Principal Programmer (Data Anonymization)

Key Responsibilities

Technical:

• Project Management: Provide leadership across projects, ensuring deliverables, timelines and stakeholder interfaces, including client communication, are effectively managed.
• Clinical Research Knowledge: Apply a thorough understanding of clinical trial structures, data types and documentation to maintain data integrity and utility across multiple therapeutic areas.
• Data Anonymization: Execute and oversee data anonymization activities across studies. Apply appropriate anonymization techniques based on study design, population and data sensitivity. Use specialized anonymization tools and platforms to prepare and transfer datasets to secure data‑sharing environments.
• Documentation Review: Review clinical trial documents including protocols, SAPs, CRFs and CSRs to understand context and identify confidentiality risks.
• Specifications and Standards: Author or review anonymization-related documentation, dataset specifications and variable-level justifications. Maintain awareness of emerging standards, guidelines and regulatory expectations.
• Data Assessment: Identify data issues, outliers or risk‑driving variables that may affect identifiability.
• Validation and QC: Perform and review rigorous quality control checks to ensure PII and indirect identifiers have been removed, masked or transformed appropriately. Verify that no unintended changes have been introduced during anonymization and transfer.
• Risk Management: Conduct structured risk assessments considering disease prevalence, study size and data sensitivity to determine anonymization thresholds.
• Maintain proficiency in relevant tools, programming languages and methodologies related to data anonymization and disclosure.

General:

• Lead internal and external project meetings related to data anonymization and disclosure.
• Present progress updates to clients and internal stakeholders.
• Share practical, scientific and technical expertise with colleagues and contribute to team learning.
• Build strong, collaborative relationships with internal teams, clients and cross‑functional stakeholders.
• Ensure all work complies with internal SOPs, client requirements and applicable regulations.
• Contribute to process improvement initiatives in anonymization, data‑sharing workflows and regulatory compliance.
• Develop and deliver internal training related to anonymization techniques, regulatory standards and disclosure practices.

Minimum Qualification Requirements

• BSc, MSc or PhD in a numerical or data-focused discipline (or equivalent industry experience).
• Minimum of 6 years industry experience, ideally within clinical data anonymization, biostatistics, statistical programming, clinical data management or related fields.

Other Information / Additional Requirements

• Understanding of the clinical drug development process, disease areas, trial endpoints and study designs.
• Experience with data anonymization methodologies and clinical trial results disclosure.
• Knowledge of relevant regulations including HIPAA, GDPR, EMA Policy 0070 and FDAAA 801.
• Ability to assess privacy risks and apply proportionate mitigation strategies.