Clinical Nurse Specialist Jobs in California
Clinical Nurse Specialist jobs in California are among the most active in the country, concentrated in acute care hospital systems, integrated health networks, and specialty outpatient centers, with openings at every level from new-graduate CNS candidates through senior clinical leads. The largest hiring activity is in Los Angeles, San Francisco, and San Diego, where major employers including UCSF Health, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, and Kaiser Permanente maintain deep CNS rosters across their facilities. The most in-demand specialties are adult-gerontology acute care, oncology, and psychiatric-mental health. Find a role that fits below and apply directly.
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Overview
At Sharp, being a nurse means transforming the health care experience for your patients, for your colleagues and for yourself. In a collaborative environment with state-of-the-art facilities and advanced clinical practices, we encourage you to follow your passions wherever they take you.
As a recognized leader in nursing excellence with Magnet® recognitions for high-quality, patient-centered care, we invite you to join us in providing health care the way it should be. We offer a wide variety of nursing positions — from RNs and clinical nurse leads to case managers and clinical nurse specialists.
Success Profile
Wondering what qualities it takes to be a successful nursing professional at Sharp? View some of the traits we’re looking for below.
- Innovative
- Collaborative
- Resourceful
- Advocate
- Person-centered
- Critical Thinker
Job Details
Hours:
Shift Start Time:
VariableShift End Time:
VariableAWS Hours Requirement:
8/40 - 8 Hour ShiftAdditional Shift Information:
Start time between 0700 - 0800Weekend Requirements:
As NeededOn-Call Required:
NoHourly Pay Range (Minimum - Midpoint - Maximum):
$59.160 - $72.470 - $85.780The stated pay scale reflects the range that Sharp reasonably expects to pay for this position. The actual pay rate and pay grade for this position will be dependent on a variety of factors, including an applicant’s years of experience, unique skills and abilities, education, alignment with similar internal candidates, marketplace factors, other requirements for the position, and employer business practices.
What You Will Do
This position is accountable for assuming responsibility in the area of NICU. This person serves as a clinical expert, educator, and consultant to the staff, physicians, patients and their care givers. The focus of this position is on accomplishing strategic and tactical aims within the domains of the NICU department. Fosters multidisciplinary relationships and linkages that support implementation of innovations; leads interdisciplinary groups in implementing patient care programs across the care continuum.
Required Qualifications
- Master's Degree level in Nursing.
- 3 Years clinical experience as a staff nurse.
- Requires previous experience in educational activities related to the scope of nursing practice.
- California Registered Nurse (RN) - CA Board of Registered Nursing -REQUIRED
- Clinical Nurse Specialist (CNS) - CA Board of Registered Nursing -REQUIRED
- AHA Basic Life Support for Healthcare Professional (AHA BLS Healthcare) - American Heart Association -REQUIRED
- Neonatal Resuscitation Program (NRP) - Various-Employee provides certificate -REQUIRED
Preferred Qualifications
- ACLS Certification (Advanced Cardiac Life Support) - American Heart Association -PREFERRED
Other Qualification Requirements
- Current certification in NICU from a nationally recognized accrediting organization, required.
Essential Functions
- The position characteristics reflect the most important duties, responsibilities and competencies considered necessary to perform the essential functions of the job in a fully competent manner. They should not be considered as a detailed description of all the work requirements of the position. The characteristics of the position and standards of performance may be changed by TCMC with or without prior notice based on the needs of the organization.
1. Maintains a safe, clean working environment, including unit based safety and infection control requirements.
2. Acts as an Educator, Clinical Expert, Consultant, Researcher and Practitioner for NICU to ensure optimal patient care outcomes
3. Coordinates and assesses NICU educational development and clinical competency of the nursing staff and ensures continued competency through educational programs for both the newly hired and experienced staff
4. Provides expertise, developing prevention strategies and protocols to improve patient outcomes
5. Leads nurses to ‘think outside the box’, to try new ways through evidenced based practice to enhance and improve patient outcomes
6. Guides the development of consistent and constant standards of practice of nurses, ensures the highest level of care is provided
7. Troubleshoots complex patient care issues
8. Measures patient functioning and quality of well being along with disease specific clinical outcomes
9. Collaborates with the physicians to update clinical guidelines, procedures and policies.
10. Participates in all NICU committees, quality monitoring, marketing and community services.
11. Obtains reviews and analyzes information in collaboration with the patient, family, significant other as related to educational needs.
12. Provides community education services as necessary.
13. Plans for personal growth as related to goals based on self assessment, evaluation, and feedback.
14. Provides consultation to internal customers (e.g. staff and physicians) and external customers (e.g. patients/significant others and other medical facilities).
15. Assists in the development of nurses’ advocacy and moral agency through role modeling, teaching and/or coaching.
16. Serves as an agent for professional nursing educational issues.
Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities
- Effective interpersonal skills – oral and written, and presentations.
- Requires effective collaboration, problem-solving, negotiation and written and verbal communication skills.
- Requires knowledge of computer software applications.
Sharp HealthCare is an equal opportunity/affirmative action employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, religion, color, national origin, gender, gender identity, sexual orientation, age, status as a protected veteran, among other things, or status as a qualified individual with disability or any other protected class
Our Mission and Values
At Sharp, our mission is to improve the health of those we serve with a commitment to excellence in all that we do. We aim to offer quality care and services that set community standards, exceed patients’ expectations and are provided in a caring, convenient, cost-effective and accessible manner.
