Job summary
If you are a compassionate leader, innovative and an experienced paediatric intensive care nurse we would welcome you to join our combined paediatric intensive and high dependency care unit. You will be joining a well-established team within a large teaching hospital. Working in collaboration with the PaNDR (Paediatric and Neonatal Decision Support and Retrieval Service); we provide a regional service as the only PICU in the East of England, delivering excellent specialist care to children, young people and their families.

Cambridge University Hospitals has a diverse child admission criteria and is a tertiary centre for oncology, major trauma, neurology and many paediatric surgical & medical subspecialties, with the exception of cardiac surgery. Many children make their way to us via a specialist Children's Transport Service, including the PaNDR (Paediatric and Neonatal Decision, support and Retrieval service), which operates out of Addenbrooke's, and with whom we work in partnership.

The city of Cambridge itself is a vibrant, exciting place to live and work. Addenbrooke's Hospital is part of Cambridge University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, one of the largest Teaching Trusts in the country, benefiting from close ties with Cambridge University and sitting within Cambridge Biomedical Campus.

Main duties of the job
You will be responsible for being a clinical expert, providing safe and effective care to all levels of critically ill and/or injured children requiring intensive care. You will demonstrate effective and safe decision making in the development of the PICU team and our service provision.

About us
Come Nurse with us...
Cambridge University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust is one of the largest teaching Trusts in the country. It comprises Addenbrooke's Hospital and the Rosie Hospital. We provide accessible high-quality healthcare for the local people of Cambridge and regional and national specialist services. It's a great place to nurse, work and live.

You will work on a vibrant hospital campus with a friendly community feel; we have excellent facilities to practise your skills and abilities to support your career pathway and development. Our values of Together - Safe, Kind, Excellent support the delivery of outstanding care. We have a fully electronic patient record system that is improving health-care quality; this is transforming services, improving patient safety and clinical outcomes.

Why choose Cambridge University Hospitals?

• Our values and reputation for outstanding care
• Opportunities to experience a range of specialities
• Career and development opportunities
• Preceptorship and mentoring programmes delivered by a dedicated clinical education support team
• Research experience and opportunities
• Lovely location and quality of life
• Excellent schools/colleges and transport links (road, rail and air)

Job responsibilities
Please see the attached Applicant Information Pack (combined Job Description and Person Specification) for key duties and responsibilities.

This post is subject to a 12-week probationary period, during which performance, conduct and attendance will be reviewed in line with Trust standards. The probationary period provides a structured and supportive approach to help new employees successfully transition into their role.

All roles in the Trust include a mandatory 12-week training period Therefore successful candidates are expected to have the Right to Work for a period of at least 6 months from the proposed start date. Immigration and Right to Work status will be discussed with successful candidates at conditional offer. CUH will not offer sponsorship to candidates that have applied for a fee waiver

Due to Home Office immigration rules, a full time permanent vacancy cannot be filled by individuals on a Student visa. Therefore, please be advised that if you are a Student visa holder, we will not be able to offer you a full time permanent contract unless you have:- applied for a Graduate visa- or you will have successfully completed your course and have applied for a Graduate visa before the anticipated start date of your employment

This vacancy will close at midnight on 23rd September 2026

Interviews are due to be held on 28th September 2026

Benefits to you
At Cambridge University Hospitals, we want to do all we can to support good working days. We offer development opportunities and a wide range of benefits, including on-site leisure facilities, shopping concourse and day nurseries. Our good work programme currently includes providing reduced cost Stagecoach bus travel to and from Cambridge University Hospital site. Park and Ride bus journeys between Babraham Road and Trumpington sites are free, as is the route to and from Cambridge train station and our hospitals. We also subsidise the cost of parking on site for eligible staff.

On CUH campus, hot food is available 24/7 and at a reduced cost for colleagues. Recently we launched the first of our staff pod break spaces. Located in the Deakin Centre, we have a purpose-created colleague-only caf, with free tea and coffee, a break space and private outside area for colleagues to rest, refuel and recharge. Just one of the ways we are working hard to support good working days at CUH.

CUH is committed to assisting employees in achieving a good work-life balance irrespective of role or personal circumstances. Flexible arrangements may include, but are not limited to, part-time working, job-share, term-time working and flexible start and finish times.

Please note if you would like to discuss the required hours of this role further, you should approach the contact given. In some cases, alternative working hours will be considered.

We welcome applications from the Armed Forces.

Person Specification
Qualifications
Essential

• First level registration (part 8 or 15)
• Post registration paediatric critical care qualification (equivalent to ENB 415/100/ 405)
• Teaching and assessing qualification
• Evidence of master's degree level study
• Level 3 Child protection training
• Leadership Training

Desirable

• Evidence of continuing professional development at degree level
• Evidence of Certified Management Training programme

Experience
Essential

• Amassed a level of band 6 grade experience with demonstrated competence in leading others in advanced intensive care therapies
• Continuing experience as a mentor to paediatric critical care course learners
• Experience of providing and co-ordinating a paediatric retrieval service

Desirable

• Evidence of professional networking beyond organisational level
• Experience in the supervision of others in the delivery of advanced intensive care therapies
• NHS experience

Knowledge
Essential

• Global awareness of current professional issues related to nursing, PIC, DoH and the NHS
• Has an in-depth paediatric nursing knowledge, demonstrating ability to facilitate the integration of theory into practice for learners
• Understand the developmental needs of individuals and groups of nurses in a large competitive team setting

Skills
Essential

• Competent to care for and supervise staff providing care to all levels of intensive care children in a safe and effective manner without supervision
• Ability to meet the unexpected demands of the intensive patient and HR management issues in a professional manner
• Effectively manage complex operational situations on a shift by shift basis
• Act as a clinical expert/resource
• Work flexibly within a multi professional team
• Ability to initiate and support change

Desirable

• Evidence of participation in research and audit projects
• Evidence of developing guidelines / policies or procedures

Additional Requirements
Essential

• The ability to understand and behave at all times, towards patients, visitors and colleagues according to the Trust values of safe, kind and excellent. This behaviour is outlined on the final page of this person specification
• Evidence of effective communication and decision making skills
• Evidence of a forward thinking and progressive work ethos
• Advanced computer skills

Desirable

• Proficiency in Microsoft Office (Word, Excel, Outlook, PowerPoint)

This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (Exceptions Order) 1975 and as such it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service (formerly known as CRB) to check for any previous criminal convictions.

Applications from job seekers who require current Skilled worker sponsorship to work in the UK are welcome and will be considered alongside all other applications. For further information visit the UK Visas and Immigration website (Opens in a new tab).

From 6 April 2017, skilled worker applicants, applying for entry clearance into the UK, have had to present a criminal record certificate from each country they have resided continuously or cumulatively for 12 months or more in the past 10 years. Adult dependants (over 18 years old) are also subject to this requirement. Guidance can be found here Criminal records checks for overseas applicants (Opens in a new tab).

Applicants must have current UK professional registration. For further information please see NHS Careers website (opens in a new window).