diff --git a/DESCRIPTION b/DESCRIPTION
index 7d24900..7522ea5 100644
--- a/DESCRIPTION
+++ b/DESCRIPTION
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 Package: pacta.workflow.utils
 Title: Utility functions for PACTA workflows
-Version: 0.0.0.9009
+Version: 0.0.0.9010
 Authors@R: 
     c(person(given = "Alex",
              family = "Axthelm",
diff --git a/NAMESPACE b/NAMESPACE
index 631c0b5..b197c48 100644
--- a/NAMESPACE
+++ b/NAMESPACE
@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
 # Generated by roxygen2: do not edit by hand
 
 export(export_manifest)
+export(parse_raw_params)
 importFrom(logger,log_debug)
 importFrom(logger,log_error)
 importFrom(logger,log_info)
diff --git a/R/parse_json_params.R b/R/parse_params.R
similarity index 100%
rename from R/parse_json_params.R
rename to R/parse_params.R
diff --git a/R/parse_raw_params.R b/R/parse_raw_params.R
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..c3c2fa0
--- /dev/null
+++ b/R/parse_raw_params.R
@@ -0,0 +1,148 @@
+#' parse_raw_params
+#'
+#' Parse and validate JSON parameters, including optionally validation raw
+#' parameters prior to inheriting.
+#'
+#' @param json JSON string
+#' @param inheritence_search_paths path to directory in which to search for
+#' inheritance files. See `parse_params` for details.
+#' @param schema_file JSON Schema file to validate parameters against. See
+#' `parse_params` for details.
+#' @param raw_schema_file JSON Schema file to validate raw parameters against.
+#' See `jsonvalidate::json_validate` for details.
+#' @return list of parameters
+#' @examples
+# nolint start
+#' product_schema <- '{
+#'   "$schema": "http://json-schema.org/draft-04/schema#",
+#'   "title": "Product",
+#'   "description": "A product from Acme\'s catalog",
+#'   "type": "object",
+#'   "properties": {
+#'     "id": {
+#'       "description": "The unique identifier for a product",
+#'       "type": "integer"
+#'     },
+#'     "name": {
+#'       "description": "Name of the product",
+#'       "type": "string"
+#'     },
+#'     "price": {
+#'       "type": "number",
+#'       "minimum": 0,
+#'       "exclusiveMinimum": true
+#'     },
+#'     "tags": {
+#'       "type": "array",
+#'       "items": {
+#'         "type": "string"
+#'       },
+#'       "minItems": 1,
+#'       "uniqueItems": true
+#'     }
+#'   },
+#'   "required": ["id", "name", "price"]
+#' }'
+#' schema_dir <- withr::local_tempdir()
+#' schema_file <- file.path(schema_dir, "product.json")
+#' writeLines(product_schema, schema_file)
+#' raw_schema <- '{
+#'   "$schema": "http://json-schema.org/draft-04/schema#",
+#'   "title": "rawProduct",
+#'   "description": "Valid Input params for product",
+#'   "type": "object",
+#'   "properties": {
+#'     "inherit": {
+#'       "description": "Valid keys for inheritence",
+#'       "type": "string",
+#'       "enum": [
+#'         "base01",
+#'         "base02"
+#'       ]
+#'     }
+#'   },
+#'   "anyOf": [
+#'     {
+#'       "required": [
+#'         "inherit"
+#'       ]
+#'     },
+#'     {
+#'       "$ref": "product.json"
+#'     }
+#'   ]
+#' }'
+#' raw_schema_file <- file.path(schema_dir, "rawProduct.json")
+#' writeLines(raw_schema, raw_schema_file)
+#' json_string <- '{
+#'  "id": 1,
+#'   "price": 12.50,
+#'   "inherit": "base01"
+#' }  '
+#' base_params_dir <- withr::local_tempdir()
+#' base_01_string <- '{
+#'     "name": "A green door",
+#'     "tags": ["home", "green"],
+#'     "supplier": "ACME Doors"
+#'   }'
+#' writeLines(
+#'   base_01_string,
+#'   file.path(base_params_dir, "base01.json")
+#' )
+#' results <- parse_raw_params(
+#'   json = json_string,
+#'   schema_file = schema_file,
+#'   inheritence_search_paths = base_params_dir,
+#'   raw_schema_file = raw_schema_file
+#' )  
+#' results
+# nolint end
+#' @export
+parse_raw_params <- function(
+  json,
+  inheritence_search_paths = NULL,
+  schema_file = NULL,
+  raw_schema_file = NULL
+) {
+  # Read Params
+  log_trace("Processing input parameters.")
