Job Description

What if your pharmacy experience helped new medicines take their first step in human clinical trials?

Fortrea is one of the world’s largest and longest‑established early‑phase clinical research organizations.

We operate Phase I Clinical Research Units (CRU) globally, including our world‑class Leeds CRU. Just a 7‑minute walk from the train station, this is one of the few MHRA‑accredited Phase I units in the UK, purpose‑built to deliver first‑in‑human studies.

As a Pharmacist I, you will work as part of a specialist clinical trials pharmacy team, contributing to the preparation and handling of investigational medicinal products (IMP) during live clinical research activity, while developing your experience in an early‑phase environment.

This is a full‑time, permanent role, based on site at Fortrea’s Leeds Drapers Yard Clinical Research Unit.

WHY IS THIS JOB DIFFERENT?

This is a rare research pharmacy job in the UK, where you work at the heart of first‑in‑human clinical research.

At Fortrea Leeds, the clinic and cGMP pharmacy sit under the same roof. As a Pharmacist, you will work alongside specialist pharmacy, clinic and quality teams, preparing and handling investigational medicines just steps away from where first‑in‑human dosing takes place.

Everything happens in one integrated environment, enabling real‑time collaboration.

As a result, you experience the direct impact of pharmacy work on live first‑in‑human studies, gaining insight that is rarely accessible in traditional pharmacy roles

IN THIS JOB YOU WILL

• Prepare and handle investigational medicinal products (IMP) within a clean room environment, applying sterile techniques and GMP ways of working during live early‑phase clinical studies.

• Work hands‑on in pharmacy production, supporting the accurate preparation, assembly, and dispensing of study medications used in first‑in‑human trials

• Partner closely with Technical Officers, working in pairs to support pharmacy operations, study readiness, and the safe handling of materials.
• Support study set‑up activities, including pharmacy manuals, batch records, preparation logs, and dose and component calculations to ensure investigational medicines are prepared accurately and ready for study start.

• Use, check, and maintain pharmacy equipment in line with SOPs, ensuring it is fit for purpose and ready to support clinical research activity.

• Monitor and maintain storage conditions for investigational products and materials, including temperature and environmental controls, to ensure compliance and product integrity.

WHAT YOU BRING

Qualifications

Essential

• A Master of Pharmacy (MPharm) degree from an accredited university
• Registered Pharmacist with the General Pharmaceutical Council (GPhC) in the UK
• Experience as a pharmacist, gained in a clinical research, hospital, or industry setting.

Ideal professional experience

• Exposure to clinical trials, investigational medicines, or research pharmacy activities

OR

• Familiarity with clean room environments, for example through hospital aseptic services, institutional pharmacy, or clinical research settings

OR

• Familiarity with GMP ways of working, gained through hospital aseptic units, manufacturing or preparation activities or quality‑driven pharmacy services.

• Able to use standard digital tools such as Outlook, Word, Excel, and PowerPoint.
• Any experience supporting sponsor, auditor, or inspector visits within a pharmacy or clinical setting.

Important to know: you do not need to meet every desirable criterion to apply. We are keen to hear from pharmacists with strong core skills, curiosity, and the motivation to develop within clinical research and investigational pharmacy. Full training and support will be provided.

If you want to apply your pharmacy leadership at the point where new medicines first reach humans, we’d like to hear from you.

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