ICON is a global healthcare intelligence and clinical research organisation united by a mission to bring new medicines and treatments to patients faster.
As a values-driven organisation, integrity, collaboration, agility, and inclusion are at the heart of how we work and interact with each other, customers, patients and suppliers.
At ICON, study start-up is not a checklist — it’s the moment where strategy becomes access. As a Site Activation Lead, you ensure clinical trials move from plan to reality without unnecessary delays, protecting timelines, budgets, and most importantly — patient access to new therapies.
This role is about ownership, impact, and performance.
What You’ll Be Responsible For — and Why It Matters
Design and lead Study Start-Up Plans- So that every country and site moves forward with clarity, alignment, and realistic timelines.
Drive regulatory and ethics submissions to approval - So studies reach activation faster and without avoidable rework or compliance risk.
Oversee site contracts and budget negotiations - So financial and legal barriers don’t delay first patient in.
Identify risks early and implement mitigation strategies - So roadblocks are prevented — not reacted to.
Partner with sponsors at Bid Defences and Kick-Off Meetings - So start-up strategy is strong from day one and aligned with expectations.
Lead and empower regional start-up teams - So performance is consistent, accountable, and milestone-driven across countries.
Ensure data accuracy, reporting, and KPI tracking - So sponsors have transparency and projects stay on course.
Every action you take directly influences time-to-activation — and ultimately, time-to-treatment for patients.
What You Bring
5+ years in Clinical Research with strong Study Start-Up experience
Deep understanding of regulatory frameworks and submission processes
Proven ability to lead cross-functional teams globally
Strong project management and risk mitigation skills
Confidence in sponsor-facing environments
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Employment with ICON is contingent upon having the legal right to work in the country where the role is based.
Rewards & Benefits
ICON offers a competitive and comprehensive total rewards package designed to support your health, wellbeing, and career development.
Benefits may include:
- Competitive base salary and performance related incentives
- Health and wellbeing programmes including medical, dental, and vision coverage where applicable
- Retirement and pension plans
- Life assurance and disability coverage
- Employee assistance programmes and wellbeing resources
- Learning and development opportunities through structured training and career pathways
Benefits may vary depending on role and location.
Visit our careers site to read more about the benefits ICON offers.
Inclusion and Accessibility
ICON is an equal opportunity employer. We are committed to building an inclusive and accessible workplace where everyone feels valued and supported.
If you require reasonable accommodations during the recruitment process, please let us know or submit a request here.
Are you a current ICON Employee? Please click here to apply
Skills Required
- 5+ years in Clinical Research with strong Study Start-Up experience
- Deep understanding of regulatory frameworks and submission processes
- Proven ability to lead cross-functional teams globally
- Strong project management and risk mitigation skills
- Confidence in sponsor-facing environments
ICON plc Compensation & Benefits Highlights
The following summarizes recurring compensation and benefits themes identified from responses generated by popular LLMs to common candidate questions about ICON plc and has not been reviewed or approved by ICON plc.
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Healthcare Strength — Benefits are described as comprehensive, with medical coverage and wellness initiatives highlighted. Larger sites are also associated with added wellness supports such as onsite fitness options and access to an employee assistance program.
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Leave & Time Off Breadth — Time-off and flexibility provisions are positioned as a meaningful part of the total package, including vacation/annual leave and flexible work scheduling. Flexibility is sometimes cited as helping offset long hours in certain roles.
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Retirement Support — Retirement and savings support is presented as a core component of the benefits package, including offerings such as pension arrangements in some locations and a U.S. 401(k) plan with company match. Financial planning resources are also emphasized as part of broader security benefits.
ICON plc Insights
What We Do
Since our foundation in Dublin, Ireland in 1990, our mission has been to help our clients to accelerate the development of drugs and devices that save lives and improve quality of life. We do this by delivering best in class information, solutions and performance, with an unyielding focus on quality at all times. We offer a full range of consulting, development and commercialisation services from a global network of offices in 53 countries. We focus our innovation on the factors that are critical to our clients – reducing time to market, reducing cost, and increasing quality – and our global team of experts has extensive experience in a broad range of therapeutic areas.