+  if (length(json) == 0L || all(json == "")) {
+    log_error("No parameters specified.")
+    stop("No parameters specified.")
+  }
+
+  if (is.null(raw_schema_file)) {
+    log_debug(
+      "No raw schema file specified. ",
+      "Skipping raw parameter validation."
+    )
+  } else {
+    log_trace("Validating raw input parameters.")
+    raw_input_validation_results <- jsonvalidate::json_validate(
+      json = json,
+      schema = raw_schema_file,
+      verbose = TRUE,
+      greedy = FALSE,
+      engine = "ajv"
+    )
+    if (raw_input_validation_results) {
+      log_trace("Raw input parameters are valid.")
+    } else {
+      log_error(
+        "Invalid raw input parameters. ",
+        "Must include \"inherit\" key, or match full schema.",
+        "See schema for details.",
+        raw_schema_file
+      )
+      stop("Invalid raw input parameters.")
+    }
+  }
+
+  params <- parse_params(
+    json = json,
+    inheritence_search_paths = inheritence_search_paths,
+    schema_file = schema_file
+  )
+
+  return(params)
+}
diff --git a/man/parse_raw_params.Rd b/man/parse_raw_params.Rd
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..e58a99f
--- /dev/null
+++ b/man/parse_raw_params.Rd
@@ -0,0 +1,117 @@
+% Generated by roxygen2: do not edit by hand
+% Please edit documentation in R/parse_raw_params.R
+\name{parse_raw_params}
+\alias{parse_raw_params}
+\title{parse_raw_params}
+\usage{
+parse_raw_params(
+  json,
+  inheritence_search_paths = NULL,
+  schema_file = NULL,
+  raw_schema_file = NULL
+)
+}
+\arguments{
+\item{json}{JSON string}
+
+\item{inheritence_search_paths}{path to directory in which to search for
+inheritance files. See \code{parse_params} for details.}
+
+\item{schema_file}{JSON Schema file to validate parameters against. See
+\code{parse_params} for details.}
+
+\item{raw_schema_file}{JSON Schema file to validate raw parameters against.
+See \code{jsonvalidate::json_validate} for details.}
+}
+\value{
+list of parameters
+}
+\description{
+Parse and validate JSON parameters, including optionally validation raw
+parameters prior to inheriting.
+}
+\examples{
+product_schema <- '{
+  "$schema": "http://json-schema.org/draft-04/schema#",
+  "title": "Product",
+  "description": "A product from Acme\'s catalog",
+  "type": "object",
+  "properties": {
+    "id": {
+      "description": "The unique identifier for a product",
+      "type": "integer"
+    },
+    "name": {
+      "description": "Name of the product",
+      "type": "string"
+    },
+    "price": {
+      "type": "number",
+      "minimum": 0,
+      "exclusiveMinimum": true
+    },
+    "tags": {
+      "type": "array",
+      "items": {
+        "type": "string"
+      },
+      "minItems": 1,
+      "uniqueItems": true
+    }
+  },
+  "required": ["id", "name", "price"]
+}'
+schema_dir <- withr::local_tempdir()
+schema_file <- file.path(schema_dir, "product.json")
+writeLines(product_schema, schema_file)
+raw_schema <- '{
+  "$schema": "http://json-schema.org/draft-04/schema#",
+  "title": "rawProduct",
+  "description": "Valid Input params for product",
+  "type": "object",
+  "properties": {
+    "inherit": {
+      "description": "Valid keys for inheritence",
+      "type": "string",
+      "enum": [
+        "base01",
+        "base02"
+      ]
+    }
+  },
+  "anyOf": [
+    {
+      "required": [
+        "inherit"
+      ]
+    },
+    {
+      "$ref": "product.json"
+    }
+  ]
+}'
+raw_schema_file <- file.path(schema_dir, "rawProduct.json")
+writeLines(raw_schema, raw_schema_file)
+json_string <- '{
+ "id": 1,
+  "price": 12.50,
