Universities of Wisconsin logo
Universities of Wisconsin
Madison, Wisconsin

Research Nurse

Registered NurseNo weekendsFull-Time

Listed compensation

$65k

The week · per this posting · Monday – Friday

Ask the employer about call expectations, nights and shift pattern and time off.

Posted 32m ago · Verified live

Job Description

Current Employees: If you are currently employed at any of the Universities of Wisconsin, log in to Workday to apply through the internal application process.

Job Category

Academic Staff

Employment Type: Regular

Job Profile

Research Nurse

Job Summary

The Department of Medicine (DOM) offers a unique opportunity for a Research Nurse to join our Clinical Trials team within the Office of Research Services (ORS).

ORS Clinical Trials conducts federally funded NIH or industry sponsored clinical research involving drugs, devices, biologic agents, imaging and breakthrough technologies to improve patient care and outcomes.

The Research Nurse will engage in coordinating these clinical trials, providing nursing care for research participants and managing the research protocols in collaboration with clinical research coordinators and physician investigators.

This position will primarily support research in the Division of Cardiovascular Medicine within DOM; however, there may be opportunities to support additional areas within the department as needed. ORS Clinical Trials is a centralized unit supporting research across 11 divisions within DOM. Typical work schedule for this position is Monday through Friday with very rare time on weekends, evenings or holidays.

This position is full or part-time, 80%-100%

This position requires work to be completed onsite, at a designated campus work location.

This position has been identified as a position of trust with access to vulnerable populations. The selected candidate will be required to pass an initial caregiver check to be eligible for employment under the Wisconsin Caregiver Law and every four years.

Must provide a valid driver's license. Employees may use their own transportation or receive approval for University Car Fleet usage. Employment is conditional pending the results of a Pre-hire Driver Authorization Check. See businessservices.wisc.edu (click on “Become an authorized driver;” then click on “Required criteria”).

Candidates who demonstrate the following knowledge, skills, and abilities will be given first consideration

Reading and understanding of research principles and methodology and ability to apply that knowledge to a clinical trials environment.

Strong Oral and Written Communication Skills

Ability to interact with patients and researchers independently using initiative and good judgment.

Ability to structure time to meet multiple deadlines.

Key Job Responsibilities

Serves a primary point of contact for emergent study participant situations related to adverse effects or complications of the study

  • Prepares research participant information/consent/authorization
  • May provide expertise, training, and guidance to the community, peers, and/or students
  • Supervises the day-to-day activities of research work unit
  • Secures and schedules logistics for clinical research projects according to the research plan

Assists in the recruitment and screening of subjects for clinical studies by conducting physical health assessments

Serves as main point of contact and liaison to project participants, investigators, research sponsors, and the research team delivering study information in accordance with established research project standards and protocols

Assists regulatory coordinator in maintaining clinical research regulatory compliance for assigned protocols including but not limited to the IRB approval and regulatory documents per FDA, HHS and GCP guidelines

  • Provides professional nursing care to patients according to established protocols
  • Provides appropriate treatment plan direction and information to study participants
  • Collects, verifies, and enters data into database and analyzes clinical information data
  • Assists with development of a comprehensive budget for each clinical research protocol

Department: School of Medicine and Public Health, Department of Medicine, Office of Research Services

Fueled by innovation yet grounded in kindness, the Department of Medicine empowers leaders to transform medicine and improve lives everywhere. We are committed to professional fulfillment and health equity.

We strive to ensure that everyone in our department understands the importance of social impact and belonging—and is empowered to champion it in all they do.

Join us and be a part of supporting our nationally recognized faculty, innovative medical education programs and exceptional clinical care as we work towards our vision of healthy people and healthy communities!

The Office of Research Services (ORS) within the Department of Medicine (DOM) supports clinical research professionals and participants in advancing medical discovery to improve health outcomes across Wisconsin and beyond. ORS provides expert guidance, resources, and infrastructure to facilitate high-quality clinical trials and foster collaboration among investigators, industry partners, and research teams.

Compensation

The starting salary for the position is $65,000 annually; but is negotiable based on experience and qualifications.

Employees in this position can expect to receive benefits such as generous vacation, holidays, and sick leave; competitive insurances and savings accounts; retirement benefits. For more information, refer to the campus benefits webpage and the SMPH Faculty /Academic Staff Benefits Flyer 2026.

Required Qualifications

Two Years of Previous Nursing Experience

Registered Nurse (RN) License required by the start date of the position.

Preferred Qualifications

Experience in cardiovascular nursing or emergency/urgent care nursing

Experience in clinical trials, knowledge of good clinical practice, understanding of federal research regulations

Education

Bachelor’s degree preferred; focus in Nursing or closely related field preferred

How to Apply

For the best experience completing your application, we recommend using Chrome or Firefox as your web browser.

To apply for this position, select either “I am a current employee” or “I am not a current employee” under Apply Now. You will then be prompted to upload your application materials.

Important: The application has only one attachment field. Upload the following documents in that field, either as a single combined file or as multiple files in the same upload area. Failure to submit the required documents will result in no longer being considered for the position.

Cover letter required

Resume Required

Your cover letter should address how your training and experience aligns with the required and preferred qualifications listed above. Application reviewers will rely on these written materials to determine which applicants move forward in the process. References will be requested from final candidates. All applicants will be notified once the search concludes and a candidate is selected

University sponsorship is not available for this position, including transfers of sponsorship and TN visas.

The selected applicant will be responsible for ensuring their continuous eligibility to work in the United States (i. e. a citizen or national of the United States, a lawful permanent resident, a foreign national authorized to work in the United States without the need of an employer sponsorship) on or before the effective date of appointment.

