Principal - Life Sciences: Research & Development Strategy

About Charles River Associates

Charles River Associates is a leading global consulting firm that provides economic, financial, and business management expertise to major law firms, corporations and governments around the world. CRA advises clients on economic and financial matters pertaining to litigation and regulatory proceedings, and guides corporations through critical business strategy and performance-related issues. Since 1965, clients have engaged CRA for its combination of industry experience and rigorous, fact-based analysis that provide clients with clear, implementable solutions to complex business concerns.

Job Overview

CRA’s Life Sciences practice helps pharmaceutical, biotechnology, diagnostics and medical device companies achieve optimum performance across key aspects of their business, including innovation, commercial success, organization, and reputation, all for the long-term benefit of patients, clinicians, employees, and shareholders. We work with life sciences businesses directly as well as with their legal counsel, industry associations, government organizations, and advocacy groups from the earliest stages of research into new therapy areas, through product development, to the delivery of products that will achieve commercial success and fulfill the expectations of our clients and their key stakeholders.

Principals at CRA lead project teams with senior and junior consultants on a variety of client engagements. Successful candidates are experienced project managers with knowledge of the Life Sciences market. For this opening, the team is looking for someone with experience in drug discovery research strategy and operations, clinical drug development strategy and operations, and drug asset portfolio and project management, including:

• Clinical trial optimization and application of analytics and technologies to deliver insights for improved clinical portfolio and study execution decision making;
• Real world evidence strategies to both develop and differentiate candidate drugs;
• Patient centric clinical trials in eluding virtualization, in home technologies and diversity in patient populations;
• CRO strategy and operations.

A typical Principal would:

• Manage large projects profitably and to the client’s highest satisfaction, including effective project planning, execution, and budget management;
• Independently develop a conceptual framework for consulting projects and identify/design analytic tasks;
• Manage multiple client relationships to maximize long-term business potential;
• Assure a high level of demand for personal professional services over an extended period of time;
• Supervise and direct the work of team members: oversee analyses, provide coaching/direction, and ensure integrity of results;
• Maintain state-of-the-art knowledge base in selected areas to keep practice at leading edge;
• Undertake major business development efforts successfully with little or no assistance;
• Manage and contribute to the development of professional staff (training, recruiting, knowledge management).

Job Qualifications

• Experience in drug development operations including clinical trial management, clinical operations, regulatory affairs and operations, drug safety surveillance, pharmacovigilance, and clinical supplies.
• Ph.D. in life sciences (e.g., biology, biotechnology, biochemistry, pharmacology etc.) or MBA, with 7+ years relevant post-degree professional experience (consulting experience preferred);
• Alternately, a Bachelor's or Master's degree in a life sciences, business, Engineering or related quantitative discipline, with 9+ years relevant post-degree professional experience (consulting experience preferred);
• Strong skills in quantitative and qualitative analysis methods and techniques;
• Proven team and project management skills, including project planning, prioritization, and budgeting;
• Curious and analytic thinkers who bring creative approaches to non-standard problems;
• Exceptional written and oral communication skills for client interactions, meeting facilitation, and presentations;
• Demonstrated high level of initiative and leadership;
• Strong teamwork and collaboration capabilities;
• Business development experience;
• Ability to work independently with minimal supervision;
• Occasional travel required.

To Apply:

To be considered for this position, we require the following:

• Resume – please include current address, personal email and telephone number;
• Cover letter – please describe your interest in CRA and how this role matches your goals.

Work Location Flexibility

CRA creates a work environment that enables our colleagues to benefit from being together in the office to best deliver on our promise of career growth, mentorship and inclusivity. At the same time, we realize that individuals realize a range of benefits when working from home periodically. We currently ask that individuals spend 3 to 4 days a week on average working in the office (which may include traveling to another CRA office or to a client's location), with specific days determined in coordination with your practice or team. At certain times of the year (e.g. holiday periods), additional remote work options are offered to those whose work commitments permit it, although our offices remain open for those who choose or need to be there.

Our Commitment to Diversity

Charles River Associates is an equal opportunity employer (EOE/AAE). As part of our focus on equity and inclusion, we work to ensure a fair and consistent hiring process. We celebrate diversity and we are committed to an inclusive work environment.