Entry Level Cancer Research Jobs (NOW HIRING)

Location: Chicago, Illinois

Business Unit: Rush Medical Center

Hospital: Rush University Medical Center

Department: Cancer Center-Res Fac

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: $40.75 - $72.94 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.

Summary:
Job Summary:
The Clinical Research Nurse 1 (CRN 1) is a licensed nurse who delivers clinical care to research participants while supporting the conduct of clinical studies under the direction of a Principal Investigator (PI). Working as part of a multidisciplinary research team, this role assists with participant recruitment, eligibility screening, informed consent, and protocol adherence.
The CRN 1 monitors participants for changes in health status, manages adverse event reporting, and administers study medications when applicable. The nurse educates physicians and staff on study procedures and keeps the clinical team informed about protocol updates and participant status changes.
This entry-level research nursing role requires strong foundational nursing skills, a willingness to learn clinical research regulations, and the ability to communicate with diverse participants and care teams. Exemplifies the Rush mission, vision and values and acts in accordance with Rush policies and procedures.

Other information:
Required Job Qualifications:
•Education: Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) OR Master of Science in Nursing (MSN)
•Experience: Two years of clinical nursing practice experience required
•Licenses: Current State of Illinois Registered Nurse Licensure
•Certifications: Current Basic Life Support certification for Healthcare Professionals
Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities:
•Regulatory Compliance Awareness – Able to demonstrate introductory knowledge of Good Clinical Practices and/or Good Documentation Practices, human subjects protections, institutional, local, state and federal guidelines and regulations related to clinical research
•Communication Skills – Ability to communicate complex clinical and regulatory concepts in easy-to-understand language.
• Participant Engagement – Ability to build rapport with diverse participants and peers
•Judgment & Escalation – Demonstrated problem-solving, critical decision making, and professional judgment Time Management – Strong organizational skills and attention to detail
•Teamwork & Collaboration – Ability to work successfully both independently and in team settings.
•Flexibility – Flexible work hours and travel may be required
Preferred Job Qualifications:
•Experience: Two years of experience in clinical research as appropriate to study population.
•Certifications: Clinical specialty certification appropriate to study population
Physical Demands:
Competencies:
Disclaimer: The above is intended to describe the general content of and requirements for the performance of this job It is not to be construed as an exhaustive statement of duties, responsibilities or requirements

Responsibilities:
JJob Responsibilities:
Relationships and Caring
•Delivers protocol-required nursing care to research participants, including monitoring of health status and documentation
•Follows participant care plans based on protocol requirements and participant needs
•Assesses participant status and communicates follow-up needs to the PI or interdisciplinary care team in alignment with protocol
•Communicates study details and updates to participants, families, and interdisciplinary care team members
•Educates interdisciplinary care teams on protocol requirements
•Notifies the PI and care team of changes in participant health status.
Evidence-Based Practice
oPerforms protocol-defined procedures including medication administration, clinical assessments, and sample collection under supervision.
oEnsure accurate documentation of tasks performed
oSchedules study visits and prepares materials and source documentation per protocol.
oReminds participants of required tests or procedures
oReviews and enters data into study systems accurately and on time
oCoordinates specimen handling and shipping; ensures compliance with sponsor and federal safety requirements
oRecognizes and reports unexpected events, documentation errors, or potential deviations to appropriate staff.
oReports protocol deviations and serious adverse events to the study sponsor and IRB as applicable
Systems Use and Documentation
oMaintains current knowledge of disease-specific conditions and research trends relevant to assigned studies.
oCompletes all required protocol-specific and system trainings
oApplies ALCOA principles to ensure high-quality documentation and data entry across systems
oNavigates multiple systems (including OnCore, REDCap, Epic) to manage participant data, schedule visits and support workflow accuracy
Critical Thinking
•Reviews patient charts and study eligibility criteria; seeks additional information to ensure accurate enrollment, if needed.
•Supports recruitment activities for assigned study participants
•Tracks visit schedules and confirms that study procedures, labs, and documentation are completed per protocol.
•Identifies and communicates potential issues or protocol deviations to the PI or manager
•Maintains routine communication with PI and study team regarding visit completion and participant status, including changes in health status
•Prepares basic documentation and supports monitoring and audit readiness under supervision
•Provides required visit data and procedural documentation in CTMS or other systems to support financial tracking and billing accuracy
Leadership
•Participates in study team meetings and follows assigned responsibilities to support clinical research activities.
•Assists in orienting new research staff to study procedures under supervision
•Assists in preparing regulatory documents and collaborates with regulatory coordinators to submit IRB forms or updates, as directed
•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.