Payroll Specialist

Join Us in Shaping the Future of Clinical Research  

Adams Clinical is a leading clinical trial site network committed to accelerating the development of life-changing medicines. Our mission is simple: deliver uncompromising data quality, safety, and diverse enrollment to advance healthcare. Our vision is to set the gold standard for clinical trial excellence. We believe our people make the difference. Guided by our core values—Scientific Rigor, Operational Excellence, Commitment to Sponsors and Participants, and Authentic Collaboration—we create an environment where meaningful work drives meaningful change.  

At Adams Clinical, you’ll find:  

• A culture of respect, transparency, and continuous improvement  

• Opportunities for professional growth and learning  

• A team dedicated to improving lives through innovation and integrity  

If you’re passionate about making an impact in clinical research and want to be part of a collaborative, mission-driven organization, we’d love to have you on our team.  

Job Role

The Payroll Specialist owns end-to-end payroll processing for our multi-site, multi-state organization. This is a high-trust, detail-oriented role that sits at the intersection of Finance, HR, and compliance—ensuring every employee is paid accurately and on time, every cycle. 

Working primarily within Rippling and communicating heavily through email and Slack, this person will collaborate closely with HR and Finance leadership to maintain payroll accuracy, produce clean reports, and support a seamless employee experience from onboarding through year-end. This role is ideal for someone who takes pride in precision and thrives in a fast-moving, mission-driven environment. 

Adams Clinical has locations in Watertown, MA; Boston, MA; Harlem, NY; and Bronx, NY; and provides access to experimental therapeutics for psychiatric and neurologic conditions. This role sits within our People Operations team and offers flexibility in remote work. 

Key Responsibilities

• Process semi-monthly and off-cycle payroll runs for all employees across multiple states in Rippling, ensuring accuracy and on-time delivery each cycle. 

• Maintain employee payroll records, including new hires, terminations, compensation changes, garnishments, and direct deposit updates. 

• Prepare and reconcile payroll reports in Excel, including variance analysis, audit support, and reporting to Finance and HR leadership. 

• Respond to employee payroll inquiries via Slack and email promptly and professionally; research and resolve discrepancies, escalating as needed. 

• Partner with HR on benefits deductions, leave of absence pay, and new hire setup to ensure seamless employee onboarding and changes. 
• Support year-end processes including W-2 preparation, payroll tax reconciliation, and coordination with external tax agencies. 
• Maintain audit-ready documentation and ensure compliance with federal and state payroll regulations. 

Pay:  $60,000 - $70,000 annually

Qualifications: 

• 2+ years of payroll processing experience; prior experience with Rippling strongly preferred 

• Proficiency in Microsoft Excel, including pivot tables, VLOOKUP/XLOOKUP, and data validation; ability to build reporting templates from scratch 

• Working knowledge of multi-state payroll tax compliance, wage and hour laws, and federal payroll regulations 

• Comfort working in a Slack-first environment; able to manage asynchronous communication and maintain clear documentation 

• High degree of discretion and professionalism when handling confidential compensation data 

• Experience supporting benefits administration, 401(k) administration, or HRIS integrations a plus; CPP or FPC certification welcomed but not required 

• 401(k) matching
•  Medical, Dental &Vision insurance
•  Employee assistance program
•  Flexible spending account
•  Health insurance
•  Health savings account
•  Life insurance
•  Paid time off
•  Parental leave
•  Professional development assistance

Adams Clinical is committed to being an equal opportunity and affirmative action employer. We focus on hiring and nurturing top talent. All employment decisions, including recruitment, hiring, promotion, compensation, transfer, training, discipline, and termination, are made based on the candidate's or employee's qualifications relevant to the position. These decisions are made without regard to age, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, genetic information, race, color, creed, religion, ethnicity, national origin, citizenship, disability, marital status, military status, pregnancy, or any other legally protected status.  

In compliance with federal law, all individuals hired must, as a condition of employment, provide documentation verifying their identity and authorization to work in the United States and complete Form I-9 within the required timeframe. Adams Clinical participates in E-Verify to confirm employment eligibility.