Legal & Compliance · Life sciences
Since February 2, 2026, FDA has applied the new Quality Management System Regulation, which incorporates ISO 13485, so device regulatory hires now need to work fluently in both FDA and ISO terms. Careerscape's remote recruiters specialize by field and run regulatory affairs searches nationwide for permanent, contract and contract-to-hire roles.
Talent hubs
BLS counts regulatory affairs specialists as compliance officers, a broader group that also covers bank, healthcare and corporate compliance staff. The May 2025 figures below cover that whole group, so read them as a rough map of regulatory and compliance talent.
| Market | Jobs | Median pay · vs. U.S. | Concentration |
|---|---|---|---|
| New York City | 23,380 | $101,050+25% | 0.92 |
| Los Angeles | 17,700 | $94,810+17% | 1.05 |
| Washington, DC | 13,820 | $100,200+24% | 1.64 |
| Dallas | 12,530 | $77,760−4% | 1.15 |
| Boston | 10,920 | $103,940+29% | 1.51 |
| Miami | 10,530 | $79,770−1% | 1.39 |
| Atlanta | 9,170 | $72,810−10% | 1.18 |
| Houston | 8,450 | $78,860−2% | 0.96 |
| Philadelphia | 8,370 | $83,000+3% | 1.08 |
| Chicago | 8,320 | $82,020+2% | 0.69 |
| Phoenix | 7,980 | $74,240−8% | 1.25 |
| San Francisco | 7,500 | $118,890+47% | 1.18 |
| Seattle | 6,440 | $95,850+19% | 1.15 |
| San Diego | 6,120 | $101,230+25% | 1.48 |
| Detroit | 5,180 | $81,250+1% | 1.01 |
| Baltimore | 5,030 | $80,520±0% | 1.38 |
| Denver | 4,830 | $83,580+4% | 1.12 |
| Minneapolis | 4,610 | $91,150+13% | 0.88 |
| Tampa | 4,110 | $75,920−6% | 1.06 |
| Austin | 3,670 | $70,720−12% | 1.06 |
| Charlotte | 3,240 | $86,720+7% | 0.89 |
| Nashville | 3,200 | $62,210−23% | 1.08 |
| Portland | 3,090 | $86,600+7% | 0.95 |
| Pittsburgh | 2,730 | $70,560−13% | 0.91 |
| Raleigh-Durham | 2,200 | $79,570−1% | 1.10 |
| Buffalo | 2,180 | $82,450+2% | 1.52 |
| Albany | 1,710 | $81,190+1% | 1.42 |
| Providence | 1,480 | $87,620+9% | 0.77 |
| Hartford | 1,390 | $93,890+16% | 0.86 |
Washington, DC has the highest concentration (1.64), followed by Buffalo (1.52), Boston (1.51) and San Diego (1.48). Boston and San Diego also pay well above the U.S. median of $80,730, at $103,940 and $101,230. San Francisco pays the most, $118,890, 47% above the national figure. New York City and Los Angeles have the largest pools by count. Chicago, Providence and Hartford have the lowest concentrations, and Nashville has the lowest median, $62,210. Because the group mixes industries, a high count does not by itself mean a deep pool of drug or device specialists. Our legal and compliance staffing page covers hiring by city. Compliance Officers, by metro area, sorted by jobs. BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025; U.S. median $80,730. Concentration is the BLS location quotient: above 1.0 means the job is a bigger share of local employment than nationally.
Specialties
A specialist who has filed 510(k)s may never have written a CMC section. Choose from each group before you write the posting.
2026 changes
For device makers, the biggest shift is already in force. FDA's Quality Management System Regulation took effect on February 2, 2026. It amends 21 CFR Part 820 and incorporates ISO 13485:2016 by reference, which makes risk management an explicit requirement. On the same date FDA stopped using its Quality System Inspection Technique (QSIT) and moved device inspections to an updated compliance program, 7382.850. Candidates who prepared sites for QSIT inspections should be able to explain what has changed for them.
