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Duke University
Durham, North Carolina

Clinical Research Nurse Coordinator - Duke Cancer Institute

Registered NurseFull-Time

Listed compensation

$66k-$107k

The week · per this posting · weekdays assumed

Ask the employer about the work setting, call expectations, weekend coverage and time off.

Posted 1mo ago

Job Description

School of Medicine

Established in 1930, Duke University School of Medicine is the youngest of the nation's top medical schools.

Ranked sixth among medical schools in the nation, the School takes pride in being an inclusive community of outstanding learners, investigators, clinicians, and staff where interdisciplinary collaboration is embraced and great ideas accelerate translation of fundamental scientific discoveries to improve human health locally and around the globe.

Composed of more than 2,600 faculty physicians and researchers, nearly 2,000 students, and more than 6,200 staff, the Duke University School of Medicine along with the Duke University School of Nursing, and Duke University Health System comprise Duke Health, a world-class academic medical center.

The Health System encompasses Duke University Hospital, Duke Regional Hospital, Duke Raleigh Hospital, Duke Health Integrated Practice, Duke Primary Care, Duke Home Care and Hospice, Duke Health and Wellness, and multiple affiliations.

Be You.

The Duke Cancer Institute (DCI) is seeking a Clinical Research Nurse Coordinator to join our team supporting oncology clinical trials at our Wake County Cancer Center locations. In this role, you will lead and coordinate multiple, complex clinical research studies, playing a critical role in advancing cancer care through innovative research.

You will work closely with Principal Investigators (PIs), study teams, and participants to ensure studies are conducted efficiently, ethically, and in compliance with regulatory standards. Daily, you will engage directly with patients, coordinating study visits, administering study-related care, and ensuring participants are supported throughout their research journey.

This is a highly collaborative and impactful role where you will combine your clinical expertise with research coordination, contributing to study development, managing regulatory requirements, and helping bring new treatments to patients. You will also serve as a mentor and resource to colleagues while actively participating in ongoing learning, research presentations, and professional development opportunities.

Minimum Requirements

  • Graduation from an accredited BSN program, or Associate Degree in Nursing, or Nursing Diploma program
  • Current or compact RN licensure in the state of North Carolina
  • BLS certification required

Twelve Months of Appropriate Clinical Nursing Experience

Registered nurses without a Bachelor’s degree in Nursing must enroll in a BSN program within two years of hire and complete within seven years

Maintain compliance with hospital and unit-specific training competencies and active RN status with the North Carolina Board of Nursing (NCBON)

Preferred Qualifications

  • Oncology and/or clinical research experience
  • Experience coordinating clinical trials or working in a research environment
  • Familiarity with regulatory documentation, study protocols, and compliance standards
  • Experience using Electronic Data Capture (EDC) systems

Other Requirements

  • Strong proficiency in Microsoft Office and web-based applications
  • Ability to manage multiple complex studies simultaneously
  • Strong communication, organizational, and problem-solving skills
  • This position is onsite, supporting Duke Cancer Institute operations at Wake County Cancer Center locations

Be Bold.

Position Description

Coordinate and manage complex oncology clinical trials, including study start-up, participant recruitment, enrollment, visit scheduling, and study closeout activities

Collaborate with Principal Investigators and study teams to conduct informed consent, assess patient eligibility, and ensure successful study execution

Maintain regulatory and study documentation, including regulatory binders, delegation logs, enrollment tracking, adverse event reporting, and compliance with institutional and federal requirements

Administer clinical care within research protocols, including medication administration, chemotherapy delivery, patient education, and monitoring for adverse events or protocol compliance

Analyze recruitment, retention, and study processes, identify challenges, and implement solutions to improve study performance and participant engagement

Additional Responsibilities Include

  • Serving as a liaison between sponsors, study teams, and leadership
  • Supporting financial oversight, including study budgets, billing compliance, and milestone tracking
  • Ensuring accurate and timely data entry and data integrity within EDC systems
  • Participating in site initiation, monitoring, and closeout visits
  • Mentoring staff and contributing to team leadership, committees, and professional development initiatives

Supporting ethics and compliance standards by educating patients and staff on research versus clinical care distinctions

Choose Duke.

At Duke Cancer Institute, you’ll be part of a nationally recognized leader in cancer care, research, and innovation. Our Wake County Cancer Center locations bring cutting-edge treatments and clinical trials closer to our communities, ensuring patients have access to the latest advancements in oncology.

