Clinical Research Registered Nurse Manager-31240

Rush University Medical Center; Chicago (IL); On-site; USD 69,000 - 111,000; Full time

Job summary

Rush University Medical Center in Chicago, IL seeks a Manager, Clinical Research Nurse to lead research operations, supervise a team of nurses, coordinators and support staff, and ensure safe, high-quality care for participants across departments.

The role drives regulatory compliance, budgeting and audits, onboarding and staff education, and continuous quality improvement while coordinating with investigators and clinical teams to integrate research into care settings.

Qualifications

• MSN required; BSN with extensive leadership experience may be considered.
• Minimum 4 years of clinical research experience and 5 years of nursing experience.
• Current Illinois RN licensure.
• Recent BLS for Healthcare Professionals; research certifications within 1 year of hire.

Responsibilities

• Lead and oversee clinical and preclinical research operations across departments.
• Supervise research nurses, coordinators, and support staff.
• Ensure regulatory compliance and guide quality improvement initiatives.
• Support onboarding and staff education; conduct risk assessments.
• Prepare for internal and external audits and manage CTMS budgeting and reporting.
• Collaborate with investigators and partners to integrate research into care settings.

Skills

Regulatory compliance leadership

Protocol oversight

Clinical supervision

Performance management

Communication

Team leadership

Staff training

Data-driven decision making

Operational adaptability

Flexibility across departments

Education

MSN

BSN with leadership experience

Job description

Location: Chicago, Illinois

Business Unit: Rush Medical Center

Hospital: Rush University Medical Center

Department: Res Recr Cancer Center-Ahmed

Work Type: Full Time (Total FTE between 0.9 and 1.0)

Shift: Shift 1

Work Schedule: 8 Hr (8:00:00 AM - 5:00:00 PM)

Rush offers exceptional rewards and benefits learn more at our Rush benefits page (https://www.rush.edu/rush-careers/employee-benefits).

Pay Range: $50.39 - $80.25 per hour

Rush salaries are determined by many factors including, but not limited to, education, job-related experience and skills, as well as internal equity and industry specific market data. The pay range for each role reflects Rush’s anticipated wage or salary reasonably expected to be offered for the position. Offers may vary depending on the circumstances of each case.

Job Summary

The Manager, Clinical Research Nurse (CRN) is a licensed professional nurse who leads and oversees clinical and preclinical research operations at Rush University. This role is responsible for supervising a team of research nurses, coordinators, and support staff while ensuring safe, high-quality clinical care for research participants across departments. The Manager, CRN leads operational planning, staffing, and study implementation for complex and high-risk protocols. In collaboration with institutional partners, this role monitors regulatory compliance, oversees research billing processes, and guides continuous quality improvement initiatives. The Manager, CRN also supports staff onboarding and education, leads risk assessments, contributes to policy development, and prepares for internal and external audits. The Manager CRN works across teams to integrate research within ambulatory and inpatient care settings, maintains key institutional partnerships, and ensures adherence to federal, state, and institutional research requirements. Exemplifies the Rush mission, vision and values and acts in accordance with Rush policies and procedures.

Required Job Qualifications

• Education: Master of Science in Nursing (MSN) required; BSN with extensive leadership experience may be considered
• Experience: A minimum of 4 years of clinical research experience AND a minimum of 5 years of clinical nursing experience
• License: Current State of Illinois Registered Nurse licensure
• Certifications: Current Basic Life Support certification for Healthcare Professionals; Relevant research certification (Certified Clinical Research Professional (CCRP), Certified Clinical Research Associate (CCRA), Certified Clinical Research Coordinator (CCRC), OR Certified IRB Professional (CIP)) must be obtained within 1 year of hire

Knowledge, Skills & Abilities

• Regulatory Compliance Leadership – Demonstrated expertise in Good Clinical Practices and/or Good Documentation Practices, human subjects protections, and institutional, local, state, and federal regulations governing clinical research
• Protocol Oversight – Ability to lead nursing staff in implementing study protocols, monitoring protocol adherence, and resolving operational barriers across a clinical research portfolio
• Clinical Supervision & Judgment – Advanced professional judgment and critical thinking in high-risk clinical research environments; ability to elevate and resolve clinical and regulatory issues independently
• Performance Management – Skilled in coaching, mentoring, performance evaluation, and conflict resolution within multi-role clinical research teams
• Communication & Stakeholder Engagement – Strong verbal and written communication skills; ability to convey complex information to investigators, staff, and external stakeholders
• Team Leadership – Ability to lead interdisciplinary teams, assign tasks based on strengths and workload, and foster a collaborative work environment
• Training & Staff Development – Experience developing and delivering onboarding, role‑specific training, and continuing education for clinical research staff
• Data-Driven Decision-Making – Ability to interpret metrics and dashboards related to recruitment, training, audit readiness, and staff workload to guide strategic decisions
• Operational Adaptability – Able to navigate shifting study priorities, resource needs, and staffing assignments in a dynamic clinical research setting
• Flexibility – Flexibility to work across clinical departments, shifts, and off-site locations as needed to support research operations

Preferred Job Qualifications

• Experience: 2 years of supervisory or management experience in research
• Certifications: Familiarity with preclinical research is strongly preferred, including GLP certification

Job Responsibilities

• Relationship and Caring
• Partners with Quality Assurance and Compliance teams to support adherence to institutional standards.
• Cultivates cross-departmental partnerships (e.g., nursing, pharmacy, lab) to strengthen protocol compliance and participant experience.
• Guides staff in delivering participant-centered research care by addressing concerns raised during visits, reviewing participant feedback, and working with staff to improve communication, trust, and retention in ongoing trials.
• Evidence-Based Practice
• Promotes the application of evidence-based practices across clinical trials; supports staff in aligning participant care with protocol requirements and evolving clinical standards.
• Systems Use and Documentation
• Oversees systems that track research portfolio compliance, enrollment trends, and staff workload; compiles and shares reports to support departmental planning and resource decisions.
• Uses dashboards and reports to monitor protocol assignments, training completion, and workload distribution across the research portfolio, and works with staff and leadership to adjust priorities as needed.
• Critical Thinking
• Collaborates with senior leaders to plan and implement new research programs and high-risk clinical trials.
• Prepares for and participates in internal and external audits, including scheduling, document review, and audit response. Synthesizes metrics from audits, staff workload, and recruitment to provide operational insights to directors and PIs during quarterly reviews.
• Provides guidance on CTMS financial tracking, including participant visit completion, milestone documentation, and workload attribution to support invoicing and budget reconciliation
• Leadership
• Serves as liaison across research, regulatory, and clinical nursing committees to coordinate compliance and study operations. Oversees and directs day-to-day operations for assigned research teams, including nurses, coordinators, and support staff.
• Manages and documents staff performance, timekeeping, and leave requests, and resolves related personnel matters. Leads or contributes to the recruitment, interviewing, and hiring of research nursing and coordination staff.
• Designs and delivers onboarding, training, and continuing education programs for research staff, clinical teams, and investigators. Leads department-level initiatives that improve protocol efficiency, recruitment outcomes, or staff development, and presents these efforts during leadership reviews.
• Independently submits or reviews regulatory documents and amendments; partners with regulatory specialists to ensure IRB submission timelines and documentation accuracy.
• Quality Assurance and Improvement
• Leads quality improvement initiatives across the research portfolio; monitors trends in compliance, workflow, and staff feedback; implements solutions to improve protocol adherence, operational efficiency, and participant safety.
• Other duties as assigned

Rush is an equal opportunity employer. We evaluate qualified applicants without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, veteran status, and other legally protected characteristics.