Pediatric Physician Scientist - Immunology, RISE-THRIVE

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Job Category:

Faculty

Employment Type:

Regular

Job Profile:

Professor

Job Summary:

The Department of Pediatrics at the School of Medicine and Public Health (SMPH) at the University of Wisconsin is seeking excellent candidates for a Pediatric Physician Scientist within any pediatric subspecialty discipline and with a track record of research focused in Immunology. This is a tenure track position through the RISE-THRIVE (Transforming Healthspan through Research InnoVation and Education) initiative. The RISE-THRIVE focuses on immunology and healthspan research.

The Wisconsin Research, Innovation and Scholarly Excellence (RISE) Initiative addresses significant, complex challenges of importance to Wisconsin and the world. SMPH plays a significant role, as RISETHRIVE harnesses and grows the university’s reputation as a global powerhouse in interdisciplinary health research — translating both medical discoveries and innovative social science approaches into tangibly healthier lives for people in Wisconsin and around the world. The effort focuses on strengthening UW–Madison’s investments and leadership in two distinct yet complementary areas: the science of immunology and the study of healthspan, or the number of years a person is not only alive but healthy.

The successful candidate will possess the ability to translate basic science discoveries into clinical practice. This individual will be expected to actively engage in interdisciplinary and collaborative initiatives across departments, schools, and colleges. Opportunities for joint appointments within other departments and schools at the University of Wisconsin may be available, depending on the candidate’s expertise and interests.

The research focus of the faculty member should fall within focus areas:

• Tumor immunology, cancer immunotherapy, and cell therapy in oncology

• Transplant Immunology

• Regenerative medicine

• Neuroinflammation

• Neuroimmunology

• Healthspan Research: approaches to cancer prevention, Approaches to improve transplant outcomes, or prevention of neurodegeneration

Other Details:

• This position is full or part-time, 50%-100%

• 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.

• Applicants for this position will be considered for the following titles Assistant Professor, Associate Professor, Professor, Visiting Associate Professor, or Visiting Professor on the tenure track. The title is determined by the experience and qualifications of the finalist. 

Key Job Responsibilities:

• Carry out independent research/scholarly activity in an area of interest related to immunology. Physician-scientists will be expected to engage in active collaborative research and expand clinical and/or translational research in the division and obtain/maintain independent extramural funding.

• Commit to scholarly research, teaching, and professional service at the tenure-track level. The successful candidate will advance the mission of SMPH, as part of the University of Wisconsin RISE-THRIVE initiative.

• Deliver patient care as a Pediatric Physician Scientist at UW Health Kids locations.

• Provide guidance and mentorship to junior researchers, postdoctoral fellows, and graduate students, fostering a collaborative and learning oriented environment. Serve on research mentor committees as needed.

• Conduct innovative research. Collaborate with multidisciplinary teams of clinicians, and researchers from multiple schools and colleges on the University of Wisconsin-Madison campus to integrate knowledge into clinical practice to improve the quality and quantity of life for patients. Apply for research grants and funding opportunities to support ongoing projects and innovative research initiatives. Participate in interdisciplinary and collaborative efforts with other departments, schools, and colleges. Disseminate research findings through scientific publications, presentations at scientific conferences and presentations. Ensure compliance with ethical guidelines and regulations while conducting research involving human subjects and animal models.

• Participate in interdisciplinary and collaborative efforts with other departments, schools and colleges

• Participate in administrative and committee work to support the clinical and scholarly missions of UW Health and the School of Medicine and Public Health. An essential part of these duties will be working in a collegial relationship with other faculty members.

• Teach fellows, residents, and medical students, and support the teaching and clinical research missions of the division and department through lectures, conferences, etc.

Department: School of Medicine and Public Health, Department of Pediatrics

The Department of Pediatrics at the University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health is a vibrant academic department comprising more than 200 faculty members in 16 subspecialty divisions. The department promotes and enhances the health of children through outstanding clinical care, exemplary education of pediatric trainees, performance of cutting-edge research, and vigorous advocacy. Our faculty enjoy a robust infrastructure of services as well as the opportunity to contribute to our world-class research portfolio - since 2015, the Department of Pediatrics has ranked among the Top 20 pediatrics departments receiving NIH funding, according to Blue Ridge Institutes for Medical Research.

