Research Associate Jobs in New Jersey
Research associate jobs in New Jersey are in high demand, concentrated in the state's pharmaceutical, biotechnology, and academic research sectors, with openings at every level from entry-level lab assistant to senior scientist. Princeton, New Brunswick, and the broader Route 1 corridor around Middlesex County are the most active hiring zones, anchored by established employers such as Johnson and Johnson, Bristol Myers Squibb, and Princeton University. Clinical research, drug discovery, and environmental science are consistently the most sought-after specialties across New Jersey postings. Find a role that fits below and apply directly.
Find Research Associate JobsOverview
Showing 5 of 34+ Research Associate jobs











With support of other Clinical Research Manager's (CRMs) and/or Therapeutic Area Head (TAH) / Clinical Research Director (CRD), this role is accountable for the end-to-end performance and project management for assigned protocols in a country in compliance with International Council for Harmonisation Good Clinical Practice (ICH-GCP) and country regulations, our company's policies and procedures, quality standards and adverse event reporting requirements internally and externally.
The Associate Clinical Research Manager (aCRM) could be responsible for a particular study for a country or a cluster.
Responsibilities include, but are not limited to:
- Main Point of Contact (POC) for assigned protocols and link between Country Operations and clinical trial team (CTT).
- Responsible for project management of the assigned studies: pro-actively plans, drives and tracks execution and performance of deliverables/timelines/results to meet country commitments from feasibility and site selection, recruitment, execution and close out.
- Accountable for performance for assigned protocols in a country in compliance with ICH/GCP and country regulations, our company's policies and procedures, quality standards and adverse event reporting requirements internally and externally.
- Reviews Monitoring Visits Reports and escalates performance issues and training needs to Clinical Research Associate Manager (CRAM) and/or functional vendor and internal management as needed.
- Performs Quality control visits as required.
- Leads local study teams to high performance: trains in the protocol other local roles, closely collaborates with and supports CRAs as protocol expert and coordinates activities across the different local country roles ensuring a strong collaboration (including the Clinical Trial Coordinators (CTC), Clinical Research Associates' (CRAs) and Clinical Operations Managers (COMs).
- Responsible for creating and executing a local risk management plan for assigned studies.
- Ensures compliance with Clinical Trial Management Systems (CTMS), electronic Trial Master File (eTMF) and other key systems in assigned studies.
- Escalates as needed different challenges and issues to TA-Head/CRD/ Country Clinical Quality Manager (CCQM) and or CTT (as appropriate).
- Identifies and shares best practices.
- Responsible for collaboration with functional outsourcing vendors, investigators, other external partners in assigned studies.
- As a customer-facing role, this position will build business relationships and represent our company with investigators.
- Supports local and regional strategy development consistent with long‐term corporate needs in conjunction with CRD, TA-Head and Regional Operations.
- Collaborates internally with Headquarters (HQ) functions, regional and local operations, European Union (EU) Clinical Development, Pharmacovigilance, Regulatory Affairs, Global Medical and Scientific Affairs to align on key issues/decisions across the trials. Consult with Human Health as needed.
Qualifications, Skills & Experience
Skills:
- Knowledge in Project Management and/or site management.
- Strong organizational skills with demonstrated success in related role or discipline required.
- Requires ability to make decisions independently and oversee important activities relevant to clinical research activities according to predetermined global policies and commitments with the support, oversight and supervision of the TA-Head or CRD
- Requires understanding of local regulatory environment.
- Scientific and clinical research knowledge is required.
- Understanding of clinical trial planning, management and metrics is essential as well as the ability to focus on multiple deliverables and protocols simultaneously.
- Ability to function as a key link between Country Operations and Clinical Trial Teams
- Communicates effectively and builds a collaboration spirit in a remote/virtual environment and across countries, cultures and functions.
- Ability to manage processes (and controls), productivity, quality and project delivery.
- Proficiency in written and spoken English and local language. The incumbent must be competent and effective in written and verbal communication.
- Strategic thinking.
- Ability to work efficiently in a remote and virtual environment.
- Aptitude for building leadership skills that enable and drive alignment with the goals, purpose and mission of our Research & Development Division, Global Clinical Development (GCD) and Global Clinical Trial Operations (GCTO).
- Ability to identify problems, conflicts and opportunities early, analyses and prepare mitigation plans and drive conflict resolution is critical.
- Required to negotiate skillfully in tough situations with both internal and external groups; settle differences with minimum disruption.
