Assistant / Associate Director - Histocompatibility, HLA Lab

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Job Category:

Academic Staff

Employment Type:

Regular

Job Profile:

Assistant Professor (CHS)

Job Summary:

The Division of Transplantation in Department of Surgery at the University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health is seeking an outstanding Assistant or Associate Director of the HLA (Histocompatibility) Laboratory. This laboratory supports all solid organ (kidney, pancreas, lung, heart, liver) and stem cell transplant programs in the UW Health System and the UW Organ and Tissue Donation (UW OTD). We are seeking candidates with a background in immunology or genetics that are critical thinkers with excellent communication skills, and have an ability to work independently. 

Experience and training in a high-complexity ASHI-certified/eligible clinical laboratory supporting solid organ and stem cell transplantation is required. Applicants should also have strong academic credentials and will be encouraged to engage in research, including basic, clinical, and translational research.

• Applicants for this position will be considered for the following titles: Assistant Professor, Associate Professor, Professor, Visiting Associate Professor, or Professor on the Clinical Health Science (CHS) track.

• This position requires work to be completed onsite, at a designated campus work location.
• This position has been identified as a position of trust with access to vulnerable populations. The selected candidate will be required to pass an initial caregiver check to be eligible for employment under the Wisconsin Caregiver Law and every four years.

Key Job Responsibilities:

• Service and Leadership
  • The successful candidate will participate in administrative, quality improvement, and committee activities that support the clinical, educational, and scholarly missions of UW Health and the University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health.
  • An essential component of this position is the ability to work collaboratively and collegially with faculty, trainees, nursing and clinical staff, and multidisciplinary partners.
  • The Division values faculty who contribute positively to a team-based culture and share a commitment to outstanding patient care, innovation, education, and continuous improvement.

• HLA Lab
  • The successful candidate will assist the HLA Lab Director in providing clinical consultation to clinicians and care providers in multiple formats. Additional responsibilities include assisting with the development and validation of new assays, supporting overall laboratory management and ensuring compliance with regulatory requirements.
  • The successful candidate will also support the HLA Lab Director in providing on-call services to the solid organ transplant programs and the laboratory at an expected 25-50% share of the schedule to ensure 24 hours a day, 7 days a week coverage year-round, including holidays.

• Research:  
  • The Division of Transplantation supports the academic and scholarly development of its faculty. The successful candidate will have opportunities to develop or maintain scholarly activities in basic, translational, clinical, outcomes, or health services research based upon their background and interests.
  • Faculty participate in clinical innovation, quality improvement, program development, and initiatives focused on improving organ utilization and transplant outcomes.
  • The University of Wisconsin provides a highly collaborative environment with opportunities to work across the Department of Surgery, UW School of Medicine and Public Health, UW Health, and the broader university research community.

• Education:
  • Teach medical students, residents, and fellows, withing the context of your professional setting.

Department:

School of Medicine and Public Health, Department of Surgery, Division of Transplantation

The University of Wisconsin Histocompatibility Lab is accredited by the American Society for Histocompatibility and Immunogenetics and it is directed by Alison J. Gareau, PhD.

The UW Division of Transplantation is one of the world's leading organ transplant programs, and has been on the forefront of transplant advancement since its creation in 1966. Surgeons and scientists in the Division of Transplantation have made innovative discoveries that are used throughout the world. The UW Health Transplant Center is one of the most experienced transplant programs in the nation. More than 20,000 organs have been transplanted at UW in the past 60 years, including adults, pediatrics and serving the Veteran's Hospital. University of Wisconsin Organ and Tissue Donation is recognized as one of the most successful organ procurement programs in the nation. As a result, our patients have among the shortest waiting times for organ transplants. The division currently supports ten faculty surgeons and trains three to four transplant fellows annually within its ASTS Certified Fellowship Program.

The Wisconsin Department of Surgery is one of the leading surgical programs in the nation, excelling in patient care, surgical education, and surgical research. We are composed of more than 130 full-time faculty across 10 divisions and nearly 200 additional staff who support our mission. Our surgeons perform almost 20,000 operations per year for pediatric and adult patients. Training the next generation of surgeons and clinician-scientists is integral in our department, with more than 100 residents and fellows trained each year.

