JUMP TO CONTENT
Female and male with ipad

Exploring the Role of a Project Associate at ICON

Posting date: 14/11/2023
Author: Inside ICON

In the bustling world of project management, every day brings new challenges and opportunities. This is especially true for Krishna, who embarked on her journey as a Project Associate at ICON in January 2023. As we delve into a day in her life, Krishna offers us a unique glimpse into the multifaceted role she plays in her role as a Project Associate.

From orchestrating team and client meetings to meticulously handling project documentation, her role is pivotal in steering projects towards success. 

Join us as we explore how Krishnan navigates her day, balancing a rigorous schedule with the dynamic demands of her position, and learn what makes her role both challenging and rewarding.

What does a typical day as a Project Associate involve?

As a Project Associate, my days are a blend of structured project management and personal efficiency. My first task is to sort through emails and team communications, efficiently categorizing them into urgent and important, or important but not urgent tasks. This sets the stage for my day, allowing me to prioritize my workload effectively.

My role involves scheduling project team and client meetings, ensuring everything runs smoothly. This includes sending agendas, booking resources, and preparing meeting materials. I take and distribute meeting minutes, an essential part of maintaining clear communication in our projects.

I keep our project documents meticulously organized. This involves maintaining and distributing key materials like study timelines and project plans, ensuring everyone is on the same page. Developing and maintaining project-specific resources, like process flow charts, contact lists, and organizational charts, are part of my routine tasks.

On busier days, I stay focused with minimal caffeine and a ready-to-eat fruit bowl to maintain hydration. These are the days when managing study-related reporting becomes crucial. I generate and format project material prior to review, ensuring accuracy and clarity.

When the workflow is smoother, I take the opportunity to attend to miscellaneous tasks and personal reminders. I enjoy catching up with colleagues during a coffee break and also make time for small pleasures, like enjoying the view from my window.

Filing and distributing study-related reports is a task that requires attention to detail, which I handle diligently. Once all my tasks are completed, I enjoy a quiet moment with chamomile tea and a newspaper, reflecting on the day's achievements and preparing mentally for the next challenge.

How does ICON support your professional career development?

I have always aspired to be part of a multinational company that contributes to improving patient lives. With my background as a Life Science postgraduate, combined with experience in Omics research and marketing through content writing and HubSpot, I've developed strong skills in data handling, medical terminology, documentation, data management, and spreadsheet use. These skills laid a solid foundation for me to pursue a Project Associate role at ICON.

Since joining ICON, I've been constantly seeking ways to excel professionally within my role. My personal values align seamlessly with those at ICON, facilitating a smooth transition. Additionally, my experience with diverse systems has sharpened my adaptability and learning skills, thereby enhancing my efficiency in study-related tasks.

Which of the ICON Values do you most associate with?

Before joining ICON, I greatly valued agility as an individual. This focus, cultivated during my time in high school and university, instilled a discipline of agility in my daily routine. At ICON, the culture of sustained success and longevity further contributied to my agility. 

As a Project Associate, I embraced this quality from the outset. My agile approach to both short and long-term goals enables me to swiftly assess and streamline potential opportunities. This agility provides a competitive edge, allowing me to excel in various interdisciplinary roles that extend beyond academic-related tasks.

Do you feel you can be your true authentic self at ICON?

I firmly believe that true authenticity can only be achieved in an equally authentic environment. I'm thankful that my workplace embodies this quality of authenticity. In my initial months, I was tasked with a variety of assignments, each demanding different skills - some needed meticulous attention to detail, while others required swift efficiency. In such scenarios, it's crucial for me to be able to express my true self.

My functional manager has been instrumental in guiding me to work both efficiently and passionately, offering opportunities for growth along the way. Furthermore, my Project Management team has fostered a workspace that is comfortable and authentic, which I deeply appreciate. I feel fortunate to be able to bring my authentic self to ICON, and I plan to continue doing so in the future.

What’s your motto or personal mantra?

