Senior Regulatory Affairs Associate

Senior Regulatory Affairs Associate

Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center is an independent, nonprofit organization providing adult cancer treatment and groundbreaking research focused on cancer and infectious diseases. Based in Seattle, Fred Hutch is the only National Cancer Institute-designated cancer center in Washington.

With a track record of global leadership in bone marrow transplantation, HIV/AIDS prevention, immunotherapy and COVID-19 vaccines, Fred Hutch has earned a reputation as one of the world's leading cancer, infectious disease and biomedical research centers.

Fred Hutch operates eight clinical care sites that provide medical oncology, infusion, radiation, proton therapy and related services, and network affiliations with hospitals in five states. Together, our fully integrated research and clinical care teams seek to discover new cures to the world's deadliest diseases and make life beyond cancer a reality.

At Fred Hutch we value collaboration, compassion, determination, excellence, innovation, integrity and respect. Our mission is directly tied to the humanity, dignity and inherent value of each employee, patient, community member and supporter. Our commitment to learning across our differences and similarities make us stronger.

We seek employees who bring different and innovative ways of seeing the world and solving problems.

The Senior Regulatory Affairs Associate works with faculty and staff in the Infectious Disease Sciences (IDS) Program in the Vaccine and Infectious Disease Division to ensure all regulatory compliance measures are followed for clinical trials by coordinating regulatory submissions and monitoring as well as assisting with the resolution of compliance issues. The position is expected to work independently within a framework of established regulations and guidelines, and demonstrate initiative and sound judgment in problem solving, providing regulatory guidance and developing policies and procedures. Responsible for preparing IRB documents and FDA correspondence, maintaining regulatory files, and facilitates regulatory oversight for all related studies.

This position has significant interactions with the PI(s), other team members, internal departments and external organizations and agencies. The position reports to the Senior Project Manager in the IDS Program.

Responsibilities

• Prepare, track and maintain all correspondence and regulatory documentation required by the IRB, FDA, sponsors, and other institutional and federal oversight committees, including drafting and reviewing content as appropriate.
• Submit all regulatory documents to the IRB and other governing bodies to maintain study compliance with GCP, institutional and federal regulations.
• Maintain study regulatory binders and electronic files e.g. SharePoint, OneDrive, OnCore.
• Perform internal audit and quality assurance checks on regulatory documents.
• With input from PIs, study team, draft initial clinical research informed consent forms and study documents.
• Lead study start-up: prepare and submit all required regulatory documents for new study applications; successfully open new studies from inception to accrual.
• Prepare and present materials for monitoring visits; may serve as primary point of contact during visits.
• Independently follow-up and resolve all issues related to regulatory concerns identified during monitoring visits.
• Prepare and submit modifications/amendments, and continuing renewals for ongoing study maintenance in a timely manner.
• Conduct study close-out. Be responsible for archiving regulatory documents/records, ensuring that all files are prepared for off-site storage in accordance with FDA, other applicable regulatory guidelines and program SOP.
• Process IND external safety reports, maintain documentation of PI review and submit safety reports to the IRB as appropriate.
• Report non-compliance and unanticipated problems to the IRB as applicable.
• Serve as primary regulatory resource for PIs, sponsors, a study team, providing guidance on regulatory statuses, approvals and instructions regarding patient consent.
• Serve as liaison for internal regulatory bodies (IRB, Clinical Research Support, Regulatory Affairs, etc.).
• Stay abreast of new impacts/areas of knowledge and regulatory changes and disseminate this knowledge to the study/operations team. Work with IRB team and IDS leadership to develop standard operating procedures (SOPs).
• Identify, develop and implement any necessary revisions to related policies and procedures.
• Work with fiscal team/PI/study team regarding funding proposals, annual progress reports.
• Coordinate and manage the regulatory documents from each participating site for studies where IDS serves as the IRB of record (coordinating center). Also track sites' annual continuing reviews and alert sites to upcoming expirations to prevent lapses from occurring.
• Assist with the maintenance and management of the regulatory tracking and archive systems (e.g. SharePoint, Clinical Trials Management System, shared network drive, etc.).
• Write and prepare regulatory submissions including applications, renewals, amendments, consent forms, safety reports, study updates, etc. in accordance with required timelines.
• Prepare and coordinate site registration materials/submissions and assist with communications with sponsors and contract research organizations (CROs).
• Assist in the development of project/study policies and procedures. Administer policies and procedures according to protocol, regulatory, and lab safety policies.
• In partnership with the PI, prepare and track all clinical activity documents including IRB/IBC/site registration approvals, safety reports, deviations, laboratory certifications, staff training & licenses, monitoring notices and reports, inspections & compliance, etc.
• Assure the proper management, retention, and version control of all applicable regulatory documentation including master files and amendments.
• Assist in the coordination of project activities to ensure they follow timelines and meet deadlines.
• Assist in the development of research materials.
• Perform information searches related to studies and projects.
• Use judgment to interpret and apply federal and local regulations regarding clinical research.
• Serve as regulatory liaison for interdepartmental and external agencies including, but not limited to Office for Human Research Protections (OHRP), Regulatory Affairs Branch (RAB), Fred Hutch Cancer Center's Institutional Review Office and other research institutions site IRBs.
• In conjunction with other IDS Regulatory staff, facilitate and track trial protocols through all applicable review and approval processes including, but not limited to FDA, IRBs, RAB, and in-country agencies.
• Ensure that participating research sites have complied with all applicable regulatory requirements of the site registration process.
• Provide regulatory oversight on safety reporting for the IDS Program and related studies.
• Assist in compiling materials needed for investigational new drug (IND), submissions, IND safety reports, and annual reports as required.
• Design, develop and implement SOPs that ensures the IDS Program conducts its regulatory activities in accordance with FDA/ICH regulations and guidance documents.
• Serve as an internal resource to address and resolve any questions or issues of a regulatory nature.
• Prepare and submit regulatory documents, as well as manage the regulatory archive.
• Monitor, interpret and validate current and changing regulatory legislation and instructional polices, and ensure new regulations or changes to existing regulations are communicated throughout IDS to faculty and staff, and share potential impact these changes may have on ongoing protocols.
• Manage sites who utilize the Fred Hutch IRB as the IRB of Record.
• Provide expert review of non-lead IRB sites consent forms and other applicable regulatory documents.
• Coordinate with others, as appropriate, to resolve highly complex or extraordinary regulatory problems that may arise.
• Provide advice and counsel to the IDS faculty and staff and participating research institutions regarding regulatory requirements.
• Identify potential regulatory risks to the operational plans of the IDS Program and propose options to mitigate risks.
• Perform other tasks as assigned.

Qualifications

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS:

• Bachelor's of Science in Life Sciences.
• At least 5-7 years of experience working within the regulatory environment or related field with emphasis on INDs and IDEs in a pharmaceutical, biotechnology, or academic clinical research setting.
• Extensive and current working knowledge of FDA regulations, GCP, and International Conference on Harmonization guidelines.
• Honed knowledge of clinical trial safety issues.
• Excellent interpersonal skills and attention to detail.
• Professional Society Certification (RAC) and background in pharmaceutical regulatory affairs or law strongly desired.

PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS:

• Master's degree in regulatory affairs.
• Certified IRB Professional (CIP) certification.
• Previous clinical research regulatory coordinator experience working within Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center or University of Washington's institutional regulatory system.
• Previous experience working with on-line/web-based platforms for clinical trial management systems.
• Knowledge of regulations and guidelines that govern clinical research, including but not limited to FDA regulations and