Clinical Research Nurse Jobs in California
Clinical Research Nurse jobs in California are among the most active in the country, concentrated in academic medical centers, pharmaceutical and biotech companies, and large hospital-based research programs, with openings from entry-level research nurse positions through senior principal investigator support roles. San Francisco, Los Angeles, and San Diego are the primary hiring hubs, anchored by institutions like UCSF Health, Kaiser Permanente, and Rady Children's Hospital San Diego. The most in-demand specialties are oncology trials, cardiovascular research, and first-in-human Phase I studies. Find a role that fits below and apply directly.
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This 60% position (24 hours per week) will involve conducting on-site study visits at Benioff Children’s Hospital in San Francisco's Mission Bay, and may require presence at Benioff Children’s Hospital in Oakland, based on the needs of the department. Flexibility is required, as the study's needs will determine the number of hours worked on any given day.
Duties include conducting study visits, participant recruitment, data entry, regulatory maintenance, conducting monitoring visits, submitting to the Institutional Review Board, and other study coordination duties.
We invite candidates to please address the following questions in your cover letter:
- Describe your experience with research, clinical trials, working with patients, children, families, or children with hormone conditions.
- Describe your organizational skills and provide an example of how you handle competing priorities.
- What are your plans for the next 2-3+ years (are you planning to go back to school, if so, what program/timeline for matriculation, etc.)?
- Are you currently in school or employed? If so, please describe.
- Do you speak any other languages? If so, which one(s)?
- This position is 24 hours per week, primarily Monday through Friday at the UCSF Mission Bay Campus.
- Some remote work may be possible depending on the needs of the studies and current department policies.
- The number of hours worked per day varies each week depending on the needs of the studies.
- There are occasional evening and rare weekend hours to accommodate our patients’ schedules, usually for a phone call to discuss the study.
- There is the possibility of increasing the number of hours per week in the future.
- Are you able to commit to this schedule?
- If selected for this position, when would you be able to start?
Required Qualifications:
- High School Diploma; or equivalent experience
- Excellent verbal and written communication, organizational, and interpersonal skills to work effectively in a diverse team
- Attention to detail; strong interpersonal skills; excellent, effective verbal and written communication skills to coordinate with subjects, team members, other departments, and outside institutions; and the ability to multitask in a fast-paced environment while working with a diverse subject population
- Ability to work well independently, complete projects in a timely manner, and prioritize multiple projects to ensure the completion of essential tasks by deadlines
- Proficiency with Microsoft Word, PowerPoint, Excel, Outlook, and Windows
- Excellent analytical and problem-solving skills
- Ability to work effectively in a fast-paced, team-based environment; project management and coordination skills; ability to prioritize tasks and meet multiple deadlines on concurrent projects
- Ability to establish cooperative working relationships with patients, co-workers, & physicians Experience and/or comfort working with children, adolescents, and families
Preferred Qualifications:
- Career interest in working with children and/or adolescents and their families
- Fluency in the usage of Institutional Review Board (IRB) online iRIS system for submission, renewal, and modification of protocols through this system
- Understanding of patient population to create rapport and a relationship, while also giving insight to what is realistic and appropriate for patient participation
- Certification by the Society of Clinical Research Associates or the Association of Clinical Research Professionals
- Experience with accessing electronic medical records and entering the data into REDCap and other platforms
- Knowledge of UCSF and departmental policies for dealing with reimbursement, guidelines for research, confidentiality and HIPPA regulations, following the UCSF mission statement and purpose for research, and a clear understanding of policies and procedures on patient safety and confidentiality (electronic and hard copy medical records, patient charts, communication, etc.); knowledge of medical terminology, research policies and guidelines, guidelines for packing/shipping infectious substances, database building/analysis, and data management within some of the following: Access, Stata, SASS/ SPSS, and Teleform programming platforms
- Experience applying the following regulations and guidelines:
- Good Clinical Practice Guidelines
- Health Information and Accountability Act (HIPAA)
- The Protection of Human Research Subjects
- IRB regulations for recruitment and consent of research subjects
- Effective Cash Handling Procedures
- Environmental Health and Safety Training
- Fire Safety Training
This 60% position (24 hours per week) will involve conducting on-site study visits at Benioff Children’s Hospital in San Francisco's Mission Bay, and may require presence at Benioff Children’s Hospital in Oakland, based on the needs of the department. Flexibility is required, as the study's needs will determine the number of hours worked on any given day.
Duties include conducting study visits, participant recruitment, data entry, regulatory maintenance, conducting monitoring visits, submitting to the Institutional Review Board, and other study coordination duties.
We invite candidates to please address the following questions in your cover letter:
- Describe your experience with research, clinical trials, working with patients, children, families, or children with hormone conditions.
- Describe your organizational skills and provide an example of how you handle competing priorities.
- What are your plans for the next 2-3+ years (are you planning to go back to school, if so, what program/timeline for matriculation, etc.)?
- Are you currently in school or employed? If so, please describe.
- Do you speak any other languages? If so, which one(s)?
- This position is 24 hours per week, primarily Monday through Friday at the UCSF Mission Bay Campus.
- Some remote work may be possible depending on the needs of the studies and current department policies.
- The number of hours worked per day varies each week depending on the needs of the studies.
- There are occasional evening and rare weekend hours to accommodate our patients’ schedules, usually for a phone call to discuss the study.
- There is the possibility of increasing the number of hours per week in the future.
- Are you able to commit to this schedule?
- If selected for this position, when would you be able to start?