This position is an ongoing position that will require continuous work eligibility. If you are selected for this position you must provide proof of work authorization and eligibility to work.

The department will not be able to support a request for a J-1 waiver. If you choose to pursue a waiver and apply for our position, neither the UW nor UWMF will reimburse you for your legal or waiver fees.

Contact Information

Karen Olson, RN, MSM, CCRC, kjolson@medicine.wisc.edu, 608- 263-1544

Relay Access (WTRS): 7-1-1. See RELAY_SERVICE for further information.

Institutional Statement on Diversity

Diversity is a source of strength, creativity, and innovation for UW-Madison. We value the contributions of each person and respect the profound ways their identity, culture, background, experience, status, abilities, and opinion enrich the university community. We commit ourselves to the pursuit of excellence in teaching, research, outreach, and diversity as inextricably linked goals.

The University of Wisconsin-Madison fulfills its public mission by creating a welcoming and inclusive community for people from every background - people who as students, faculty, and staff serve Wisconsin and the world.

The University of Wisconsin-Madison is an Equal Opportunity Employer.

Qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to, including but not limited to, race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, national origin, age, pregnancy, disability, or status as a protected veteran and other bases as defined by federal regulations and UW System policies.

We promote excellence by acknowledging skills and expertise from all backgrounds and encourage all qualified individuals to apply. For more information regarding applicant and employee rights and to view federal and state required postings, visit the Human Resources Workplace Poster website.

To request a disability or pregnancy-related accommodation for any step in the hiring process (e. g., application, interview, pre-employment testing, etc.), please contact the Divisional Disability Representative (DDR) in the division you are applying to. Please make your request as soon as possible to help the university respond most effectively to you.

Employment may require a criminal background check. It may also require your references to answer questions regarding misconduct, including sexual violence and sexual harassment.

The University of Wisconsin System will not reveal the identities of applicants who request confidentiality in writing, except that the identity of the successful candidate will be released. See Wis. Stat. sec. 19.36(7).

The Annual Security and Fire

Key Responsibilities

The Research Nurse coordinates clinical trials, provides nursing care to research participants, and manages research protocols in collaboration with investigators. They also assist with recruitment, regulatory compliance, data management, and budget development for clinical research projects.

Requirements

Candidates must hold a Registered Nurse (RN) license and have at least two years of previous nursing experience. A bachelor's degree in nursing or a related field is preferred, along with knowledge of clinical research regulations and good clinical practice.

Qualifications

Education
Bachelor degree
Experience
2+ years of experience

Key Skills

Patient assessmentData entryTime managementEmergency nursingFDA guidelinesHHS guidelines

Clinical Research — Registered Nurse Career Context

Of the 50 active Registered Nurse listings this role was benchmarked against, 24% are remote, 44% have no call, 70% require no weekends.

The cost-of-living index for Wisconsin is 94.1 (US average = 100; BEA Regional Price Parities (2024)), so the posted ~$65k midpoint carries the purchasing power of roughly $69k in an average-cost state. 60.7% of Wisconsin clinicians report burnout symptoms in WeekdayDoc's Burnout Index (2026-01 data).

What does the Registered Nurse market look like in Wisconsin?
MeasureThis jobMarket
Cost-of-living adjusted pay~$69k in purchasing powerWisconsin index 94.1 (US = 100)BEA Regional Price Parities (2024)
Registered Nurse listings in Wisconsin165 active5,980 nationallylive on WeekdayDoc, Oct 2026
Work settingon-sitepeers: 24% remote · 44% no call · 70% no weekends50 benchmarked listings
Registered Nurse pay trend+6.4% vs prior quarter—through Sep 2026
Sources: WeekdayDoc live listing index, BEA Regional Price Parities (2024); as of Oct 2026. Same values as the Weekday Verdict and Market Insights on this page.

Top Registered Nurse Jobs

18 matches · ranked by pay

Salary Distribution

18 jobs · 14 employers
7
<$100k
4
$100k-120k
3
$120k-140k
4
$140k-160k

Annual compensation range

Benefits & Perks

14 jobs
401k / retirement match
100% this job
Sign-on bonus
21%
Loan repayment
7%
CME allowance
7%

Share of similar jobs offering each benefit

#1

Assistant Director of Nursing - Mental Health 616

Telecare · San Leandro, California

$125k-$155k
#2

Asst. Director of Nursing - Ambulatory Care - Newkirk Avenue

Maimonides Medical Center · Brooklyn, New York

$136,708 - $150,000
#3

Psychiatric Nurse Manager - Women's Mental Health

$150k
#4

Director of Nursing

$128k-$146k
+ 16 more · ranked by pay

Work-life snapshot

median 3.9this job 3.9
Better work-life than 50% of Registered Nurse roles listings

Listing-based score, 0–10, across 5,931 comparable listings. Shaded area = the share scoring below this one.

  • No weekends
  • On-site
Universities of Wisconsin logo

About Universities of Wisconsin

Higher Education
Madison, Wisconsin
201-500 employees

Benefits & Perks

Generous vacation
Holidays
Sick leave
Competitive insurances
Savings accounts
Retirement benefits

Living in Madison

Typical 3-bedroom home value
$430k≈ 6.6× annual pay
Typical market rent
$1,837/mo≈ 34% of gross pay
Residents’ average commute
19 min
Metro price indexU.S. average = 100
97.3
State income tax
Up to 7.7%
Sources & methodology

Sources: Zillow home values (Sep 2026), Zillow market rents (Sep 2026), U.S. Census ACS 2024 five-year.

BEA 2024 · Madison, WI metro prices. Housing figures are city-level.

Ratios use this listing’s gross annual pay. Not a cost-of-living guarantee.