Ever since my school and university days, I've embraced a personal mantra that I still uphold in my professional life: to infuse joy and purpose into everything I do. Whether it's completing work tasks, enjoying a cup of coffee at my desk, adopting a new lifestyle, following a simple self-care routine, or going to the gym, I ensure that each activity leaves me with a lasting sense of happiness at the end of the day.

Project Associate Opportunities at ICON

If you're interested in exploring a career at ICON, visit our current openings today.

List #1

Related jobs at ICON

Clinical Research Associate I

Salary

Location

Brazil, Sao Paulo

Location

Sao Paulo

Remote Working

Remote or Office

Business Area

ICON Strategic Solutions

Job Categories

Clinical Monitoring

Job Type

Permanent

Description

We are currently seeking a Clinical Research Associate to join our diverse and dynamic team at ICON Plc. As a key member of our research department, you will be responsible for overseeing and coordina

Reference

JR147300

Expiry date

01/01/0001

Bruna Duarte

Author

Bruna Duarte
Read more Shortlist Save this role
Feasibility Principal Analyst

Salary

Location

United States of America

Location

Multiple US Locations

Remote Working

Remote

Business Area

ICON Strategic Solutions

Job Categories

Clinical Project Management

Job Type

Permanent

Description

Reporting to the Director of Feasibility, the Feasibility Principal provides strategic, study-level feasibility leadership within the Patient and Site Engagement (PSE) team, supporting the acceleratio

Reference

JR148042

Expiry date

01/01/0001

Kala Murphy

Author

Kala Murphy
Kala Murphy

Author

Kala Murphy
Read more Shortlist Save this role
Medical Information Manager

Salary

Location

United States of America

Location

Multiple US Locations

Remote Working

Remote

Business Area

ICON Strategic Solutions

Job Categories

Pharmacovigilance & Patient Safety

Job Type

Permanent

Description

We are currently seeking a Medical Information Manager to join our diverse and dynamic team. As a Medical Information Manager at ICON, you will be responsible for overseeing the development and dissem

Reference

JR147748

Expiry date

01/01/0001

Kala Murphy

Author

Kala Murphy
Kala Murphy

Author

Kala Murphy
Read more Shortlist Save this role
Business System Adoption Specialist

Salary

Location

US, Blue Bell (ICON)

Location

Blue Bell

Remote Working

Remote

Business Area

ICON Strategic Solutions

Job Categories

Clinical Data Management

Job Type

Permanent

Description

OBJECTIVES/PURPOSEWork with GDO, R&D and cross-functional stakeholders to collect develop and deploy effective support materials for systems in DSDS ownershipWork with the Business System Owner (BSO)

Reference

JR147908

Expiry date

01/01/0001

Melissa Benner Read more Shortlist Save this role
View all
List #1

Related stories

middle aged male wearing shirt
Francis' Journey back to ICON

Teaser label

Our People

Content type

Blogs

Publish date

03/26/2026

Summary

Why Francis returned to ICON: building a long-term career in clinical research Francis Kayamba is a Clinical Research Associate based in Johannesburg, South Africa. He first joined ICON in February

Teaser label

Francis Kayamba shares what drew him back to ICON and how the sponsor-embedded model works.

Read more
Lydia's Journey Back to ICON

Teaser label

Our People

Content type

Blogs

Publish date

03/24/2026

Summary

Career paths are rarely straightforward, especially in the fast moving world of clinical research. For many professionals, gaining experience across organisations can provide valuable perspectiv

Teaser label

Learn about Lydia's return to ICON and why she felt it was a natural choice.

Read more
Headshot image of male
Driving Trials Forward: Study Start-Up Leadership at ICON

Teaser label

Our People

Content type

Blogs

Publish date

03/16/2026

Summary

Driving Study Start-Up: James Pereira's Journey at ICON James Pereira's career in clinical research has been shaped by a single driving question: how do we get studies started faster? From his earl

Teaser label

Explore James Pereira's career in study start-up at ICON, leading global teams to accelerate patient access.

Read more
View all
List #1

Recently viewed jobs

View Jobs

Browse popular job categories below or search all jobs above