In Europe, Regulation (EU) 2023/607 extended the MDR transition. Class III and class IIb implantable devices have until 2027 and most other legacy devices until 2028, provided the manufacturer met conditions such as applying to a notified body by May 26, 2024. The European Commission then proposed a targeted revision of the MDR and IVDR on December 16, 2025, which would, among other changes, remove the five-year maximum certificate validity. The European Parliament and Council must agree it before it applies, so check its status before planning around it.
At the agency itself, HHS announced in March 2025 a restructuring that would cut about 3,500 FDA positions, and said drug, device and food reviewers and inspectors would not be affected. Ask experienced candidates what they have seen in their own agency interactions since then.
Template
Built for a device or drug company with an in-house regulatory team. Keep the bracketed option that matches your product.
The regulatory affairs specialist prepares and manages [Company]'s submissions to FDA and other health authorities, keeps registrations and labeling current, and advises project teams on what each product change means for its regulatory status. The role reports to [the Director of Regulatory Affairs].
Before the offer
Regulatory mistakes tend to surface months later, in a deficiency letter or an inspection, so run these checks before you extend an offer.
RAPS now issues RAC-Drugs and RAC-Devices and no longer accepts new applicants for the older RAC-US, RAC-Europe, RAC-Canada and RAC-Global, though existing holders can still recertify. Each RAC needs 36 recertification credits every three years.
Submission credit is shared. Ask which sections the candidate drafted, which they only compiled, and what the agency asked about each.
Class II device experience is not PMA experience, and small-molecule CMC differs from biologics CMC. Hire for the submissions on your roadmap, not the ones in the past.
Ask for a redacted deficiency response or regulatory assessment. Clear writing under tight constraints is most of the job.
Under the QMSR, regulatory and quality work overlap more. A device candidate should explain how ISO 13485 risk management feeds into their change assessments.
BLS pay
These national figures are for compliance officers, the BLS group that includes regulatory affairs specialists. The group mixes regulatory staff with compliance roles in banking, healthcare and government, so use the full spread rather than the median alone.
Middle half of all workers (25th to 75th percentile)
The national median is $80,730. A specialist who just meets RAPS's minimum for the RAC exam, a bachelor's degree plus three years, is a reasonable fit for the median. A senior specialist who leads submissions sits closer to the 75th percentile ($109,010) or the 90th ($133,720). See the regulatory affairs specialist salary guide for more detail. Annual pay, all U.S. employers, BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (May 2025), occupation: Compliance Officers. BLS does not publish this title separately; the figures are for compliance officers, the closest BLS occupation, which can include other job titles. Pay by level and city: Regulatory Affairs Specialist salary guide.
Request talent
Tell us the product type, the markets you file in, the submissions coming up and whether the need is permanent or project-based.
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FAQ
They get products approved or cleared and keep them compliant. O*NET's task list includes preparing and reviewing submissions, answering agency requests for information, advising project teams on premarket, labeling and clinical study requirements, reviewing promotional materials, coordinating recalls and tracking new regulations and guidance. In a small company one person covers all of it; larger companies split the work by product and function.
RAPS requires a bachelor's degree plus at least three years of regulatory or regulatory-related experience, a master's plus two years, or a doctorate plus one year. Related experience can include quality assurance, quality control, clinical research tied to product approval or health product project management. Each exam has 100 multiple-choice questions over two hours, and exams run in spring, summer and autumn windows.
No law requires it, and many experienced specialists do not hold one. It is useful evidence of breadth, especially for candidates moving over from quality or clinical roles. Keep it on the nice-to-have list unless a partner or customer requires it, and judge candidates mainly on the submissions they have written and defended.
Contract help suits a defined surge: a submission with a fixed date, EU MDR technical file work before a transition deadline, a labeling overhaul or cover for a leave. Careerscape offers contract staffing and contract-to-hire for these, and direct hire for permanent roles. Keep regulatory strategy with a permanent owner who will still be there for the agency's follow-up questions.
Yes. The same skills apply to food, cosmetics, chemicals and other regulated products, and BLS counts regulatory specialists with compliance officers across industries. Tell us the agency and product so the shortlist matches. For compliance roles in finance or healthcare, see our compliance officer hiring guide.
Send us the scope. A recruiter who focuses on regulatory and compliance roles will confirm product and function fit before presenting a pre-screened shortlist.
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