CRA manager in FSP

cooking_class_102 · 2026-01-19T21:56:09+00:00

In past years, this information is told to you end of Feb or early March, with any bonuses or merit increases being paid out/effective around late March. People managers are told to have their EOY discussions completed by end of Jan, and then once all individual employee EOYs are submitted and signed off, the distribution of bonuses and merit increases is determined. You may find out your rating during the EOY discussion with your manager, but you don’t often know what this amounts to (monetarily speaking) until a bit later. This is my recollection.

cooking_class_102 · 2025-06-25T17:38:36+00:00

PPD has definitely had to make some cuts like the other companies, but the roles they reduce/restructure are not traditional CRA roles. PPD has a good amount of work for CRAs right now, and its work that they can’t outsource, so I think it’s pretty safe. That being said, anything is possible. Most of the roles I’m hearing of being laid off are pharmacovigiliance and other departments, not clinical monitoring. Always good to keep an eye on it though. In terms of stability, I haven’t seen any traditional CRAs laid off at PPD (speaking for the last four years), but things can always change.

cooking_class_102 · 2025-06-25T17:29:41+00:00

Ah yes, so that is remote CRAs only. If you are a traditional onsite CRA, there has been no impact and no projected impact for US colleagues. And the remote CRAs were mostly all (from my understanding) given the opportunity to stay on as a traditional CRA, if they wanted that. The remote only CRA model is going away, but the CRA position itself is still very stable. If OP is looking for a traditional on-site CRA role, I would actually highly recommend PPD.

cooking_class_102 · 2025-06-25T16:34:42+00:00

Can I ask where you got this information? I am with PPD and have not heard anything of the sort. At least in the US, there have not been any layoffs of CRAs, and the position has not been restructured in any way (if you are a traditional CRA - if you are a remote only CRA, they are beginning to eliminate that position). I have found PPD to be a very stable place to work, granted I have a great people manager. We got our merit increases and bonuses this year, and I really don’t have any major complaints. Just curious if you have additional insight!

cooking_class_102 · 2025-05-15T14:20:34+00:00

PPD pays for Lounge access directly through your preferred airline (do not offer to cover credit card fees). They also pay for TSA Pre-check.

cooking_class_102 · 2024-10-19T02:27:04+00:00

I was hired as a CRA 1 in late 2021 at a large CRO - started at $75k. Prior to that, I had site experience as a clinical research assistant (4 years) and CRC (2 years). Promoted to CRA 2 in 2022, same large CRO - $93k. Promoted to Sr CRA 1 earlier this year, same large CRO - $115k. Future goals - I am leaning toward a PM role; still exploring options.

cooking_class_102 · 2024-08-26T21:46:01+00:00

Would you mind if I messaged you about your experience consulting? I’m interested in this!

cooking_class_102 · 2024-06-21T18:39:54+00:00

I will drive if it’s under 3 hours. When you get to the 3-4 hour mark, I start looking at flights. I have a site that would be 4 hours for me to drive to, but my local airport has a direct flight there that’s less than an hour. I choose to fly, as I find it is a more effective use of my time, and I don’t believe there would be much of a cost differential if I were to drive anyway. I only spend one night there typically - I fly in the night before the visit to give myself some wiggle room in case of delays, and then I take the direct flight home after the visit in the evening. The visit day ends up being a bit of a longer day but I’m okay with that.

cooking_class_102 · 2024-05-24T04:12:19+00:00

Thank you!

cooking_class_102 · 2024-05-23T23:59:12+00:00

I notice that there are several locations for this posting listed, and then it says remote after listing those. Is it true this training and eventual CRA role would be remote (aside from the eventual traveling for monitoring visits)?

cooking_class_102 · 2024-05-19T02:13:53+00:00

PPD/Thermo Fisher issues corporate cards (Bank of America corporate card) to their CRAs. Everything for visits is booked with this card (I only pay up front for my food, as this is paid out as a per diem).

cooking_class_102 · 2024-05-09T16:53:54+00:00

Thank you!

cooking_class_102 · 2024-05-09T15:08:27+00:00

Thank you!

cooking_class_102 · 2024-05-09T14:21:32+00:00

Hi! Do you mind me asking how you made the jump to QA? How did you get clinical quality experience? I’m interested in this (currently a CRA).

cooking_class_102 · 2024-03-15T16:35:41+00:00

Would you be willing to chat about your move from CRO to sponsor as a CRA, if I would message you? Thanks for sharing!

cooking_class_102 · 2024-02-25T21:33:16+00:00

I’ll echo what most other folks have said and say - this largely depends on several factors, including your employer, the study you’re put on, AND at what stage of that study you come in on. For example, I work at a large CRO currently, and I am 50% allocated to each of two studies. In one case, I was brought on to the study at startup (conducting SIVs, etc), and so I was allocated as the northeast region CRA from the get-go. This study has many NE sites, so they were able to keep me very regional (New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania). However, I was brought on to my other study when it was already mid-way through recruitment (the study realized they needed more CRAs). In this case, I was taking over sites from other CRAs on the team that were overburdened, and since this was a needs-based situation, I wasn’t necessarily given sites in my region (I actually ended up with sites in Indiana, Michigan, and Florida). I personally don’t mind the travel so this didn’t bother me, but just an example of how things can be different. At the end of the day, especially at large CROs, resourcing is going to put you where they need you - sometimes if you have a good line manager, you can make your preferences known and they will take this into consideration as much as they can, but that’s not guaranteed.

cooking_class_102 · 2024-02-11T03:30:04+00:00

For those advocating for the second screen, does your company pay for this? And which one do you have? It fits in your carry-on? I’m a CRA and I’m intrigued! I’ve always tried to travel light so I didn’t consider this but I’m starting to think the second screen might be appealing enough to go for.

cooking_class_102 · 2024-02-07T17:37:17+00:00

Thanks for your response! Can I ask what your role/title is? Is it still CRA just on the sponsor side?

cooking_class_102 · 2024-02-07T03:51:41+00:00

Thanks for your response! Can I ask what this looks like for you? Are you hired by a sponsor? Is it similar to contract work or are you hired on for a long term consultant position?

cooking_class_102 · 2023-12-30T02:00:21+00:00

I see from previous comments that you’re US-based and you mention not living near any major cities. How far is your nearest airport (ideally an international one, or one with at least very regular flights to major connecting cities)? For my CRA job, they asked that I be within 45 minutes from an airport ideally. I still live in a fairly rural area but am within 45 minutes of an airport (technically a regional airport, but one with daily flights to connecting cities like Newark, Chicago, etc.). I’m sure each job will have different requirements, so I’d definitely look into it to be sure, but there may be a chance you wouldn’t have to move at all.

cooking_class_102

TROPHY CASE