+  "inherit": "base01"
+}  '
+base_params_dir <- withr::local_tempdir()
+base_01_string <- '{
+    "name": "A green door",
+    "tags": ["home", "green"],
+    "supplier": "ACME Doors"
+  }'
+writeLines(
+  base_01_string,
+  file.path(base_params_dir, "base01.json")
+)
+results <- parse_raw_params(
+  json = json_string,
+  schema_file = schema_file,
+  inheritence_search_paths = base_params_dir,
+  raw_schema_file = raw_schema_file
+)  
+results
+}
diff --git a/tests/testthat/test-parse_raw_params.R b/tests/testthat/test-parse_raw_params.R
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..3d78b0e
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/testthat/test-parse_raw_params.R
@@ -0,0 +1,288 @@
+## save current settings so that we can reset later
+threshold <- logger::log_threshold()
+appender  <- logger::log_appender()
+layout    <- logger::log_layout()
+on.exit({
+  ## reset logger settings
+  logger::log_threshold(threshold)
+  logger::log_layout(layout)
+  logger::log_appender(appender)
+})
+
+logger::log_appender(logger::appender_stdout)
+logger::log_threshold(logger::FATAL)
+logger::log_layout(logger::layout_simple)
+
+test_that("No inheritence, no raw param validation, pass as string", {
+  json_string <- '{
+    "id": 1,
+    "name": "A green door",
+    "price": 12.50,
+    "tags": ["home", "green"]
+  }'
+  results <- parse_raw_params(json_string)
+  expect_identical(
+    object = results,
+    expected = list(
+      id = 1L,
+      name = "A green door",
+      price = 12.5,
+      tags = c("home", "green")
+    )
+  )
+})
+
+test_that("Empty param string fails", {
+  json_string <- ""
+  expect_error(
+    parse_raw_params(json = json_string),
+    "No parameters specified."
+  )
+})
+
+test_that("NULL param string fails", {
+  json_string <- NULL
+  expect_error(
+    parse_raw_params(json = json_string),
+    "No parameters specified."
+  )
+})
+
+test_that("multiple empty param string fails", {
+  json_string <- rep("", 3L)
+  expect_error(
+    parse_raw_params(json = json_string),
+    "No parameters specified."
+  )
+})
+
+product_schema <- '{
+  "$schema": "http://json-schema.org/draft-04/schema#",
+  "title": "Product",
+  "description": "A product from Acme\'s catalog",
+  "type": "object",
+  "properties": {
+    "id": {
+      "description": "The unique identifier for a product",
+      "type": "integer"
+    },
+    "name": {
+      "description": "Name of the product",
+      "type": "string"
+    },
+    "price": {
+      "type": "number",
+      "minimum": 0,
+      "exclusiveMinimum": true
+    },
+    "tags": {
+      "type": "array",
+      "items": {
+        "type": "string"
+      },
+      "minItems": 1,
+      "uniqueItems": true
+    }
+  },
+  "required": ["id", "name", "price"]
+}'
+schema_dir <- withr::local_tempdir()
+schema_file <- file.path(schema_dir, "product.json")
+writeLines(product_schema, schema_file)
+
+test_that("No inheritence, schema validation works", {
+  json_string <- '{
+    "id": 1,
+    "name": "A green door",
+    "price": 12.50,
+    "tags": ["home", "green"]
+  }'
+  results <- parse_raw_params(
+    json = json_string,
+    schema_file = schema_file
+  )
+  expect_identical(
+    object = results,
+    expected = list(
+      id = 1L,
+      name = "A green door",
+      price = 12.5,
+      tags = c("home", "green")
+    )
+  )
+})
+
+base_params_dir <- withr::local_tempdir()
+base_01_string <- '{
+    "name": "A green door",
+    "tags": ["home", "green"],
+    "supplier": "ACME Doors"
+  }'
+writeLines(
+  base_01_string,
+  file.path(base_params_dir, "base01.json")
+)
+base_02_string <- '{
