Rho, a midsize contract researcher out of North Carolina, is looking to expand its footprint to deal with a widening client base, setting out to expand its ranks of investigators and execs.
The CRO told Raleigh's News & Observer that it has hired about three dozen people since the start of the year and is planning to recruit another two dozen or so over the coming months. The openings range from entry-level work to clinical research jobs and a vice president position, the company said.
That'll bring Rho's total headcount to around 400--a 100-employee leap over last year--and the company attributes its steady growth to customer satisfaction. About 90% of Rho's clients return for more services after their first deal, Vice President of Operations Tara Gladwell told the News & Observer, and the CRO touts reliability as the key to its success.
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| Vice President of Operations Tara Gladwell--Courtesy Rho |
Meanwhile, Rho's latest high-profile deal puts it in line for as much as $100 million over 5 years. The CRO is among 5 contractors chosen by the federal Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority (BARDA) to design and conduct clinical trials for treatments that protect against bioterrorism and other public health emergencies.
Under the deal, Rho will help facilitate Phase I through IV development of therapeutics and diagnostics that could combat biological threats and pandemics. The agreement will last at least two years and pay out a minimum of $400,000, the company said.
The CRO gets about half its revenue from such federal contracts, including a bevy of deals with the National Institutes of Health.
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