The Department of Surgery, Division of Cardiac Surgery at the University of California, Irvine (UCI) School of Medicine is recruiting a highly qualified Academic Advanced Heart Failure and Cardiac Transplant Surgeon to join and help lead the continued growth of its Advanced Heart Failure and Mechanical Circulatory Support (MCS) program, with a strategic mandate to build and develop a new transplant program within an established academic enterprise. This position will be in the Health Sciences Clinical Professor Series at the Assistant, Associate Professor, or Professor Level.

This role offers an opportunity to contribute to the growth, quality, and clinical excellence of a developing heart transplant program within an established academic cardiac surgery and destination LVAD center.

Early-career surgeons and recent graduates with a strong interest in advanced heart failure and MCS are encouraged to apply.

Program Overview

The Division of Cardiac Surgery is a core component of UCI Health Heart and Vascular Institute. The division is committed to excellence in patient-centered care through advanced surgical techniques, innovative technologies, and multidisciplinary collaboration with cardiology, advanced heart failure, critical care, anesthesia, vascular surgery, and allied health teams.

UCI Health maintains a rapidly expanding Advanced Heart Failure and MCS program with established expertise in:
• Durable destination LVAD therapy, including HeartMate 3
• Temporary mechanical circulatory support (Impella, ECMO)
• Multidisciplinary cardiogenic shock management
• Advanced heart failure diagnostics and therapeutics

The cardiovascular service line features state-of-the-art hybrid operating rooms and advanced structural heart interventions, including TAVR, Mitral and Tricuspid valve TEER, tricuspid valve replacement, and transcatheter LAA closure. UCI is a STEMI receiving center and has an advanced EP program. There is a dedicated vascular emergency response team available around the clock and we are supported by a fully staffed, 24/7 in-house CVICU and a robust Advanced Practice Provider team that delivers comprehensive care across both inpatient and outpatient settings.

UCI Medical Center serves as the region’s only academic and tertiary referral center, providing comprehensive care for complex cardiovascular and cardiothoracic surgical patients.

Key Responsibilities

Clinical Care

• Provide comprehensive surgical care across the spectrum of adult cardiac surgery with a focus on advanced heart failure therapies (LVAD implantation, tMCS, heart transplantation).
• Participate as a member of the advanced heart failure therapies program including participation in patient selection, perioperative management, and longitudinal follow-up.
• Support the clinical growth, quality, and operational readiness of a developing heart transplant program, in collaboration with senior surgical and medical leadership.
• Participate in multidisciplinary management of advanced heart failure and cardiogenic shock patients alongside cardiology, critical care, anesthesia, perfusion, and APP teams.
• Participate in on-call and donor call responsibilities appropriate to program needs.

Teaching and Education

• Teach and mentor medical students, residents, fellows, and Advanced Practice Providers in cardiac surgery, advanced heart failure, MCS, and transplant-related care.
• Participate in formal didactic teaching, bedside education, and divisional conferences.
• Support the development of transplant- and MCS-focused educational content as the program evolves.

Quality Assurance, Performance Improvement, and Program Support

• Actively participate in quality assurance and performance improvement (QA/PI) initiatives supporting cardiac surgery, MCS, and the transplant program.
• Engage in outcomes review, morbidity and mortality conferences, and data-driven quality improvement aligned with STS, CMS, and UNOS standards as well as departmental programs.
• Contribute to protocol development, care standardization, and continuous process improvement initiatives as the transplant program evolves.
• Support regulatory preparedness and documentation efforts under the guidance of program and institutional leadership.
• Foster a culture of accountability, safety, and excellence consistent with academic, regulatory, and institutional expectations.

Research and Scholarly Activity

• Engage in clinical, translational, or outcomes-based research related to advanced heart failure, MCS, cardiogenic shock, or transplantation.
• Contribute to scholarly activity through peer-reviewed publications, presentations, registry participation, or clinical trials.
• Collaborate with multidisciplinary investigators across UCI Health and the School of Medicine to advance academic productivity and innovation.

The University of California, Irvine is an Equal Opportunity Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, age, protected veteran status, or other protected categories covered by the UC anti-discrimination policy.

As a condition of employment, the finalist will be required to disclose if they are subject to any final administrative or judicial decisions within the last seven years determining that they committed any misconduct.

• “Misconduct” means any violation of the policies or laws governing conduct at the applicant’s previous place of employment, including, but not limited to, violations of policies or laws prohibiting sexual harassment, sexual assault, or other forms of harassment or discrimination, as defined by the employer.
• UC Sexual Violence and Sexual Harassment Policy
• UC Anti-Discrimination Policy for Employees, Students and Third Parties
• APM - 035: Affirmative Action and Nondiscrimination in Employment.
  

As a University employee, you will be required to comply with all applicable University policies and/or collective bargaining agreements, as may be amended from time to time. Federal, state, or local government directives may impose additional requirements.