Research Clinical Director - Doctorate

Benefits:

• Health insurance
• Paid time off
• Vision insurance
• 401(k) matching
• Bonus based on performance
• Dental insurance

Pacific Neuropsychiatric Specialists (PNS) is seeking an experienced and dedicated research professional to join our growing team. We are a community-focused, outpatient mental health group serving diverse and underserved populations. Combining the rigor of academic research with direct community impact, we strive to advance the most evidence-based and specialized treatments in psychiatric care-including for Medicaid and Medicare populations. In addition to subspecialized psychiatry services, such as interventional psychiatry, substance use, and child and adolescent psychiatry, we have a robust research division driving cutting-edge innovations in clinical treatments and pharmacologic development. This is an excellent opportunity for a leading researcher who values collaborative research, scientific integrity, and an academically enriching environment.

Job Summary

The Research Clinical Director will serve as a senior research investigator within a growing portfolio of phase II-IV pharmaceutical-sponsored clinical studies . This individual will play a central leadership role across studies spanning multiple psychiatric indications, contributing to the design, execution, and participant oversight of sponsor-initiated trials. The position includes responsibilities managing and overseeing current active trials and potentially serving as the Principal Investigator on future studies, with accountability for regulatory compliance, protocol adherence, and patient safety. This role is well suited for a researcher seeking to lead high-impact psychiatric trials in a dynamic outpatient research setting. An excellent candidate will have 1) scientific credibility, 2) operational excellence in enrollment, retention, data quality, and regulatory compliance, and 3) effectiveness in communication, responsiveness, and consistent delivery across studies.

• Serve as the site's primary research authority and accountable investigator for assigned pharmaceutical-sponsored psychiatric trials, with final responsibility for participant safety and protocol integrity.
• Provide clinical oversight and sign-off on participant eligibility, informed consent, and any protocol deviations or safety events across assigned studies.
• Liaison research operations director to direct and supervise the study team - including coordinators, sub-investigators, and raters - ensuring protocol compliance and high-quality data across assigned studies.
• Serve as the primary point of contact for sponsors, CROs, and regulatory agencies; represent the site in investigator meetings, site initiation visits, and monitoring interactions.
• Exercise clinical judgment on adverse events, serious adverse events (SAEs), and participant discontinuations in coordination with the sponsor medical monitor.
• Maintain accurate and complete investigator records and ensure assigned studies operate in full compliance with ICH-GCP, FDA, and IRB requirements.

Qualifications
Mandatory Qualifications:

• Doctorate in a related field (e.g., PhD, PsyD, DSc, or other doctorate in Psychology, Neuroscience, Biology, Chemistry, or Psychopharmacology or related field) from an accredited program
• No disciplinary action or license restriction
• Minimum 2 years of clinical research experience, including experience as a PI or sub-PI on pharmaceutical-sponsored trials
• Demonstrated knowledge of ICH-GCP guidelines, FDA regulations, and IRB/ethics submission processes
• Supervisory and management experience in managing prior labs

Preferred Qualifications:

• Current licensure for independent clinical practice (if direct participant assessments or clinical evaluations are required)

Why Join PNS?

• Shape the future of clinical care through clinical research directly impacting patients
• Be part of a mission-driven organization committed to serving the underserved and providing exceptional quality care.
• Work in a supportive interdisciplinary team environment.
• Competitive compensation and benefits package, including generous matching 401K, medical, dental, vision, and paid time-off.

Compensation: $185,000.00 - $225,000.00 per year

Pacific Neuropsychiatric Specialists specializes in high quality mental health care for patients of all ages, offering advanced diagnosis and treatment for a wide range of psychiatric conditions, including anxiety, depression, ADHD, trauma, and other complex mental health conditions.

PNS was founded on a simple conviction: every person deserves access to compassionate, expert psychiatric care. Our roots trace back over 30 years to groundbreaking psychiatric research, and since 2006, that same commitment has grown PNS into one of Southern California's largest outpatient psychiatric groups.

In 2024, ATP Clinical Research became part of PNS, and Dr. Gustavo Alva joined as Medical Director, Clinical Research, making PNS one of the largest community based psychiatric research programs in the country.

Today, we're Southern California's trusted name in high quality mental health care, and we're growing: 60+ full-time providers, 200+ clinical trials, and 8 locations across the region.

Whether you're providing direct patient care, supporting groundbreaking research, or helping run one of our clinics, you'll be part of a team that treats children, teenagers, and adults facing anxiety, depression, PTSD, bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, postpartum depression, dementia, and more.

Come grow with us. We're looking for people who want their work to matter.