+    "name": "A blue door",
+    "tags": ["home", "blue"],
+    "supplier": "FooBar Doors"
+  }'
+writeLines(
+  base_02_string,
+  file.path(base_params_dir, "base02.json")
+)
+
+test_that("simple inheritence, schema validation works", {
+  json_string <- '{
+    "id": 1,
+    "price": 12.50,
+    "inherit": "base01"
+  }'
+  results <- parse_raw_params(
+    json = json_string,
+    schema_file = schema_file,
+    inheritence_search_paths = base_params_dir
+  )
+  expect_identical(
+    object = results,
+    expected = list(
+      name = "A green door",
+      tags = c("home", "green"),
+      supplier = "ACME Doors",
+      id = 1L,
+      price = 12.5
+    )
+  )
+})
+
+test_that("simple inheritence 2, schema validation works", {
+  json_string <- '{
+    "id": 1,
+    "price": 12.50,
+    "inherit": "base02"
+  }'
+  results <- parse_raw_params(
+    json = json_string,
+    schema_file = schema_file,
+    inheritence_search_paths = base_params_dir
+  )
+  expect_identical(
+    object = results,
+    expected = list(
+      name = "A blue door",
+      tags = c("home", "blue"),
+      supplier = "FooBar Doors",
+      id = 1L,
+      price = 12.5
+    )
+  )
+})
+
+raw_schema <- '{
+  "$schema": "http://json-schema.org/draft-04/schema#",
+  "title": "rawProduct",
+  "description": "Valid Input params for product",
+  "type": "object",
+  "properties": {
+    "inherit": {
+      "description": "Valid keys for inheritence",
+      "type": "string",
+      "enum": [
+        "base01",
+        "base02"
+      ]
+    }
+  },
+  "anyOf": [
+    {
+      "required": [
+        "inherit"
+      ]
+    },
+    {
+      "$ref": "product.json"
+    }
+  ]
+}'
+raw_schema_file <- file.path(schema_dir, "rawProduct.json")
+writeLines(raw_schema, raw_schema_file)
+
+test_that("No inheritence, raw validation works", {
+  json_string <- '{
+    "id": 1,
+    "name": "A green door",
+    "price": 12.50,
+    "tags": ["home", "green"]
+  }'
+  results <- parse_raw_params(
+    json = json_string,
+    schema_file = schema_file,
+    raw_schema_file = raw_schema_file
+  )
+  expect_identical(
+    object = results,
+    expected = list(
+      id = 1L,
+      name = "A green door",
+      price = 12.5,
+      tags = c("home", "green")
+    )
+  )
+})
+
+test_that("simple inheritence, raw validation works - inherit", {
+  json_string <- '{
+    "id": 1,
+    "price": 12.50,
+    "inherit": "base01"
+  }'
+  results <- parse_raw_params(
+    json = json_string,
+    schema_file = schema_file,
+    inheritence_search_paths = base_params_dir,
+    raw_schema_file = raw_schema_file
+  )
+  expect_identical(
+    object = results,
+    expected = list(
+      name = "A green door",
+      tags = c("home", "green"),
+      supplier = "ACME Doors",
+      id = 1L,
+      price = 12.5
+    )
+  )
+})
+
+test_that("raw validation errors correctly, no inherit field", {
+  json_string <- '{
+    "id": 1,
+    "price": 12.50
+  }'
+  expect_error(
+    parse_raw_params(
+      json = json_string,
+      schema_file = schema_file,
+      inheritence_search_paths = base_params_dir,
+      raw_schema_file = raw_schema_file
+    ),
+    "Invalid raw input parameters."
+  )
+})
+
+test_that("raw validation errors correctly, invalid inherit field", {
+  json_string <- '{
+    "id": 1,
+    "price": 12.50,
+    "inherit": "base03"
+  }'
+  expect_error(
+    parse_raw_params(
+      json = json_string,
+      schema_file = schema_file,
+      inheritence_search_paths = base_params_dir,
+      raw_schema_file = raw_schema_file
+    ),
+    "Invalid raw input parameters."
+  )
+})