Principal Investigator MD/DO

About the role

Location: San Diego, California

Employment Type: Part-Time or Full-Time. Ideally looking for three days per week, but we are open to accommodating your schedule.

Join Us in Improving Lives Through Clinical Research

At Headlands Research, we're committed to advancing medical science and improving lives by bringing innovative clinical trials to communities across North America. Our growing network of clinical research sites combines experienced medical professionals, advanced technology, and dedicated support teams to accelerate the development of new treatments.

Founded in 2018, Headlands Research has expanded into a leading clinical research network with locations throughout the United States and Canada. We are passionate about expanding access to clinical trials, improving participant experiences, and ensuring that diverse populations are represented in medical research.

The Opportunity

We are seeking a Principal Investigator (MD/DO) to join our clinical research team in San Diego, California.

This is an exciting opportunity for a physician who is passionate about patient care, medical innovation, and advancing new treatments through clinical research.

As a Principal Investigator, you will provide medical leadership and oversight for clinical trials, ensuring participant safety, regulatory compliance, and high-quality study execution. You will collaborate with an experienced team of clinical research professionals and play an important role in bringing promising new therapies to market.

Prior clinical research experience is preferred but not required. We welcome physicians interested in transitioning into clinical research who bring strong clinical judgment, a commitment to patient safety, and a willingness to learn.

Key Responsibilities

• Serve as Principal Investigator for assigned clinical trials, providing medical oversight and ensuring studies are conducted in accordance with approved protocols, Good Clinical Practice (GCP), and applicable regulatory requirements.
• Maintain responsibility for participant safety, medical decision-making, and the overall quality and integrity of clinical trial conduct.
• Evaluate potential study participants for eligibility, review medical histories, and assess clinical findings.
• Oversee the informed consent process, ensuring participants understand study procedures, potential risks, and their rights.
• Evaluate, document, and oversee the reporting of adverse events and serious adverse events in accordance with study protocols and regulatory requirements.
• Provide medical oversight for investigational products, including appropriate administration, monitoring, and assessment of treatment responses.
• Collaborate with clinical research coordinators, Sub-Investigators, and other site personnel to ensure efficient and compliant study execution.
• Ensure appropriate delegation of study responsibilities to qualified research personnel and provide ongoing supervision and training.
• Review and maintain accurate, complete, and timely clinical research documentation.
• Participate in sponsor meetings, investigator meetings, site initiation visits, monitoring visits, and regulatory inspections as needed.
• Work collaboratively with sponsors, Contract Research Organizations (CROs), Institutional Review Boards (IRBs), and regulatory agencies.
• Support participant recruitment and retention efforts while maintaining the highest standards of ethical research conduct.
• Contribute to a professional, collaborative, and participant-focused research environment.

Required Qualifications

• Psychiatry and/or Mental Health experience.
• Doctor of Medicine (MD) or Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine (DO) degree from an accredited institution.
• Active, unrestricted medical license in the state of Arizona, or eligibility to obtain an Arizona medical license prior to beginning clinical research responsibilities.
• Board-certified or board-eligible in a recognized medical specialty.
• Strong clinical judgment and commitment to patient safety and ethical medical practices.
• Excellent interpersonal, communication, and organizational skills.
• Ability to work collaboratively with multidisciplinary clinical research teams.
• Willingness to learn and follow clinical trial protocols, GCP guidelines, and applicable regulatory requirements.

Preferred Qualifications

• Previous experience serving as a Principal Investigator or Sub-Investigator in clinical research.
• Familiarity with FDA regulations, ICH-GCP guidelines, and clinical trial documentation requirements.
• Experience working with pharmaceutical sponsors, CROs, or clinical research organizations.
• Experience evaluating and managing patients in therapeutic areas relevant to the site's clinical trial portfolio.
• Demonstrated ability to provide medical leadership and collaborate effectively with clinical and operational teams.

Additional information

Clinical research experience is a plus, but we encourage qualified physicians who are interested in entering the clinical research field to apply.

Make an Impact with Headlands Research

At Headlands Research, you'll have the opportunity to apply your medical expertise in a collaborative research environment while helping advance treatments that could benefit patients around the world.

Whether you're an experienced clinical investigator or a physician exploring a new direction in your medical career, we invite you to learn more about joining our team in San Diego, CA.

Apply today and help shape the future of clinical research.

California Pay Range $100 - $150 USD

Headlands Research will never ask a candidate for personal identifiable information (date of birth, social security number, driver's license information, etc) via email or messenger tools, or for a financial deposit of any kind.

Need Assistance?

To request disability accommodation in the application process, contact for further assistance. Please note this is for individuals to request an accommodation as part of the application process and any other correspondence will not receive a response.