Nursing Officer Jobs in California
Nursing Officer jobs in California represent one of the most active markets in the country, with consistent demand across large acute-care hospital systems, public health agencies, and integrated health networks serving entry-level through senior leadership roles. Los Angeles, San Francisco, and San Diego anchor most of the hiring, with major systems like Kaiser Permanente, Dignity Health, and UC Health operating across these regions. The most in-demand specialties in California include intensive care, surgical services, and public and community health nursing. Find a role that fits below and apply directly.
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INTRODUCTION
UCI Health is the clinical enterprise of the University of California, Irvine, and the only academic health system based in Orange County. UCI Health is comprised of its main campus, UCI Medical Center, a 459-bed, acute care hospital in in Orange, Calif., four hospitals and affiliated physicians of the UCI Health Community Network in Orange and Los Angeles counties and ambulatory care centers across the region. Listed among America’s Best Hospitals by U.S. News & World Report for 23 consecutive years, UCI Medical Center provides tertiary and quaternary care and is home to Orange County’s only National Cancer Institute-designated comprehensive cancer center, high-risk perinatal/neonatal program and American College of Surgeons-verified Level I adult and Level II pediatric trauma center, gold level 1 geriatric emergency department and regional burn center. UCI Health serves a region of nearly 4 million people in Orange County, western Riverside County and southeast Los Angeles County.
Position Summary
The Chief Nursing Officer – Lakewood provides strategic, operating, and financial plans for all nursing and other designated patient care functions and services to accomplish UCI Health – Lakewood’s mission. The incumbent provides nursing leadership to all nursing services associated with patient care at UCI Health – Lakewood. Has responsibility for assessing, planning, coordinating, implementing, and evaluating nursing practice, care management and clinical operations for UCI Health – Lakewood. Works closely with facility senior leadership and senior leadership throughout the UCI Health system to ensure that UCI Health – Lakewood functions in a manner that is financially successful and delivers high quality patient care.
BASIC QUALIFICATIONS
- Understanding of Joint Commission and other applicable regulatory requirements
- Strong planning, financial and analytical skills to provide effective leadership for assigned areas
- Must possess the skill, knowledge and ability essential to the successful performance of assigned duties
- Must demonstrate customer service skills appropriate to the job
- Minimum 5 years’ experience in an executive leadership role (Director or higher) in a nursing role
- Minimum 10 years’ experience of progressive management responsibility
- Master’s degree in Nursing OR BSN with Masters in Business Administration, Masters in Healthcare Management, or Masters in related field
- Marketing knowledge and skills to successfully promote assigned programs and services
- Excellent written and verbal communication skills in English
- Excellent negotiation skills and proven ability to influence others internal and external to the organization
- Evidence of sound critical thinking skills and the ability to think creatively and strategically
- Demonstrated ability to work across multidisciplinary teams
- Ability to successfully represent the UC Irvine Enterprise to the external community
- Ability to successfully cross departmental lines of management to organize, guide and direct the development, delivery and marketing of assigned programs and services
- Ability to maintain a work pace appropriate to the workload
- Ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships across the Health System
- Ability to develop and implement programs and improve organizational performance
- Ability to comply with all nurse practice and medical center policies and procedures for infection control, safety, administrative and clinical practice. Ability to comply with activities mandated by The Joint Commission/Title 22, CLIA, etc.
- Experience working in a unionized environment
PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS
- Leadership experience in an academic medical center environment
- Knowledge of University and Medical Center organizations, policies, procedures and forms
- Experience in Project Management and Lean Six Sigma as improvement tools
- Doctorate degree in Nursing
LICENSES AND CERTIFICATIONS
Registered Nurse in the State of California
TOTAL REWARDS
We offer a wealth of benefits to make working at UCI even more rewarding. These benefits may include medical insurance, sick and vacation time, retirement savings plans, and access to a number of discounts and perks. Please utilize the links listed here to learn more about our compensation practices and benefits.
CONDITIONS OF EMPLOYMENT
The University of California, Irvine (UCI) seeks to provide a safe and healthy environment for the entire UCI community. As part of this commitment, all applicants who accept an offer of employment must comply with the following conditions of employment:
- Background Check and Live Scan
- Employment Misconduct
- Legal Right to Work in the United States
- Vaccination Policies
- Smoking and Tobacco Policy
- Drug Free Environment
Exercise the utmost discretion in managing sensitive information learned in the course of performing their duties. Sensitive information includes but is not limited to employee and student records, health and patient records, financial data, strategic plans, proprietary information, and any other sensitive or non-public information learned during the course and scope of employment. Understands that sensitive information should be shared on a limited basis and actively takes steps to limit access to sensitive information to individuals who have legitimate business need to know. Ensure that sensitive information is properly safeguarded. Follow all organizational policies and laws on data protection and privacy. This includes secure handling of physical and digital records and proper usage of IT systems to prevent data leaks. The unauthorized or improper disclosure of confidential work-related information obtained from any source on any work-related matter is a violation of these expectations.
MISCONDUCT DISCLOSURE REQUIREMENT
As a condition of employment, the final candidate who accepts a conditional offer of employment will be required to disclose if they have been subject to any final administrative or judicial decisions within the last seven years determining that they committed any misconduct; received notice of any allegations or are currently the subject of any administrative or disciplinary proceedings involving misconduct; have left a position after receiving notice of allegations or while under investigation in an administrative or disciplinary proceeding involving misconduct; or have filed an appeal of a finding of misconduct with a previous employer.
The following additional conditions may apply, some of which are dependent upon business unit or job specific requirements:
- California Child Abuse and Neglect Reporting Act
- E-Verify
- Pre-Placement Health Evaluation
Details of each policy may be reviewed by visiting the following page: https://hr.uci.edu/new-hire/conditions-of-employment.php
CLOSING STATEMENT
The University of California is an Equal Opportunity Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, age, protected veteran status, or other protected categories covered by the UC Anti-Discrimination Policy.
We are committed to attracting and retaining a diverse workforce along with honoring unique experiences, perspectives, and identities. Together, our community strives to create and maintain working and learning environments that are inclusive, equitable, and welcoming.
UCI provides reasonable accommodations for applicants with disabilities upon request. For more information, please contact UCI's Employee Experience Center (EEC) at eec@uci.edu or at (949) 824-0500, Monday - Friday from 8:30 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.
See All 18 Nursing Officer Jobs in California
Find roles in California that match your experience and apply in just a few clicks.
Find Nursing Officer JobsNursing Officer Jobs by City in California
Where California roles are concentrated, by current openings.
Nursing Officer Job Market in California
A snapshot from current California openings, updated as new roles post.
Who's Hiring
- Children's Hospital Los Angeles2

