Job Abstract

UCLA Health is seeking a Nursing Professional Development Specialist (NPDS) to lead and inspire professional growth through Student Placement, Preceptor Development, and Professional Governance. If you’re passionate about empowering clinicians through education, advancing evidence-based practice, and elevating patient care standards, this is your opportunity to make a lasting impact within one of the nation’s most respected academic health systems.

As the NPDS for Student Placement, Preceptor Development, and Professional Governance, you will:

• Champion required education, clinical training, and ongoing professional development for all nursing staff
• Design and deliver dynamic learning experiences grounded in adult learning principles
• Foster clinical excellence through competency validation, skill enhancement, and evidence-based best practices
• Partner with nursing leadership and interdisciplinary teams to align educational strategies with patient care priorities and system-wide goals
• Promote a culture of inquiry, innovation, and lifelong learning within a high-acuity, collaborative environment

This role is ideal for a skilled clinical educator with a deep understanding of student placement and professional governance and a passion for developing others through mentorship, education, and professional advancement—while upholding UCLA Health’s mission of healing humankind and its values of compassion, integrity, and excellence.

Salary (CNE4): $128,500 - $298,100 Annually

Salary (CNE3): $116,300 - $264,600 Annually

Note: This position is eligible for an annual bonus.

• BLS through AHA or ARC – Required
• Current/active CA RN – Required
• MSN in Nursing Education or Master's degree in Nursing with post certificate in Nursing Education – Required
  • This position may be filled at the CNE3 level for candidates who are actively completing the educational requirements necessary to meet the minimum qualifications for the role.
• 3 years of recent acute care experience – Required
• Certified within area of specialty – Preferred
• Advanced knowledge of developing and delivering clinical nursing education and training material for orientation, class training and skills/competency learning and leadership development
• Advanced interpersonal skills to participate in the development and delivery of new education and training programs and to develop positive working relationships with nursing staff and leadership
• Advanced organizational and project management skill to lead a team, prioritize tasks, and see projects through from inception to completion on schedule
• Advanced skills in written and verbal communication to convey the most complex clinical, technical, and education and training information in a clear and concise manner to produce high quality reports, documentation, and presentations
• Advanced knowledge of a broad spectrum of professional nursing practices and issues and in-depth knowledge in a clinical nursing specialty area
• Advanced knowledge of methodology for conducting evidence-based research, data collection, analysis, and reporting
• Advanced critical thinking and problem-solving skills to manage multiple levels of information and responsibilities