In-Demand Entry-Level Roles (and What They Do) | Duke Clinical and Translational Science Institute

Researcher interviewing a research subject

Entering clinical research typically means starting in one of a few key entry-level roles. While job titles vary across organizations, below are some common roles for recent graduates, all of which are increasingly available in NC and VA (as trials expand, so do these support positions):

Clinical Research Coordinator (CRC) – CRCs are the backbone of research at hospitals and clinics, handling day-to-day study conduct. They consent patients, schedule study visits, collect data, and ensure the study protocol is followed on-site. In NC/VA, CRCs are in high demand at academic medical centers and research institutes – every active trial needs a coordinator. Many undergrads start as entry-level CRCs because it’s patient-facing and a great learning role. (Demand trend: very high).
Clinical Trial Assistant (CTA) – CTAs (sometimes called Clinical Research Assistants) provide administrative support to the trial team. They help with regulatory documents, maintain study files, coordinate meetings, and track supplies. This role is often found in contract research organizations (CROs) or pharma companies. It’s an entry stepping-stone position – demand is strong as companies ramp up more studies and need diligent organizers behind the scenes. (Demand: high).
Regulatory Coordinator – Regulatory Coordinators focus on the regulatory side of clinical research, helping to ensure trials have approvals and follow FDA and ethics guidelines. With more trials in complex areas (gene therapy, etc.), the need for regulatory expertise is rising. Many NC/VA pharma and biotech companies are hiring these coordinators to manage submissions to the FDA and IRBs. It’s slightly less common as a first job than CRC/CTA, but still entry-level in larger organizations. (Demand: growing).
Clinical Data Coordinator – Data Coordinators help oversee the clinical trial databases – they make sure all the patient data collected are entered correctly and cleaned for analysis. As trials go digital (electronic data capture, remote sensors), data roles are expanding quickly. In NC’s tech-centric research companies and VA’s research centers, there’s a boom in hiring for data coordinators to handle the influx of trial data. This role is great if you have a knack for tech or stats. (Demand: high).

Learn more about any or all of these roles on the sites below:

Role	Outlook (Demand)	Growth Potential	Major Hiring Organizations (NC & VA)
Clinical Research Coordinator (CRC) Manages day-to-day study operations; works with patients	Very high demand. NC & VA expecting ~18–19% growth in CRC jobs in short term. CRCs are considered the “backbone” of site research – hospitals and clinics are constantly hiring CRCs for ongoing and new studies	Advancement: With ~2+ years’ experience, move up to Senior CRC or transition to Clinical Research Associate (CRA) (monitoring trials). Many CRCs become CRAs, which boosts salary (CRAs often start ~$67K and can exceed $100K in a few years). Certifications like ACRP’s CCRC can further accelerate promotion.	Academia & Hospitals: Duke Health, UNC Health, VCU Medical Center, UVA Health (each runs many trials). CROs/Biotechs: IQVIA, Syneos Health, Parexel, PPD (Thermo Fisher), Labcorp (Fortrea) – all have NC operations and hire entry CRCs for site networks. In Virginia, institutions like VCU and UVA have large research offices hiring CRCs, alongside biotech firms around Richmond/NOVA.
Clinical Trial Assistant (CTA) Provides admin support to research projects	High demand, especially at CROs and pharma companies. As more trials start, CTAs are needed to support project teams. CTAs/CRAs were among roles with projected ~19% growth in NC. Employers actively recruit science graduates into CTA roles to build talent pipeline.	Advancement: Common next step is to become a CRC or move into trial management. Many CTAs get promoted to CRC or Clinical Trial Coordinator within ~1–2 years, which raises pay into the $50–60K range. With further experience, one can aim for CRA or Project Manager roles. (CTA experience provides broad exposure that is valued in promotions.)	CROs: IQVIA, Parexel, Syneos, ICON – all major CROs in RTP and VA hire CTAs for their study teams. Pharma/Biotech: Big pharma companies (GSK, Novartis) and local biotechs often have CTA or project assistant roles. Universities: Large research universities (e.g., UNC, Duke) sometimes hire “clinical research assistants” (akin to CTAs) to help manage studies.
Regulatory Coordinator Helps ensure trial regulatory compliance	Growing demand. Every clinical trial must navigate FDA and ethics approvals, and employers are expanding regulatory teams to handle more trials. NC’s huge biotech sector (500+ companies) means lots of openings for regulatory coordinators. Virginia’s proximity to D.C. (FDA, NIH) also creates opportunities. Entry-level regulatory roles are increasing as companies prioritize compliance.	Advancement: Progression to Regulatory Affairs (RA) Associate in ~3–5 years. With experience and perhaps a Regulatory Affairs Certification (RAC), RA professionals can earn six-figure salaries. There’s also lateral mobility – some regulatory professionals move into clinical operations or project management since they understand the trial process deeply. Overall growth potential in regulatory is high, given ever-evolving compliance needs.	Pharma/Biotech Companies: e.g., GSK and Biogen (RTP NC), AstraZeneca (has VA operations), and countless NC biotechs need RA staff. CROs: CROs like IQVIA and PPD have regulatory services divisions hiring new regulatory coordinators. Academia: Universities (Duke, UNC, VCU) often employ regulatory coordinators for investigator-led trials. These can be entry roles that provide great experience in compliance.
Clinical Data Coordinator Helps manage trial databases and data quality	High demand and rising. With the shift to electronic data capture and big data in trials, data coordinators are among the hot hires. NC’s clinical research outlook highlights data management as a key skill gap – organizations specifically seek talent to ensure data integrity. Both NC and VA (especially companies in the BioIT sector) are investing in data teams. Entry-level Data Coordinators are a common opening now, feeding into Data Manager roles.	Advancement: From data coordinator -> Clinical Data Manager -> Lead Data Manager or Clinical Data Scientist. Because data roles are technical, salary growth is strong: 5-8 years of experience can yield $100K+ in this field. Some Data Managers also transition into biostatistics or clinical programming roles (with further education). In the era of big data, having clinical data expertise can fast-track you into senior analytical positions.	CROs: All major CROs (e.g., Labcorp Drug Development [Fortrea] in NC, ICON and Syneos in VA) hire many data coordinators/managers. Pharma/Biotech: Large sponsors (e.g., Pfizer, Lilly) often have data management hubs in NC’s RTP. Health Systems: Hospital research networks (Duke, UNC, Inova in VA) also recruit data specialists to manage trial data locally.

Key Trend: Across all these roles, employers in NC and VA are increasingly looking for candidates with foundational training or certification in clinical research. This region is even seeing job postings requiring ICH-GCP knowledge or completion of a certification program. The good news is, as an undergrad, you can meet this by pursuing some targeted education (see resources below).