- University of California - San Francisco2

- Alignment Healthcare1

- Encompass Health1

- KPC GLOBAL MEDICAL CENTERS1

Top Industries Hiring
- Education7
- Healthcare & Medical Services7
- Insurance2
- Biotechnology & Pharmaceuticals1
What California Employers Look For
The qualifications that appear most often in nursing officer jobs across California.
- Active Registered Nurse license issued or recognized by the California Board of Registered Nursing
- Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) from an accredited program required or strongly preferred
- Current BLS certification and ACLS certification for acute or critical care settings
- Minimum clinical experience in a relevant specialty such as ICU, surgery, or med-surg
- Demonstrated ability to lead, mentor, or coordinate a nursing team or care unit
- Familiarity with California Title 22 regulations and Joint Commission accreditation standards
Nursing Officer Jobs in California: Frequently Asked Questions
How do you become a nursing officer in California?
You must hold an active Registered Nurse license issued by the California Board of Registered Nursing, which requires completing an accredited nursing program and passing the NCLEX-RN exam. Most nursing officer roles in California also require a BSN at minimum, with many senior positions expecting an MSN or clinical leadership credential. Relevant specialty experience and demonstrated supervisory or charge nurse responsibilities are standard prerequisites for advancement into officer-level roles.
How much do nursing officers make in California?
Nursing officers 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 nursing officers in California?
Employers hiring nursing officers in California right now include Children's Hospital Los Angeles, University of California - San Francisco, and Alignment Healthcare, based on current listings on Migrate Mate as of June 2026. California's size and mix of large integrated health systems, county hospital networks, and university medical centers creates steady openings for experienced nursing officers throughout the year.
Which California cities have the most nursing officer jobs?
Los Angeles, San Francisco, and Berkeley have the most nursing officer openings in California. Los Angeles and San Diego lead because of their concentration of large hospital systems, trauma centers, and VA facilities, while San Francisco's academic medical centers and UCSF Health anchor demand in the Bay Area. Suburban markets around these hubs also post regularly as regional medical centers expand capacity.
Are there remote nursing officer jobs in California?
Yes, but they're rare. About 22% of nursing officer openings tied to California are remote or hybrid as of June 2026, reflecting the largely hands-on, unit-based nature of the role. The portions most likely to be remote are care coordination, utilization review, and telehealth-focused nursing officer positions, where direct patient contact is not required every shift.
How can I get hired as a nursing officer in California with little or no experience?
The most realistic entry path is through a nurse residency or new-graduate transition program at a large California health system such as Kaiser Permanente, Cedars-Sinai, or a UC Health campus, which are designed specifically for RNs without post-licensure experience. Lateral moves from roles like staff nurse, charge nurse, or clinical coordinator build the supervisory record most officer-level postings require. Holding a California BRN license and a current BLS certification from day one removes the most common screening barriers.
Where can I find and apply to nursing officer jobs in California?
You can find and apply to nursing officer jobs in California on Migrate Mate, which lists current California openings updated regularly. Find roles that match your specialty and experience level and apply directly to the employer without creating an account or signing up.
See All 18 Nursing Officer Jobs in California
Find roles in California that match your experience and apply in just a few clicks.
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