Regulatory Affairs Positions
A master’s degree in regulatory affairs may qualify you to work as a regulatory affairs specialist, manager or director at a medical or pharmaceutical company.
A regulatory affairs specialist within a public health setting has to make sure that all government rules and regulations are being followed during the course of a public health program, project or everyday operations. This involves studying different regulations for different communities, areas or regions as well as proposing new legislation to government officials and lawmakers.
As a regulatory affairs specialist, some of your daily tasks may include meeting and interacting with different regulatory officials to discuss regulations and legislation involved around a particular study area. You may also find yourself developing new legislation plans to be proposed to government officials, as well as advocating new and old policies or pieces of legislation that support public health initiatives.
Other job responsibilities may include providing input on the regulations involved with any prospective projects, tests or procedures to various public health teams; studying and remaining current on all legislation regarding public health; and completing and filing all of the necessary paperwork to keep your public health team current regarding government regulations.
Regulatory Affairs Career Outlook
The overall job outlook for regulatory affairs careers continues to be positive, as the public health field continues to boom. Vacancies in this profession have increased by 21.68 percent nationwide since 2004, and demand is expected to go up with 137,000 new jobs filled by 2018. In fact, experienced, well-educated regulatory affairs specialists are so hard to find that companies have been looking for potential candidates in other disciplines. While employment prospects are bright across the field, regulatory affairs professionals with the most education are likely to enjoy the most opportunities and highest pay.
According to Salary.com, an entry-level regulatory affairs specialist earns a median annual salary of $53,276, while a specialist with eight years of experience earns a median salary of $101,863. A regulatory affairs manager earns a median salary of $102,875, and a director makes $148,950. Actual pay, of course, is usually determined by employer, location and your level of education and experience.
Learn More
If you are interested in pursuing a regulatory affairs career, you should learn more about degrees in this field.
