Clinical Research Associate

About the Role As a Clinical Research Engagement Lead (CREL) at Roche, you will be the strategic partner and primary face of Roche Clinical Operations within your market, championing a "ONE Roche" approach to build high‑trust partnerships with clinical trial sites. Responsibilities Strategic Planning & Alignment – Develop and execute country‑level site engagement strategies, make investment decisions about investigators and sites, negotiate site budgets, track clinical grant payments, and forecast site‑level resource needs. Early Feasibility & Study Set‑Up – Conduct early strategic landscaping and site engagement during the protocol concept and study set‑up phases to identify optimal sites, evaluate country feasibility, and accelerate recruitment. Relationship Management & Site Support – Build deep multi‑stakeholder relationships at strategic sites, act as the site champion and primary point of contact, and maintain cross‑study consistency while addressing site needs. Issue Escalation & Performance Oversight – Serve as the local escalation point for study challenges, monitor investigator performance, support site visits to boost recruitment, and manage sensitive communications during premature site closures. Cross‑Functional Collaboration & Reporting – Partner seamlessly with internal teams (e.g., Medical Affairs, Study Start‑Up) and CROs, maintain meticulous documentation of site visits and interactions in central systems (e.g., Veeva), and provide unified site communication. Portfolio Oversight & Compliance – Oversee assigned local/global clinical studies by managing CRO performance, mitigating operational risks, ensuring eTMF completeness, and maintaining continuous inspection readiness. Digital Clinical Trial – Drive adoption of DCT and digital solutions (eConsent, eSource, Remote Data Entry, etc.), actively pursue and review digital tools with sites to examine challenges and provide solutions. Qualifications Degree (MD, PhD, MA/MS, BA/BS) in life sciences or equivalent. Minimum 5+ years of relevant clinical research or clinical operations experience in pharmaceutical, biotech, or related industry; sponsor experience preferred. Experience in end‑to‑end product development and expert understanding of ICH/GCP. Strong knowledge of end‑to‑end clinical trial processes, including monitoring, and clinical trial regulations and guidelines. Proven track record in managing site relationships and overseeing complex clinical trials. Exceptional interpersonal, cross‑functional, negotiation, and influencing skills with a history of building high‑trust, sustainable relationships. Strong communication skills, both oral and written. Ability and willingness to travel domestically between 30–50% as required. Preferred Qualifications Postgraduate or master’s degree (valued but not required). Prior direct experience working with local trial sites and an existing network within the regional healthcare ecosystem. High experience in early and late‑phase oncology. High experience across multiple disciplines/treatment areas in non‑oncology. Location & Travel This regional role requires applicants to reside within 30 miles of a major airport and within 50 miles of the primary location. Relocation benefits are not available. Compensation & Benefits The expected salary range for this position based on the primary location of St. Paul/Minneapolis, MN is $108,000 – $202,000, adjusted for experience, qualifications, geographic location, and other legal factors. A discretionary annual bonus may be available based on individual and company performance. The position also qualifies for the benefits detailed at the company benefits portal. EEO Statement Genentech, a member of the Roche group and a founder of the biotechnology industry, is an equal opportunity employer. We employ, promote, and treat all employees and applicants on the basis of merit, qualifications, and competence. The company's policy prohibits unlawful discrimination, including but not limited to discrimination on the basis of protected veteran status, individuals with disabilities, and all federal, state, or local laws. If you have a disability and need an accommodation in relation to the online application process, please contact us by completing the Acccommodations for Applicants form. #J-18808-Ljbffr