Required Qualifications:
- High School Diploma; or equivalent experience
- Excellent verbal and written communication, organizational, and interpersonal skills to work effectively in a diverse team
- Attention to detail; strong interpersonal skills; excellent, effective verbal and written communication skills to coordinate with subjects, team members, other departments, and outside institutions; and the ability to multitask in a fast-paced environment while working with a diverse subject population
- Ability to work well independently, complete projects in a timely manner, and prioritize multiple projects to ensure the completion of essential tasks by deadlines
- Proficiency with Microsoft Word, PowerPoint, Excel, Outlook, and Windows
- Excellent analytical and problem-solving skills
- Ability to work effectively in a fast-paced, team-based environment; project management and coordination skills; ability to prioritize tasks and meet multiple deadlines on concurrent projects
- Ability to establish cooperative working relationships with patients, co-workers, & physicians Experience and/or comfort working with children, adolescents, and families
Preferred Qualifications:
- Career interest in working with children and/or adolescents and their families
- Fluency in the usage of Institutional Review Board (IRB) online iRIS system for submission, renewal, and modification of protocols through this system
- Understanding of patient population to create rapport and a relationship, while also giving insight to what is realistic and appropriate for patient participation
- Certification by the Society of Clinical Research Associates or the Association of Clinical Research Professionals
- Experience with accessing electronic medical records and entering the data into REDCap and other platforms
- Knowledge of UCSF and departmental policies for dealing with reimbursement, guidelines for research, confidentiality and HIPPA regulations, following the UCSF mission statement and purpose for research, and a clear understanding of policies and procedures on patient safety and confidentiality (electronic and hard copy medical records, patient charts, communication, etc.); knowledge of medical terminology, research policies and guidelines, guidelines for packing/shipping infectious substances, database building/analysis, and data management within some of the following: Access, Stata, SASS/ SPSS, and Teleform programming platforms
- Experience applying the following regulations and guidelines:
- Good Clinical Practice Guidelines
- Health Information and Accountability Act (HIPAA)
- The Protection of Human Research Subjects
- IRB regulations for recruitment and consent of research subjects
- Effective Cash Handling Procedures
- Environmental Health and Safety Training
- Fire Safety Training
See All 234+ Clinical Research Nurse Jobs in California
Find roles in California that match your experience and apply in just a few clicks.
Find Clinical Research Nurse JobsClinical Research Nurse Jobs by City in California
Where California roles are concentrated, by current openings.
Clinical Research Nurse Job Market in California
A snapshot from current California openings, updated as new roles post.
Who's Hiring
- University of California - San Francisco27
- Cedars-Sinai Medical Center25
- Stanford University19
- Kaiser Permanente9
- UC Irvine Health7
Top Industries Hiring
- Education17
- Healthcare & Medical Services13
- Biotechnology & Pharmaceuticals9
- Medical Devices2
- Staffing & Recruiting1
What California Employers Look For
The qualifications that appear most often in clinical research nurse jobs across California.
- Active California Registered Nurse license issued by the California Board of Registered Nursing
- Minimum two years of clinical nursing experience in an acute care or specialty setting
- Experience with clinical trial protocols, ICH-GCP guidelines, and FDA regulatory requirements
- Certified Clinical Research Professional (CCRP) or Certified Clinical Research Coordinator (CCRC) credential preferred
- Proficiency with electronic data capture systems such as REDCap, Medidata Rave, or similar platforms
- Strong understanding of informed consent procedures and adverse event reporting requirements
Clinical Research Nurse Jobs in California: Frequently Asked Questions
How do you become a clinical research nurse in California?
You need an active California Registered Nurse license issued by the California Board of Registered Nursing, which requires passing the NCLEX-RN after completing an accredited nursing program. Most California employers also expect clinical bedside experience before moving into research. From there, nurses typically pursue Good Clinical Practice training and a credential such as the CCRP through the Society of Clinical Research Associates, which significantly strengthens applications at California academic medical centers and biotech-affiliated research sites.
Which companies hire clinical research nurses in California?
Employers hiring clinical research nurses in California right now include University of California - San Francisco, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, and Stanford University, based on current listings on Migrate Mate as of August 2026. California's dense concentration of biotech headquarters, academic medical centers, and contract research organizations means the pipeline of research nursing roles is consistently active across both large health systems and specialty clinical trial sites.
Which California cities have the most clinical research nurse jobs?
San Francisco, Los Angeles, and Stanford have the most clinical research nurse openings in California. San Francisco and San Diego drive volume through their biotech and pharmaceutical corridors, where companies run ongoing multi-phase trials, while Los Angeles reflects the scale of its large academic medical centers and hospital-based oncology and cardiovascular research programs.
Are there remote clinical research nurse jobs in California?
Yes, but they're rare. Clinical research nursing is primarily a hands-on role involving direct patient contact, specimen collection, and on-site protocol compliance, so most positions require a physical presence at a research site or clinical facility. About 53% of clinical research nurse openings tied to California are remote or hybrid as of August 2026, and those tend to be in regulatory coordination, patient follow-up calls, or remote monitoring support rather than active trial nursing.
How can I get hired as a clinical research nurse in California with little or no experience?
The most realistic entry path is transitioning from a bedside nursing role in oncology, cardiology, or critical care, where patient assessment and protocol familiarity are directly transferable. Large California health systems including UCSF Health and Kaiser Permanente run research nurse residency and internship programs designed for nurses moving into clinical trials for the first time. Completing a Good Clinical Practice certification and volunteering on institutional review board studies at a California academic center can also build a credible research portfolio before your first dedicated research nursing hire.
Where can I find and apply to clinical research nurse jobs in California?
You can find and apply to clinical research nurse jobs in California on Migrate Mate, which lists current California openings across academic medical centers, biotech employers, contract research organizations, and hospital-based trial sites. Find roles that match your specialty and experience level and apply directly through the listings.
See All 234+ Clinical Research Nurse Jobs in California
Find roles in California that match your experience and apply in just a few clicks.
Find Clinical Research Nurse Jobs