Research Nurse

Job Type

Full-time

Description

We are a company of innovators, thinkers, creators, explorers, volunteers and dreamers and we all share one goal: To improve the world responsibly and safely. On the Human Health and Performance Contract 2 we are at the forefront of safeguarding astronaut health, ensuring human performance, and advancing technologies for human space exploration. We are seeking a Research Nurse for the Cardiovascular & Vision Laboratory at the NASA Johnson Space Center (JSC) in Houston, TX.

What You'll Do:

In this role, you will be a critical member of the Cardiovascular and Vision Laboratory in the Biomedical Research and Environmental Sciences Division at NASA Johnson Space Center. The overarching goal of the Cardiovascular and Vision Laboratory is to develop and disseminate knowledge about the effects of spaceflight on the human body in support of NASA missions. The central focus of the laboratory is to (1) characterize the risks to crewmember health and performance of critical operational tasks and (2) develop countermeasures to mitigate the spaceflight-related changes in cardiovascular and central nervous systems function during and after spaceflight. The laboratory supports ground-based research on a variety of platforms and in-flight investigations, including crew health monitoring, risk mitigation operational activities, and countermeasures evaluation and validation research.

You will:

• Serve as an integral member of the research team, working closely with principal investigators, astronauts, research participants, scientists, and engineers.
• Perform clinical procedures including peripheral IV placement, venipuncture, blood processing, and medication/infusion administration in accordance with research protocols and standard operating procedures.
• Conduct data collection sessions by independently operating and troubleshooting biomedical devices such as optical coherence tomography (OCT), electroretinography, optical biometry, tonometry, and cardiovascular monitoring systems.
• Monitor participants for adverse events and manage them according to clinical judgment, protocol-defined criteria, and emergency response procedures.
• Support protocol development by advising on nursing procedures, participant safety, sample-handling requirements, and workflow considerations.
• Prepare and maintain required study documentation, including Institutional Review Board (IRB) submissions, protocol updates, and other human research compliance records including documentation of adverse events.
• Collect, process, verify, and archive operational, flight, analog, and ground-based research data.
• Provide nursing-specific input for hazard analyses, test readiness reviews, and evaluation of research equipment, including interacting with vendors as needed.
• Assist in creating, implementing, and updating standard laboratory procedures.
• Travel domestically and internationally as needed to support spaceflight, bed rest, and other ground-based research activities.
• Work primarily during standard business hours, with occasional requirements for evenings, nights, weekends, or holidays based on study schedules.
• Perform other duties as assigned.

Requirements

Your Qualifications:

Required :

• Registered Nurse (RN) license in good standing, with Basic Life Support (BLS) certifications.
• Demonstrated proficiency in peripheral IV placement and venipuncture.
• At least 2 years of clinical nursing experience.
• Strong interpersonal skills and ease working directly with human research participants.
• High attention to detail and strong adherence to protocols and standard operating procedures.
• Working knowledge of cardiovascular and ocular physiology, including basic interpretation of hemodynamic and ophthalmic measurements.
• Ability to work effectively both independently and within small teams.
• Ability to collaborate in a multidisciplinary environment with competing project goals.
• Strong attention to detail in written documentation, including experience contributing to IRB materials.
• Ability to develop proficiency in NASA and KBR policies governing human subject research during on-the-job training.

Desired:

• Prior research nursing experience (clinical trials, physiology studies, or other human subject research).
• Experience working with both healthy volunteers and patient populations.
• Training in Human Subjects Protection (e.g., CITI Program).
• Openness to learning new techniques and expanding technical skills.

Your Skills:

Required :

• Act (HIPAA), Food and Drug Administration (FDA) (as applicable), and agency-specific human research protection policies.
• Strong understanding of ethical and privacy considerations related to human subject research.
• Experience in medication preparation and infusion, blood processing, and accurate documentation of all procedures.
• Exceptional proficiency in peripheral IV catheter placement.
• Ability to exercise sound clinical judgment and maintain professionalism in high-pressure or rapidly changing situations.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills.
• Ability to manage multiple priorities, support several projects simultaneously, and maintain accountability for individual tasks.
• Excellent interpersonal and organizational skills, with the ability to adapt to shifting or competing project goals.
• Advanced proficiency with Microsoft Office applications.

Desired:

• Experience with data quality assurance, including identifying artifacts in physiologic or imaging data.
• Familiarity with research imaging modalities such as OCT, electroretinography (ERG), ultrasound, or other diagnostic equipment.
• Skill in writing or contributing to scientific summaries, data reports, or operational documentation.
• Experience coordinating or scheduling research sessions, including managing participant flow.
• Experience with NASA, DoD, or federal research environments.
• Experience with writing standard operating procedures (SOPs).
• Comfort adapting to rapidly shifting study timelines and operational priorities.
• Prior experience supporting bed rest studies, analog environments, or operational testing (or willingness to train in these environments).

What to Expect

• This position is expected to be 100% on site at NASA Johnson Space Center. Flexibility to allow for alternative work locations (e.g. work from home) is possible, with a required minimum of 60% in person. Schedule varies due to testing schedule and job requirements.

Equal Opportunity Employer