Research Nurse Job Description Template

Research nurses are trained to design, perform, and evaluate the effectiveness of clinical experiments. These RNs work to optimize nursing workflows and improve care quality. If you’re looking to grow your research team, crafting a tailored research nurse job description is key to attracting top-tier candidates to your organization.

In this job description template, we’ll show you how to advertise your position and appeal to top applicants. We’ll also review important duties, responsibilities, and skills of research nurses to help you identify the individuals best suited for the position.

Before developing your job description, you’ll want to browse other research nurse jobs to ensure your nursing salary, benefits, and scheduling options can compete with those offered by other facilities in your area. Then, once you’ve solidified your job description, you’ll want to organize a set of research nurse interview questions to help you through the candidate selection process.

Research Nurse

Tips: Research nurses work in a variety of settings and perform different types of clinical experiments, depending on the mission of the team they work on. For example, some clinicians work in hospital departments that analyze nursing engagement surveys, while others work in laboratories that conduct pharmaceutical research.

Nurse job descriptions should specify the type of trials employees would be expected to perform, along with the clinical setting they’d need to report to. Listing these details at the beginning of your job description ensures that applicants have a firm understanding of what it’s like to work on your research team and are excited to help you meet your clinical goals.

Template:

Ready to make a direct impact on the lives of our cancer patients? Here at [facility name], we’re looking to hire an experienced research nurse to lead clinical trials in our oncology department. As the newest member of our clinical research team, you’d work Monday through Friday in our acute-care hospital.

This is a patient-facing role, so you’d be expected to collaborate with bedside nurses, physicians, quality improvement specialists, and patients to ensure our facility continues to offer cutting-edge cancer treatments. Our research team demonstrates curiosity, passion, and creativity in everything we do, which is why we’ve been rated “The Nation’s Most Innovative Cancer Treatment Center” for the last five years.

We know that patient health and wellbeing begins with our nursing team and we’re proud to offer exceptional salaries and benefits to all full-time nurse researchers. If this sounds like a position you’d be interested in, continue reading below as we outline our research nurse duties, scheduling expectations, and degree requirements.

Benefits

Tips: Once you’ve introduced the basics of your position, you’ll want to boast about your organization’s nursing benefits. Start by listing a variety of professional, financial, and lifestyle incentives in the next section of yourjob description.

Research nurses often appreciate the work-life balance that comes with working regular business hours, but some may worry that moving away from the bedside could mean a loss of comprehensive healthcare coverage or investment opportunities. Show research nurse applicants that you value their clinical expertise and want to help them meet their goals.

Template:

• Competitive pay
• Health, dental, and vision benefits
• FSA/HSA options
• 401(k) matching and access to our pension program
• Paid vacation and holidays, family leave, sick time
• $3,000 annual tuition reimbursement
• Paid continuing education credits
• Free employee parking
• Discounts for local restaurants, gyms, and amusement parks

Duties and Responsibilities

Tips: Potential applicants may be curious: What are the responsibilities of research nurses in your organization? How do the expectations for your unique position differ from those of a clinical research nurse practitioner?

Job descriptions should provide an overview of the position’s duties to give nurses a better idea of what a shift with your research team would look like. Start by listing frequently performed tasks to help them envision themselves in the role.

Template:

Research nurses at our organization are expected to perform the following duties:

• Collaborate with the multidisciplinary team to identify care deficiencies
• Design clinical trials to address clinical concerns
• Submit details of research studies and experiments to the Institutional Review Board (IRB) for approval
• Obtain participant consent and ensure the document is scanned into their EMR
• Collect data and interpret research findings
• Disseminate results of nursing experiments
• Present research findings at healthcare conferences

Compensation and Schedule

Tips: Here, you’ll want to outline your organization’s research nurse salary. Be sure to mention any opportunities for pay raises or end-of-year bonuses. You’ll also want to clarify scheduling expectations in your research nurse job description, along with any overtime or on-call requirements, to prevent candidate confusion and frustration down the line.

Template:

• Starting salary of $125,000, with adjustments subject to education level and relevant leadership experience
• Annual salary step increases are offered after strong employee performance reviews
• 5 scheduled 8-hour day shifts (8a-4p) per week
• 2 weekend and 2 overnight call shifts per month during data collection periods
• Bi-weekly or weekly pay schedule

Research Nurse Qualifications and Skills

Tips: In this section of your research nurse job description, it’s important to highlight the licensure and certification requirements for your position. Be sure to specify your organization’s clinical research nurse degree expectations and the level of experience you’re looking for.

Differentiating whether a qualification is required or preferred can ensure you don’t miss out on candidates who may not have everything you’re looking for but would still be an excellent fit for the role.

Template:

Required Qualifications:

• Active and unencumbered RN license
• MSN required, DNP preferred
• Research nurse certification (CRN-BC)
• At least 2 years of bedside nursing experience
• At least 2 years of research nursing experience at a similar institution

Preferred Qualifications:

• Bilingual in English and Spanish
• Previous experience working with Viedoc and Florence eBinders clinical research software
• 5+ years of research nursing experience

Call to Action

Tips: At the end of your clinical research nurse job description, you’ll want to make it easy for candidates to begin their application. By including a call to action button labeled “Apply Now” or “Click Here to Apply,” you can help them get started straight away.

Candidates are more likely to give up on job applications that take longer than 15 minutes. Ensure all interested candidates apply by allowing resumes and cover letters to be uploaded directly to your application site. Also, providing human resources department contact details can help candidates who may have questions about the hiring process.

Template:

Think you have what it takes to become our newest research nurse? Start today by clicking “Apply Now.” You can upload your resume and cover letter straight to your application. Feel free to call our hiring manager at the phone number above if you have any questions. We look forward to seeing your application!

Fill Your Vacancies With Qualified Professionals Today

Even after writing a great research nurse job description, you may be looking for additional ways to streamline your healthcare hiring processes. IntelyCare can help you connect with the best clinicians in the industry. By posting your open positions to our healthcare hiring board, you can quickly match with qualified professionals who are actively searching for a job.