The Royal Devon University Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust is recruiting research nurses for its Exeter hospital, with several posts available across a range of clinical trials. Applications close on 20 November 2026.

The posts are based at the Royal Devon and Exeter Hospital and cover haematology, genetics and oncology, stroke and cardiology, and Parkinson's and dermatology. The nurses will coordinate and recruit patients to a wide range of clinical trials in the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR) portfolio, including both commercial and non-commercial studies.

What the role involves

The research nurses will work Monday to Friday, from 09:00 to 17:00, for 37.5 hours a week. Working with multidisciplinary teams across the hospital, they will support patient identification, recruitment and ongoing trial delivery, and will collect and manage data for research participants.

Previous research experience is not essential. The Trust says the post holder will be fully supported by the Senior Research Nurse and given comprehensive training, and that an open mind and a willingness to learn new skills matter more than experience in any one specialty. Strong IT skills, including Microsoft Word and Excel, are essential, and the role also involves supervising or mentoring student nurses on clinical research placements.

Pay, hours and benefits

The posts are Band 5, paying £32,073 to £39,043 a year pro rata. The Trust offers 27 days of paid annual leave plus bank holidays for new NHS starters, rising to 33 days, access to the NHS Pension scheme, occupational health services, staff discounts including the Blue Light Card, and salary sacrifice options including a cycle to work scheme and an on-site nursery.

The Royal Devon says it is the largest employer in Devon, with more than 15,000 staff providing services to more than 615,000 people across more than 2,000 square miles. The Trust was formed in April 2022, bringing together the Royal Devon and Exeter NHS Foundation Trust and Northern Devon Healthcare NHS Trust.

How to apply

Apply for the Research Nurse posts on the Royal Devon careers website before the closing date of 20 November 2026. Interviews are scheduled for Tuesday 8 December 2026. For further information, the Trust names Stephanie Estcourt and Ingrid Seath as contacts on the vacancy page.

Candidates should not wait until the deadline: the Trust says it reserves the right to close the vacancy when sufficient applications have been received. Preference will be given to staff with ‘Priority’ and ‘At Risk’ status, including NHS At Risk staff throughout Devon.

The full vacancy details are published on the Royal Devon vacancies page.