- Examples of common problems include:
- 1) low patient recruitment
- 2) inadequate staff to meet business needs
- 3) performance or compliance issues
- 4) resolution of conflictive situations.
- Understand cultural differences.
- Strong diplomatic and empathic skills to effectively build and maintain professional relationships with investigators and other stakeholders.
- Bachelor’s degree in science (or comparable)
- 4+ years of experience in clinical research
- CRA experience preferred
- Immunology experience preferred
Required Skills:
Adaptability, Clinical Research, Clinical Trials Operations, Critical Thinking, Decision Making, External Partners, Good Clinical Practice (GCP), ICH GCP Guidelines, Project Management, Quality Management, Regulatory Compliance, Risk Management, Strategic Planning, Verbal Communications
Preferred Skills:
Clinical Study Management, Cross-Cultural Awareness, Deliverables Management, Immunology, Relationship Building
Current Employees apply HERE
Current Contingent Workers apply HERE
US and Puerto Rico Residents Only:
Our company is committed to inclusion, ensuring that candidates can engage in a hiring process that exhibits their true capabilities. Please click here if you need an accommodation during the application or hiring process.
As an Equal Employment Opportunity Employer, we provide equal opportunities to all employees and applicants for employment and prohibit discrimination on the basis of race, color, age, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, protected veteran status, disability status, or other applicable legally protected characteristics. As a federal contractor, we comply with all affirmative action requirements for protected veterans and individuals with disabilities. For more information about personal rights under the U.S. Equal Opportunity Employment laws, visit:
EEOC Know Your Rights
EEOC GINA Supplement
We are proud to be a company that embraces the value of bringing together, talented, and committed people with diverse experiences, perspectives, skills and backgrounds. The fastest way to breakthrough innovation is when people with diverse ideas, broad experiences, backgrounds, and skills come together in an inclusive environment. We encourage our colleagues to respectfully challenge one another’s thinking and approach problems collectively.
Learn more about your rights, including under California, Colorado and other US State Acts
The salary range for this role is
$117,000.00 - $184,200.00
This is the lowest to highest salary we in good faith believe we would pay for this role at the time of this posting. An employee’s position within the salary range will be based on several factors including, but not limited to relevant education, qualifications, certifications, experience, skills, geographic location, government requirements, and business or organizational needs.
The successful candidate will be eligible for annual bonus and long-term incentive, if applicable.
We offer a comprehensive package of benefits. Available benefits include medical, dental, vision healthcare and other insurance benefits (for employee and family), retirement benefits, including 401(k), paid holidays, vacation, and compassionate and sick days. More information about benefits is available at https://jobs.merck.com/us/en/compensation-and-benefits.
You can apply for this role through https://jobs.merck.com/us/en (or via the Workday Jobs Hub if you are a current employee). The application deadline for this position is stated on this posting.
San Francisco Residents Only: We will consider qualified applicants with arrest and conviction records for employment in compliance with the San Francisco Fair Chance Ordinance
Los Angeles Residents Only: We will consider for employment all qualified applicants, including those with criminal histories, in a manner consistent with the requirements of applicable state and local laws, including the City of Los Angeles’ Fair Chance Initiative for Hiring Ordinance
Search Firm Representatives Please Read Carefully
Merck & Co., Inc., Rahway, NJ, USA, also known as Merck Sharp & Dohme LLC, Rahway, NJ, USA, does not accept unsolicited assistance from search firms for employment opportunities. All CVs / resumes submitted by search firms to any employee at our company without a valid written search agreement in place for this position will be deemed the sole property of our company. No fee will be paid in the event a candidate is hired by our company as a result of an agency referral where no pre-existing agreement is in place. Where agency agreements are in place, introductions are position specific. Please, no phone calls or emails.
Employee Status:
Regular
Relocation:
No relocation
VISA Sponsorship:
No
Travel Requirements:
25%
Flexible Work Arrangements:
Remote
Shift:
1st - Day
Valid Driving License:
No
Hazardous Material(s):
N/A
Job Posting End Date:
08/25/2026*A job posting is effective until 11:59:59PM on the day BEFORE the listed job posting end date. Please ensure you apply to a job posting no later than the day BEFORE the job posting end date.
Requisition ID: R413672
See All 34 Research Associate Jobs in New Jersey
Find roles in New Jersey that match your experience and apply in just a few clicks.
Find Research Associate JobsResearch Associate Jobs by City in New Jersey
Where New Jersey roles are concentrated, by current openings.
Research Associate Job Market in New Jersey
A snapshot from current New Jersey openings, updated as new roles post.
Who's Hiring
- Rutgers University16

