Occupations and Terms of Reference › Clinical researcher
Universal terms of reference · POS-221 · version 1.0 · status: draft · next review 2027-10-27
Clinical researcher
To design and run clinical research, so that studies are rigorous, ethical and produce evidence that improves care.
Each part of this page links to the related trainings, competencies and policies. The links are the same for every facility, so an organisation can see at a glance what a role requires and what it is trained in.
Job description
Job summary. You design and run clinical studies. You write protocols, recruit participants, collect and analyse data, and report results.
Reports to: Director of research.
Leads or supervises: No direct reports.
What you do on a typical day
- Write and update study protocols.
- Recruit and consent participants.
- Collect and check study data.
- Analyse data and write results.
- Report progress and safety events on time.
Working conditions and demands
- Strict protocol and ethics rules.
- Patient safety in every study.
- Deadlines set by funders.
What good looks like
- Protocols are followed.
- Data is accurate and complete.
- Results are reported on time.
Place in the organogram
Reporting line, from the top: see the organogram on the Occupations page. The lines above and below this role are listed in section 3.
1. Golden rules
These rules apply in every setting.
- Patients are treated with dignity, respect and privacy at every step.
- Accurate information is given to patients and families, in a language they understand.
- Confidential information is protected and used only for care, legal and agreed purposes.
- Safety comes first: errors are reported, reviewed and learned from without blame.
- Medicines, records and appointments are handled to the standard, every time.
- Anyone can raise a concern without fear of reprisal.
- Waiting and flow are managed fairly, with patients kept informed.
- Work is done to written procedures, and deviations are reported.
2. Identification
| Item | Detail |
|---|---|
| Position code | POS-221 |
| ISCO-08 | 2149 (skill level 4) |
| ESCO | to map |
| Department | Education and research |
| Facility types | Hospital, Ambulatory, Transport, Medevac, Fitness, Aesthetic |
3. Reporting line and working relationships
Reports to: POS-220. Supervises: .
| Works with | Nature of the relationship |
|---|---|
| Director of research | Study priorities. |
| Ethics committee secretary | Approvals and reporting. |
| Clinical team | Patient recruitment and care. |
4. Key accountabilities
| Domain | Accountability | Evidence of delivery | Checked | Linked competencies | Linked trainings | Linked policies | Standards |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Protocols | Runs studies to protocol. | Protocol deviations reported | Monthly | C-01 | T-06 | – | 2 |
| Data | Keeps study data accurate and complete. | Data queries closed on time | Monthly | C-02 | T-04 | POL-DATA | 2 |
| Participants | Consents participants and reports safety events on time. | Consent records complete; safety events reported in time | Monthly | C-03 | T-04 · T-05 | POL-INC · POL-DATA | 2 |
5. Decision rights
| The post holder decides | Consults or escalates |
|---|---|
| Study conduct within the protocol | Serious safety events (director of research and ethics committee) |
| Order of study visits within the protocol | Protocol changes needed during a study (director of research) |
6. Qualifications and experience
| ID | Qualification | Mandatory | Validity |
|---|---|---|---|
| Q-01 | Degree in a health, science or research field | Yes | Lifetime |
| Q-02 | Good clinical practice certificate | Yes | Lifetime |
| ID | Experience | Minimum years | Mandatory |
|---|---|---|---|
| E-01 | Clinical research experience | 3 | Yes |
7. Training requirements
Recommended common practice. Each facility adapts the list to its national law. Essential items apply in every setting; recommended items apply where resources allow.
