Preclinical Research Jobs
Drug discovery and preclinical research is the earliest stage of drug development -- identifying and validating new drug targets, discovering candidate compounds, and testing them in non-human (preclinical) studies before a compound is ever tried in a human trial.
Common titles include Research Associate, Research Scientist, Preclinical Study Director, and Director of Discovery Research. Hiring comes from biotech and pharma R&D labs and from CROs that run preclinical studies on a sponsor's behalf.
Research associate roles often accept a bachelor's or master's degree in a life science; research scientist and study director titles typically expect a PhD. Because the work involves hands-on bench research and animal studies, most roles are lab-based and on-site rather than remote.
In October 2026, Drug Discovery & Preclinical Research postings at 43 big pharma companies fell by a net 30 (602 posted, 632 taken down). See the Big Pharma Hiring Report →
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Frequently Asked Questions
What does a preclinical research job pay?
Pay varies significantly by role and degree level. Where an employer discloses a salary range, it's shown directly on the individual job listing.
What degree do you need for a preclinical research job?
A bachelor's or master's in a life science is common for research associate roles; a PhD is typically expected for research scientist and study director titles.
Are preclinical research jobs remote?
Mostly no -- this is hands-on bench and animal-study research that requires being in the lab.
What's the difference between preclinical research and clinical development?
Preclinical research happens before a compound is ever tested in humans. Clinical development takes over once a compound clears preclinical testing and moves into human trials.