- IQVIA2

- JPMorganChase2

- Merck1

- RHO1

Top Industries Hiring
- Education
- Medical Devices
- Biotechnology & Pharmaceuticals
- Consulting & Professional Services
What New Jersey Employers Look For
The qualifications that appear most often in research associate jobs across New Jersey.
- Bachelor's degree in life sciences, chemistry, biology, or a closely related field
- Hands-on laboratory experience with standard techniques such as PCR, cell culture, or chromatography
- Familiarity with GLP or GMP compliance standards as required in regulated New Jersey laboratory environments
- Proficiency with data analysis software such as GraphPad Prism, SAS, or equivalent platforms
- Strong written communication skills for preparing research reports, protocols, and regulatory documents
- Ability to collaborate across cross-functional teams in fast-paced pharmaceutical or academic research settings
Research Associate Jobs in New Jersey: Frequently Asked Questions
How do you become a research associate in New Jersey?
Most research associate positions in New Jersey require at minimum a bachelor's degree in a relevant science discipline such as biology, chemistry, biochemistry, or a related field. There is no state-issued license specific to the research associate title in New Jersey, but roles in clinical research often require or prefer Certified Clinical Research Associate credentials through organizations like ACRP or SOCRA. Many New Jersey employers in pharma and biotech treat internship or co-op experience at a New Jersey institution as a strong differentiator.
Which companies hire research associates in New Jersey?
Employers hiring research associates in New Jersey right now include Rutgers University, IQVIA, and JPMorganChase, based on current listings on Migrate Mate as of August 2026. New Jersey's dense concentration of pharmaceutical and biotech headquarters along the Route 1 corridor means that large, well-established life sciences firms account for a significant share of the open positions across the state.
Which New Jersey cities have the most research associate jobs?
The cities with the most research associate openings in New Jersey are Piscataway, New Brunswick, and Newark. This distribution reflects New Jersey's pharmaceutical and academic research clusters, where major corporate campuses and research universities create sustained demand, and suburban corridors like those in Middlesex and Somerset counties consistently draw openings from nearby headquarters and contract research organizations.
Are there remote research associate jobs in New Jersey?
Yes, but they're relatively limited. About 38% of research associate openings tied to New Jersey are remote or hybrid as of August 2026, reflecting the hands-on laboratory nature of most roles in the state. The sub-roles most likely to offer remote flexibility are clinical data coordination, regulatory affairs support, and literature review or scientific writing positions that do not require physical lab access.
How can I get hired as a research associate in New Jersey with little or no experience?
The most realistic entry path is applying to co-op or internship programs run by New Jersey's large pharmaceutical employers, such as the rotational science programs offered by companies headquartered along the Route 1 corridor, which regularly convert to full-time offers. New graduates can also target contract research organization roles or lab technician and research assistant positions at Rutgers University or Rowan University as stepping-stone roles. Earning a Certified Clinical Research Associate credential while in school gives candidates without direct industry experience a measurable edge.
Where can I find and apply to research associate jobs in New Jersey?
You can find and apply to research associate jobs in New Jersey on Migrate Mate, which lists current openings across the state's pharmaceutical, biotech, and academic sectors. Migrate Mate surfaces roles from New Jersey employers so you can see what is available right now without sifting through outdated postings. Find roles that fit your background and apply directly.
See All 34 Research Associate Jobs in New Jersey
Find roles in New Jersey that match your experience and apply in just a few clicks.
Find Research Associate Jobs