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Study Start-Up Specialist

Compresses the months between protocol final and first-patient-in.

Also known as: SSU Specialist · Site Activation Lead

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Salary band (US)
$80k–$125k
Salary band (UK)
£40k–£70k
Typical YoE
2–6 years

What the role is

SSU specialists drive the activities that get sites live: regulatory submissions, ethics approvals, contract and budget negotiation, essential document collection. A specialist function in larger CROs because activation timelines drive trial economics.

A typical day

  • Negotiate a CTA with a top-3 academic site
  • Track essential-document collection for 25 sites
  • Country-level regulatory submission status check
  • IRB/IEC submission for a protocol amendment
  • Site activation forecast update

Required skills

CTA / budget negotiationCountry regulatory pathwaysEssential documentsIRB/IEC submissionsActivation forecasting

Certifications that matter

Career ladder

Junior
SSU Associate
This role
SSU Specialist
Next
SSU Lead → Activation Manager → CTM

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