| ID | Training | Tier | When | Validity | Linked policies | Linked competencies |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| T-01 | Facility induction | essential | at_entry | Once | POL-WHISTLE · POL-EQUAL · POL-DATA | – |
| T-02 | Safeguarding adults | essential | periodic | Every 3 year(s) | POL-SAFEG | – |
| T-03 | Safeguarding children | essential | periodic | Every 3 year(s) | POL-SAFEG | – |
| T-04 | Data protection and confidentiality | essential | annual | Every 1 year(s) | POL-DATA | C-02 · C-03 |
| T-05 | Incident reporting and open disclosure | essential | periodic | Every 2 year(s) | POL-INC | C-03 |
| T-06 | Governance, accountability and assurance | recommended | periodic | Every 3 year(s) | – | C-01 |
| T-07 | Emergency and major incident command | essential | annual | Every 1 year(s) | POL-INC | – |
| T-08 | Speaking up, inclusion and equality leadership | essential | periodic | Every 2 year(s) | POL-WHISTLE · POL-EQUAL | – |
8. Health, fitness and language
| ID | Requirement | Frequency | Tier | Minimum in low-resource settings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| H-01 | Immunity to vaccine-preventable diseases relevant to the setting, documented at entry | At entry or as set | essential | Documented hepatitis B status at entry |
| H-02 | Tuberculosis screening at entry, then as the national rule requires | At entry or as set | essential | Symptom screening at entry and after exposure |
| H-03 | Fitness-to-work assessment at entry and after serious illness or injury | Every 12 months | recommended | Fitness check at entry |
| Language | Level | Mandatory |
|---|---|---|
| Official language of the country of practice | professional | Yes |
| English | working | Yes |
9. Competencies by level
| ID | Competency | Foundation | Practitioner | Expert | Assessed by | Revalidate | Linked trainings |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| C-01 | Study design and protocols | Follows protocols | Designs a study | Designs study portfolios | Protocol review | Every 12 months | T-06 |
| C-02 | Data collection and analysis | Collects data | Analyses data | Designs data standards | Data audit | Every 12 months | T-04 |
| C-03 | Consent and participant safety | Consents participants | Reports safety events | Designs participant safety systems | Safety audit | Every 12 months | T-04 · T-05 |
10. Performance evaluation
- Probation: 6 months, with a sign-off review (recommended value).
- Appraisal: every 12 months against the competencies and indicators below.
| ID | Indicator | Target | Data source | Frequency |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| PI-01 | Protocol deviations reported | 100% | deviation log | Monthly |
| PI-02 | Data queries closed on time | 95% or more | query log | Monthly |
| PI-03 | Safety events reported in time | 100% | safety log | Monthly |
11. Career ladder and promotion
| Level | Role | Minimum experience to move on | Qualifications | Competency minimums | Trainings required | Assessment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Executive | Clinical researcher | 3 years (recommended) | Q-01, Q-02 | C-01 practitioner, C-03 practitioner | T-04 · T-05 | Executive appointment and performance review |
12. Policies the post holder follows
Each policy is a standard template that the facility adopts and adapts. Templates are maintained centrally, so every facility works from the same version.
POL-SAFEG · Safeguarding adults and children
Purpose: Protect patients from abuse, neglect and harm, and make sure every concern is recognised and acted on.
Scope: All staff, volunteers and contractors.
Key rules:
Scope: All staff, volunteers and contractors.
Key rules:
- Recognise signs of abuse and neglect and record them factually.
- Report every concern to the designated safeguarding lead the same shift.
- Do not investigate alone.
- Share information only as the safeguarding procedure allows.
POL-DATA · Data protection and confidentiality
Purpose: Keep patient and staff information private, secure and used only for care and legal purposes.
Scope: All staff who access records or systems.
Key rules:
Scope: All staff who access records or systems.
Key rules:
- Access only the records needed for your work.
- Keep records secure; do not leave screens or paper unattended.
- Do not share information without a lawful basis.
- Report any breach to the data protection officer within 24 hours.
Linked trainings: T-10 · Review every 12 months · Template 0.1 (draft)
POL-WHISTLE · Speaking up (whistleblowing)
Purpose: Let staff raise patient safety or conduct concerns without fear of reprisal.
Scope: All staff.
Key rules:
Scope: All staff.
Key rules:
- Raise a concern with your line manager or the named speaking-up officer.
- If that route fails, escalate to the board or the national regulator.
- Retaliation against anyone who speaks up is a disciplinary offence.
- Concerns are recorded, investigated and the outcome given to the person raising them.
Linked trainings: T-01 · Review every 12 months · Template 0.1 (draft)
POL-EQUAL · Equality, diversity and inclusion
Purpose: Give every patient and colleague fair access, respectful treatment and reasonable adjustments.
Scope: All staff and patients.
Key rules:
Scope: All staff and patients.
Key rules:
- Treat every person with dignity regardless of background.
- Make reasonable adjustments, including interpreters, for language and disability.
- Report discrimination through the speaking-up route.
- Monitor access and outcomes by group.
Linked trainings: T-01 · Review every 24 months · Template 0.1 (draft)
POL-INC · Incident reporting and open disclosure
Purpose: Report and learn from incidents and near misses, and tell patients honestly when things go wrong.
Scope: All staff.
Key rules:
Scope: All staff.
Key rules:
- Report every incident and near miss the same shift.
- Give the patient and family an honest account and an apology where appropriate (open disclosure).
- Take immediate action to protect others.
- Learn: contribute to the review and follow the agreed actions.
13. Standards that name this role
14. Record history
| Date | Change | Approved by |
|---|---|---|
| 2026-10-27 | Draft record, batch 1 of the position build | Awaiting approval |