Research Ethics Coordinator

Career Guide

A Research Ethics Coordinator helps ensure that research involving people, their data, or biological samples follows ethical standards and required approvals. They support researchers in preparing submissions, guide them through review processes, track ongoing compliance, and help protect participant rights and safety.

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Key Responsibilities

Guide researchers on ethics requirements and review pathways
Support preparation of ethics applications and supporting documents
Coordinate review meetings and communicate reviewer feedback
Track approvals, renewals, and study changes
Review consent materials for clarity and participant protections
Monitor compliance with approved protocols during the study
Manage reports of issues such as protocol deviations and adverse events
Maintain records, audit trails, and documentation standards
Train staff on ethical conduct and required procedures
Collaborate with legal, privacy, and data protection partners when needed

Top Skills for Success

Written Communication

Stakeholder Management

Attention to Detail

Process Improvement

Training Facilitation

Research Methods Literacy

Privacy Awareness

Clinical Research Familiarity

Human Subjects Protections

Informed Consent Review

Protocol Review

Regulatory Documentation

Ethics Submission Management

Compliance Monitoring

Career Progression

Can Lead To

Research Ethics Coordinator

IRB Analyst

Regulatory Specialist

Clinical Research Coordinator

Transition Opportunities

IRB Manager

Research Compliance Manager

Clinical Trials Manager

Research Operations Manager

Privacy Program Specialist

Quality Assurance Specialist

Common Skill Gaps

Often Missing Skills

IRB Submission Systems ExperienceQuality ManagementAudit ReadinessMetrics ReportingRisk AssessmentConflict of Interest Review

Development SuggestionsBuild experience with common ethics review workflows, practice writing clear submission narratives, learn basic quality and audit preparation, and develop simple reporting habits to track turnaround times and compliance milestones.

Market Intelligence Report

Research Ethics Coordinator is part of the Compliance category.Explore our market intelligence report to see how AI and hiring demand are shifting for these roles.

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Salary & Demand

Median Salary Range

Entry LevelUSD 50,000 to 68,000

Mid LevelUSD 68,000 to 88,000

Senior LevelUSD 88,000 to 115,000

Growth Trend

Steady demand, driven by expanding clinical research, increased data privacy expectations, and stronger oversight of human subjects research.

Companies Hiring

Major Employers

Academic Medical CentersUniversitiesHospitalsContract Research OrganizationsBiotechnology CompaniesPharmaceutical CompaniesGovernment Research InstitutesIndependent Review Boards

Industry Sectors

HealthcareHigher EducationLife SciencesClinical ResearchGovernmentNonprofit Research

Recommended Next Steps

Review the Belmont principles and common human research ethics requirements

Complete recognized human subjects protection training

Create a checklist for new study submissions and ongoing study maintenance

Practice reviewing consent documents for readability and participant protections

Learn one common IRB submission system through demos or sandbox access

Develop a simple tracker for renewals, amendments, and issue reporting

Conduct an informational interview with an IRB office or research compliance team

Update your resume to highlight compliance coordination, documentation, and stakeholder communication