The department provides a robust infrastructure of services including academic resources such as the Wisconsin Surgical Outcomes Research Program (WiSOR), which provides support, resources, and a collaborative environment to facilitate surgical health services research. The Department's Office of Clinical Research (OCR) provides clinical trial coordinator support for clinical trials as well regulatory support for research, and the grants management team provides comprehensive pre-award to post- award support. In collaboration with the OCR, our faculty in the Division of Transplantation leads an average of 10-12 active clinical trials per year sponsored by either the National Institutes of Health or industry partners to innovate and move the transplant field forward.  The Surgical Collaborative of Wisconsin also provides access to a network of surgeons throughout the state, and this platform provides opportunities for collaborative quality improvement that improves the care of surgical patients throughout the state and region.

Compensation:

• Negotiable, 12-month
• Employees in this position can expect to receive benefits such as generous vacation, holidays, and sick leave; competitive insurances and savings accounts; retirement benefits. For more information, refer to the campus benefits webpage and the SMPH Academic Staff Benefits Flyer

Required Qualifications:

• Board Certification or eligibility by the American College for Histocompatibility and Immunogenetics (ACHI) at the time of appointment

Preferred Qualifications:

• For an appointment at Associate Professor or Professor rank on the CHS track, candidates will meet criteria established by the department and as outlined in the School of Medicine and Public Health guidelines for promotion or appointment to Associate or Professor on the CHS.
  

Education:

• M.D./D.O. (or equivalent) and/or a PhD in immunology, genetics, or a related biological science, is required on or before the offer date
  

How to Apply:

To apply for this position, select either “I am a current employee” or “I am not a current employee” under Apply Now. You will then be prompted to upload your application materials.

Important: For the best experience completing your application, we recommend using Chrome or Firefox as your web browser. The application has only one attachment field. Upload the following documents in that field, either as a single combined file or as multiple files in the same upload area.

Requested Application Materials

A complete application will include an updated CV and a Cover Letter that describes the following:

• Your interest in joining the UW Division of Transplantation and leading the Histocompatibility Lab.
• Your experience and area(s) of interests within Histocompatibility and Immunogenetics.
• Area(s) of research, if any.

Application reviewers will rely on these written materials to determine which applicants move forward in the process.

References will be requested from final candidates. All applicants will be notified once the search concludes and a candidate is selected

The deadline for assuring full consideration is December 13, 2026; however, the position will remain open and applications may be considered until the position is filled. 

The department will not be able to support a request for a J-1 waiver. If you choose to pursue a waiver and apply for our position, neither the UW nor UWMF will reimburse you for your legal or waiver fees.

Contact Information:

KJ Ellis, [email protected], 608-264-3004

Relay Access (WTRS): 7-1-1. See RELAY SERVICE for further information. 

Institutional Statement on Diversity:

Diversity is a source of strength, creativity, and innovation for UW-Madison. We value the contributions of each person and respect the profound ways their identity, culture, background, experience, status, abilities, and opinion enrich the university community. We commit ourselves to the pursuit of excellence in teaching, research, outreach, and diversity as inextricably linked goals.

The University of Wisconsin-Madison fulfills its public mission by creating a welcoming and inclusive community for people from every background - people who as students, faculty, and staff serve Wisconsin and the world.

The University of Wisconsin-Madison is an Equal Opportunity Employer. 

Qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to, including but not limited to, race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, national origin, age, pregnancy, disability, or status as a protected veteran and other bases as defined by federal regulations and UW System policies. We promote excellence by acknowledging skills and expertise from all backgrounds and encourage all qualified individuals to apply. For more information regarding applicant and employee rights and to view federal and state required postings, visit the Human Resources Workplace Poster website.

To request a disability or pregnancy-related accommodation for any step in the hiring process (e.g., application, interview, pre-employment testing, etc.), please contact the Divisional Disability Representative (DDR) in the division you are applying to. Please make your request as soon as possible to help the university respond most effectively to you.

Employment may require a criminal background check. It may also require your references to answer questions regarding misconduct, including sexual violence and sexual harassment. 
 
The University of Wisconsin System will not reveal the identities of applicants who request confidentiality in writing, except that the identity of the successful candidate will be released. See Wis. Stat. sec. 19.36(7). 
 
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