Joining our team means collaborating with world-class physicians, researchers, and clinicians who are committed to improving patient outcomes and transforming the future of cancer care. You’ll work in an environment that values compassion, discovery, and excellence—where your contributions directly impact patients’ lives.

Duke University is consistently ranked among the top academic and healthcare institutions in the world. As part of our team, you’ll benefit from a culture that supports professional growth, continuing education, and career advancement.

Job Code: 00001203 CLINICAL RESEARCH NURSE COORDINATOR

Job Level: 54

Anticipated Pay Range: Duke University provides an annual base salary range for this position as USD $66,265.00 to USD $107,096.00. Duke University considers factors such as (but not limited to) scope and responsibilities of the position; candidate's work experience, education/training, and key skills; internal peer equity; as well as market and organizational considerations when extending an offer.

Your total compensation goes beyond the dollars on your paycheck. Duke provides comprehensive and competitive medical and dental care programs, generous retirement benefits, and a wide array of family-friendly and cultural programs to eligible team members. Learn more at: hr.duke.edu

Equal Opportunity Employer

Duke is an Equal Opportunity Employer committed to providing employment opportunity without regard to an individual's age, color, disability, gender, gender expression, gender identity, genetic information, national origin, race, religion, sex (including pregnancy and pregnancy- related conditions), sexual orientation, or military status.

Duke aspires to create a community built on collaboration, innovation, creativity, and belonging. Our collective success depends on the robust exchange of ideas—an exchange that is best when the rich diversity of our perspectives, backgrounds, and experiences flourishes.

To achieve this exchange, it is essential that all members of the community feel secure and welcome, that the contributions of all individuals are respected, and that all voices are heard. All members of our community have a responsibility to uphold these values.

Essential Physical Job Functions

Certain jobs at Duke University and Duke University Health System may include essential job functions that require specific physical and/or mental abilities. Additional information and reasonable accommodation(s) can be requested with Duke Access and Accommodations Services (email: DAAS@duke.edu; phone: 919-668-1267).

Key Responsibilities

Coordinate and manage complex oncology clinical trials, including study start-up, participant recruitment, and regulatory documentation. Administer clinical care within research protocols and serve as a liaison between sponsors, study teams, and leadership.

Requirements

Requires a BSN, Associate Degree in Nursing, or Nursing Diploma, along with current North Carolina RN licensure and BLS certification. Candidates must have at least twelve months of clinical nursing experience and proficiency in Microsoft Office.

Qualifications

Education
Bachelor degree
Experience
2+ years of experience

Key Skills

Clinical research coordinationOncology nursingRegulatory compliancePatient recruitmentStudy protocol managementBudget oversightClinical trial management

Oncology — Registered Nurse Career Context

Of the 43 active Oncology listings this role was benchmarked against, 28% are remote, 53% have no call, 77% require no weekends.

The cost-of-living index for North Carolina is 94.3 (US average = 100; BEA Regional Price Parities (2024)), so the posted ~$87k midpoint carries the purchasing power of roughly $92k in an average-cost state. 59.2% of North Carolina clinicians report burnout symptoms in WeekdayDoc's Burnout Index (2026-01 data).

Oncology pay on WeekdayDoc is up 16.8% vs. the prior quarter (through Sep 2026).

Top Registered Nurse Jobs

21 matches · ranked by pay

Salary Distribution21 jobs · 18 employers

8
<$100k
1
$106k
7
$115k-130k
3
$130k-145k
2
$145k+

Annual compensation range

Benefits & Perks17 jobs

401k / retirement match
100% this job
Sign-on bonus
12%
Loan repayment
6%
CME allowance
6% this job

Share of similar jobs offering each benefit

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Work-life snapshot

median 5.1this job 3.0
Better work-life than 20% of Oncology (RN) listings

Listing-based score, 0–10, across 318 comparable listings. Shaded area = the share scoring below this one.

Living in Durham

Typical 3-bedroom home value
$363k≈ 5.5× annual pay
Typical market rent
$1,659/mo≈ 30% of gross pay
Residents’ average commute
22 min
Metro price indexU.S. average = 100
97.6
State income tax
Up to 4.8%
Sources & methodology

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

BEA 2024 · Durham-Chapel Hill, NC metro prices. Housing figures are city-level.

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