We have a vision to transform the health care experience through a culture of caring, quality, safety, service, innovation and excellence. Our goal is to be the best place to work, the best place to practice medicine and the best place to receive care.
Our team members are the driving force behind our mission and vision. At Sharp, we’re focused on providing an environment that will meet the needs of both our patients and our employees. Our team members are encouraged to connect with their passions and recommit to the purpose of their work each day.
Benefits
Medical, vision
dental and moreOur flexible benefits include a choice of two HMO medical plans (both of which include vision), two PPO dental choices, flexible spending accounts, accident insurance, long-term disability insurance and life insurance.
Generous vacation
holiday and sick leaveWe offer one of the most generous plans among health care systems in San Diego, and new Sharp employees start with 25 days of paid time off in just the first year.
Wellness
programsWe focus on your overall well-being by giving you tools to improve both yourself and your life — mentally, physically, spiritually, emotionally and environmentally. Our focus is on balanced health and wellness to help you reach your health goals and enjoy life along the way.
Employee assistance
programAt Sharp, we understand that personal problems occasionally arise and you may need to seek outside professional advice. We’re here to help. Our employee assistance program helps employees develop and maintain a lifestyle that supports good health and productivity.
Retirement
plansWe’re proud to offer two retirement plans to match your needs. The Sharp$aver 401(a) plan matches your after-tax contributions and the 403(b) plan offers a long-term savings plan for pre-tax and Roth contributions with available loan and withdrawal provisions.
Educational opportunities
and tuition reimbursementWe support and encourage the growth and development of our employees through educational courses for credit in institutions of higher learning, continuing education programs (conferences, workshops, seminars) and specialty certification examinations.
Discount programs,
perks and other benefitsOur employees are eligible to participate in several group voluntary benefit plans — including group legal, college savings, critical illness insurance, group auto and home insurance and pet insurance.
See All 36 Clinical Nurse Specialist Jobs in California
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Find JobsClinical Nurse Specialist Jobs by City in California
Where California roles are concentrated, by current openings.
Clinical Nurse Specialist Job Market in California
A snapshot from current California openings, updated as new roles post.
Who's Hiring



Top Industries Hiring
- Healthcare & Medical Services
What California Employers Look For
The qualifications that appear most often in clinical nurse specialist jobs across California.
- Active California RN license in good standing with the California Board of Registered Nursing
- Master of Science in Nursing or Doctor of Nursing Practice with a clinical nurse specialist concentration
- National CNS certification from AACN, ANCC, or a specialty-specific certifying body
- Minimum two years of direct clinical nursing experience in the target specialty area
- Demonstrated ability to lead quality improvement and evidence-based practice initiatives
- Strong collaborative skills working with interdisciplinary care teams in complex hospital environments
Clinical Nurse Specialist Jobs in California: Frequently Asked Questions
How do you become a clinical nurse specialist in California?
You become a clinical nurse specialist in California by earning a master's or doctoral degree in nursing with a CNS population focus, then obtaining national certification in your specialty from a recognized certifying body such as AACN or ANCC. California does not issue a separate state CNS license, but the California Board of Registered Nursing requires an active RN license to practice, and most California employers require national CNS certification before extending an offer.
How much do clinical nurse specialists make in California?
Clinical nurse specialists in California earn a median of about $140,270 a year, based on May 2025 Bureau of Labor Statistics wage data, ranging from around $101,260 for the lowest 10% to over $213,320 for the top 10%. Pay rises with experience, specialty, and employer.
Which companies hire clinical nurse specialists in California?
Employers hiring clinical nurse specialists in California right now include Stanford Medicine Children's Health, Sutter Health, and Kaiser Permanente, based on current listings on Migrate Mate as of October 2026. California's large integrated health systems tend to hire CNS professionals across multiple facilities, so checking the career portals of major systems often surfaces openings across several California regions at once.
Which California cities have the most clinical nurse specialist jobs?
Palo Alto, San Diego, and San Francisco have the most clinical nurse specialist openings in California. Los Angeles and San Francisco lead because of the concentration of major academic medical centers and large integrated health systems headquartered there, while San Diego's strong presence of research hospitals and military health facilities drives consistent demand in the third-largest metro.
Are there remote clinical nurse specialist jobs in California?
Yes, but they're rare. Clinical nurse specialist work is heavily patient-facing and tied to specific care settings, so most roles require on-site presence in hospitals or clinics. About 0% of clinical nurse specialist openings tied to California are remote or hybrid as of October 2026, and those positions tend to concentrate in telephonic care management, utilization review, or population health consulting rather than direct bedside care.
How can I get hired as a clinical nurse specialist in California with little or no experience?
The most realistic entry path is completing a CNS-focused graduate program and applying directly into a new-graduate CNS residency or transition-to-practice program. Kaiser Permanente and UCSF Health both run structured programs that onboard new CNS graduates with mentored clinical placements. Nurses currently working in a specialty such as critical care, oncology, or pediatrics can also move laterally into CNS roles by presenting their bedside experience as direct clinical evidence. Holding national certification before applying gives candidates a measurable edge in California's competitive applicant pools.
Where can I find and apply to clinical nurse specialist jobs in California?
You can find and apply to clinical nurse specialist jobs in California on Migrate Mate, which lists current California openings updated regularly. Search the available roles, identify the ones that match your specialty and experience level, and apply directly to the positions that fit.
See All 36 Clinical Nurse Specialist Jobs in California
Find roles in California that match your experience and apply in just a few clicks.
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