current department policies.
- The number of hours worked per day varies each week depending on the needs of the studies.
- There are occasional evening and rare weekend hours to accommodate our patients’ schedules, usually for a phone call to discuss the study.
- There is the possibility of increasing the number of hours per week in the future.
- Are you able to commit to this schedule?
- If selected for this position, when would you be able to start?
Required Qualifications:
- High School Diploma; or equivalent experience
- Excellent verbal and written communication, organizational, and interpersonal skills to work effectively in a diverse team
- Attention to detail; strong interpersonal skills; excellent, effective verbal and written communication skills to coordinate with subjects, team members, other departments, and outside institutions; and the ability to multitask in a fast-paced environment while working with a diverse subject population
- Ability to work well independently, complete projects in a timely manner, and prioritize multiple projects to ensure the completion of essential tasks by deadlines
- Proficiency with Microsoft Word, PowerPoint, Excel, Outlook, and Windows
- Excellent analytical and problem-solving skills
- Ability to work effectively in a fast-paced, team-based environment; project management and coordination skills; ability to prioritize tasks and meet multiple deadlines on concurrent projects
- Ability to establish cooperative working relationships with patients, co-workers, & physicians Experience and/or comfort working with children, adolescents, and families
Preferred Qualifications:
- Career interest in working with children and/or adolescents and their families
- Fluency in the usage of Institutional Review Board (IRB) online iRIS system for submission, renewal, and modification of protocols through this system
- Understanding of patient population to create rapport and a relationship, while also giving insight to what is realistic and appropriate for patient participation
- Certification by the Society of Clinical Research Associates or the Association of Clinical Research Professionals
- Experience with accessing electronic medical records and entering the data into REDCap and other platforms
- Knowledge of UCSF and departmental policies for dealing with reimbursement, guidelines for research, confidentiality and HIPPA regulations, following the UCSF mission statement and purpose for research, and a clear understanding of policies and procedures on patient safety and confidentiality (electronic and hard copy medical records, patient charts, communication, etc.); knowledge of medical terminology, research policies and guidelines, guidelines for packing/shipping infectious substances, database building/analysis, and data management within some of the following: Access, Stata, SASS/ SPSS, and Teleform programming platforms
- Experience applying the following regulations and guidelines:
- Good Clinical Practice Guidelines
- Health Information and Accountability Act (HIPAA)
- The Protection of Human Research Subjects
- IRB regulations for recruitment and consent of research subjects
- Effective Cash Handling Procedures
- Environmental Health and Safety Training
- Fire Safety Training
See All 234+ 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
- University of California - San Francisco27
- Cedars-Sinai Medical Center25
- Stanford University19
- Kaiser Permanente9
- UC Irvine Health7
Top Industries Hiring
- Education17
- Healthcare & Medical Services13
- Biotechnology & Pharmaceuticals9
- Medical Devices2
- Staffing & Recruiting1
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 University of California - San Francisco, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, and Stanford University, based on current listings on Migrate Mate as of August 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, Los Angeles, and Stanford 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 53% of clinical research associate openings tied to California are remote or hybrid as of August 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 234+ 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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