PhD recent grad wants RN research position, prefer not tenture professor

[Dr. C]

I graduated with my PhD in December 2024. I would prefer to not go the tenure track professor route to continue working on (any type of) research. Ultimately I would like to work for the NIH in the NINR division. I have looked at fellowships too. Problem is, I do not have "researcher experience" or "established in publications".  Job boards and health systems keep sending staff positions. I am not sure how to find a "nursing scientist or nursing research position". Does any one have any ideas, suggestions, or leads? Is there a better time of year to look for a position? Are there regional considerations? I would greatly appreciate any suggestions. Thank you for your time.

[Corey Narry, MSN, RN, NP]

I work as an NP at a university hospital that is part of a larger health sciences campus with Medicine, Nursing, Pharmacy, and Dentistry programs all at the graduate level. Within the medical center alone, there are some PhD nurses that are working at the "staff" level. There is a Director or Nursing Research and Practice who oversees EBP/QI/research programs that nurses engage in who's been in the position for the last few years. This individual started out as a Critical Care CNS and has acquired the Nursing PhD (at the same university) and moved up the ranks. I think its is hard to find that position without building a portfolio within the institution. We have a close relationship with the School of Nursing and leadership hires at this level seem to mostly come from graduates of the program.

[Dr. C]

Corey,

Thank you for your response. That gives me some insight. I much appreciate it.

Julia

[TiffyRN, BSN, PhD]

I work as a nurse scientist in a large healthcare system. I defended just a few months before COVID hit and job searches were difficult, especially for a novice researcher with only conference presentations. 
 

I continued to work bedside as I was rejected over and over for nurse scientist and academic positions. What eventually worked for me was getting closely involved with shared decision making, meeting and getting into discussions with our entity nurse scientist. Vol testing to work on studies no one else wanted to fool with. 
 

While I still lacked the requisite "2 years experience", (HR held up my application) my entity nurse scientist brought me to the director as a strong possibility. I was encouraged to add some items to my resume that included any kind of research, mentoring, academic type activities I had engaged in over the last few years including my relentless effort on that abandoned study. I got past HR and found an amazing group of highly talented nurse scientists who have mentored and encouraged me the last 2.5 years. 
 

it is literally my dream job 😊