Associate Principal​/Principal Qualitative Research, Patient Centered Solutions

Role Overview

Within PCS, the Qualitative Research Specialty (QRS) delivers scientifically rigorous qualitative research to inform clinical development, regulatory strategy, and healthcare decision‑making. We are seeking an Associate Principal / Principal to join the QRS team, based in the UK or Europe, with flexibility for remote or hybrid working. This role blends scientific leadership, consulting delivery, and people development. The exact level (Associate Principal or Principal) will depend on experience and demonstrated leadership scope.

The role is positioned between project‑level scientific leadership and broader practice‑level contribution, with increasing responsibility for client leadership, methodological excellence, business development support, and capability building across the qualitative community. The role has a particular emphasis on generating and applying patient experience data to inform COA development, evaluation, and use within clinical and regulatory contexts.

• Act as a subject matter expert in qualitative research, providing expert guidance on study design, methodological approaches, and interpretation of patient experience data, translating findings into evidence that informs COA strategy, endpoint development, and broader clinical and commercial decision‑making across a portfolio of projects spanning in‑trial settings, observational studies, and standalone research programmes.
• Lead the design, execution, and delivery of high‑quality qualitative research, including examining burden of disease, evaluating content validity of PROs and other COAs, and the development or modification of COA measures, ensuring scientific rigour, methodological appropriateness, and alignment with regulatory, publication, and client expectations.
• Identify, evaluate, and apply innovative qualitative methods, including AI‑enabled approaches, to enhance study design, data collection, and analysis while maintaining scientific rigour.
• Lead the review and testing of emerging qualitative research and analysis methods and contribute to the evidence base for their use at PCS.
• Provide senior scientific input into qualitative analysis plans, interpretation of patient experience data, and development of reports and client‑facing deliverables.

• Act as a trusted scientific and strategic advisor to clients, contributing to discussions on research design, patient‑centred endpoints, and evidence needs.
• Take ownership for overall project quality, delivery, and client satisfaction, ensuring projects remain on track and aligned with scope, timelines, and objectives.
• Lead or oversee multiple qualitative consulting projects, ensuring delivery on time, within scope, and to budget.
• Serve as a primary or senior point of contact for clients, building strong, long‑term relationships through meetings, workshops, and ongoing collaboration.
• Anticipate project risks and proactively resolve issues, escalating as needed while maintaining client confidence.
• Support proposal development, including methodological input, budgeting, timelines, and bid integrity.

• Identify opportunities for follow‑on work, methodological innovation (including the scaling of innovative and AI‑enabled qualitative approaches), and expansion of qualitative service offerings within PCS.
• Contribute to thought leadership, including development of best practices, internal guidance, and externally facing scientific content.
• Support business development activities by providing subject‑matter expertise and mentoring others in client and proposal engagement.

• Contribute to the development, refinement, and implementation of qualitative research standards, templates, SOPs, and training materials.
• Oversee and contribute to the qualification and ongoing development of qualitative researchers, including assessment of interview moderators.
• Support consistency and quality across qualitative projects, working collaboratively with global qualitative leaders.
• Provide scientific review and guidance to ensure best practice in…