Careermash
CAREERMASH (EN)FROM NURSING AND MIDWIFERY →

Research Nurse

Specialist nurses look after patients with serious health conditions. They combine nursing skills with special knowledge about particular illnesses and conditions. They work in hospitals, care homes, and the community.

Research Nurse

6

Nursing and Midwifery

AI IMPACT
AI CAN DO6%moving to51%
THE DOOR, NOWB
THE DOOR, 20 YRSD
STARTING PAY£25,000 - £30,000
MOAT NOT YET CLASSIFIEDA real score, but the moat is not yet classified. No claim either way.
AI can do very little of this work today
Hands-on work, caring for people and dealing with the real world are among the hardest things to automate, and this job leans on them. We have not yet formally classified its moat, so we make no claim either way, but the exposure score speaks for itself.

Career progression path

Is this the only route?

This is the standard academic trajectory, but modern careers are highly flexible. You can often skip stagesby entering the industry with an advanced qualification (like a Master's or PhD), or pivot sideways from a related discipline.

0ACADEMIC FOUNDATIONUniversity DegreeUsually 3 to 4 years of full-time academic study, explicitly preparing you for the theoretical realities of the industry. Requires A-Levels, BTECs, or equivalent Level 3.-£82,470Avg. UK tuition & living
1FIRST STEPJunior Research NurseAs a Junior Research Nurse, you will assist in the recruitment of participants and support senior staff in managing clinical trials. This role is ideal for newly qualified nurses looking to gain experience in research.£25,000 - £30,000
2GAINING EXPERIENCEMid-level Research NurseIn a mid-level role, you will take on more responsibility, including leading trials and mentoring junior staff. Your experience will allow you to contribute significantly to research design and implementation.£35,000 - £45,000
3PEAK CAREERSenior Research Nurse/Clinical Research ManagerAt the peak of your career, you will oversee multiple research projects, manage teams, and liaise with stakeholders at all levels. Your expertise will shape the future of clinical research and patient care.£50,000+
There is more than one way in

You do not have to go the university route to get here. There is an apprenticeship route into this career.

Recommended UK degrees

Real courses that qualify you for this career, from the same register that priced the degree above.

Nursing (Adult) and LeadershipUniversity of Derby · DegreeGraduate Diploma in Mental Health NursingRoyal Melbourne Institute of Technology · CertificateMNurs Learning Disability and Children'sUniversity of Chester · DegreeMaster of NursingAdelaide University · MasterMaster’s programme Veterinary NursingSwedish University of Agricultural Sciences · Master'sNursingUniversity of Salento · Laurea Triennale
Careermash

Careermash: navigate your career path with real data. Explore career profiles, salary benchmarks, AI impact forecasts, and the qualifications you need to get there.

AI EXPOSURE = the share of a job's day-to-day tasks AI can already do today, from the same exposure engine used across this site (Anthropic labour market research, 2026, observed real-world AI usage by occupation). Higher means more exposed. It is a measurement of now, not a prediction. THE DOOR = how hard the job is to get into, grade A (easy) to E (extremely hard), from each career's published forecast (OpenAI, "The AI Jobs Transition Framework", Richmond 2026, CC BY 4.0). A card marked MOAT NOT YET CLASSIFIED has a real exposure score but no entry yet in our moat register, so we make no claim about what structurally protects it. Scorecard grades and verdicts are Careermash editorial judgment: we show forecasts as forecasts and own our conclusions. Salary and pathway figures are each career's own published profile. Careermash is a service provided by What School Ltd.

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