This position is part of the Wisconsin Research, Innovation and Scholarly Excellence (RISE) Initiative. Through accelerated and strategic faculty hiring, research infrastructure enhancement, interdisciplinary collaboration, and increased student and educational opportunities, RISE addresses complex societal challenges of importance to the state, nation and world. Building on UW-Madison's strengths, RISE expands the University's successful track record of connecting with communities and industry on collaborative solutions.

Over the next three academic years, UW-Madison will substantially increase current hiring levels, bringing 150 new RISE faculty to campus. Candidates hired through RISE will join a community of scholars working across disciplines, schools and colleges on research, teaching and outreach endeavors. The community will engage regularly in venues such as seminar series and colloquia to share ongoing projects and identify opportunities to work together. The University will support the community, facilitating access to research infrastructure, and funding to support broad and rich collaboration.

Further information regarding RISE can at: https://rise.wisc.edu/

Information regarding the SMPH-specific RISE Faculty Hiring Initiative can be found at: https://www.med.wisc.edu/about-us/careers-employment-job-listings/rise-faculty-hiring-initiative/

• SMPH RISE-THRIVE

Community:

#1 Best Places to Live in the U.S. (Livability, 2022)

#1 Most Neighborly City (NeighborBlog, 2023)

#1 Best Places in the U.S. for Raising Children (DiversityDataKids.com, 2020)

#1 College Town to Live in After Graduation (Livability, 2024)

#2 Best City for Work/Life Balance & Mental Health (CoworkingCafe, 2023)

#2 Best City for Bikes (People for Bikes, 2020)

#4 Happiest Cities in America (WalletHub, 2024)

#5 Best State to Practice Medicine (Physicians Thrive, 2025)

#6 Fittest City in the US (ACSM American Fitness Index, 2023)

#7 Best Cities for STEM Jobs (WalletHub, 2025)

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Best Mid-Size Town (Midwest Living, 2023)

Best Mid-Sized City for Gen Z (Commercial Café, 2025)

Madison is the second largest city in the state, with a city population of approximately 280,000 and a regional population of over 1 million. The city is within easy driving distance of Chicago and Milwaukee. Madison's technology economy is growing rapidly, and the region is home to the headquarters of Epic Systems, Exact Sciences, and Promega, as well as many biotech, health care IT, and health systems startups. Other large employers headquartered in the area include Sub-Zero Group, Lands' End, American Family Insurance, TruStage, Trek Bicycles, and Duluth Trading Company.

Madison is rich with cultural offerings, abundant outdoor activities, and one of the strongest local food scenes in the country: from April to October, the Capitol Square hosts the largest producer-only farmers' market in the country. The city has a dedicated athletics fan base largely centered around the Big 10 University of Wisconsin–Madison. In addition, Madison is home to a professional soccer team, Forward Madison FC, and a professional ultimate frisbee team, the Madison Radicals. The Madison Mallards is a collegiate wood-bat summer baseball league team and the Madison Night Mares is a summer collegiate softball team. Marquee endurance sports and specialty sporting events include Ironman, Madison Marathon, and many national and international championship competitions.

Compensation:

• Negotiable, 12 months

• 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. SMPH Faculty /Academic Staff Benefits Flyer 2026

Required Qualifications:

• WI Medical license by the start date of the position.

• Board-certified or board eligible in Pediatrics by the American Board of Pediatrics by the start date of the position.

• Board-certified or board eligible in a pediatric subspecialty by the American Board of Pediatrics by the start date of the position.

• Completion of a US ACMGE-approved pediatric residency and accredited fellowship is required by the start date of the position.

• Must be eligible for enrollment as a billing provider and for all necessary hospital privileges, by the start date of the position.

• The successful candidate will have academic credentials sufficient for appointment at the Tenure Track rank of Assistant Professor, Associate Professor, or Professor.

• The research focus of the faculty member should fall within focus areas:

  • Tumor immunology, cancer immunotherapy, and cell therapy in oncology

  • Transplant Immunology

  • Regenerative medicine

  • Neuroinflammation

  • Neuroimmunology

  • Healthspan Research: approaches to cancer prevention, approaches to improve transplant outcomes, or prevention of neurodegeneration

• Experience with teaching and mentoring learners.

• Record of peer-reviewed publications and presentations at national/international meetings

Preferred Qualifications:

• Evidence of success in leading, developing, or participating in an extramurally funded research program is expected

Education:

• MD, or MD and PhD, or equivalent by start date of appointment in a Pediatric subspecialty area, with an immunology focus.

How to Apply:

For the best experience completing your application, we recommend using Chrome or Firefox as your web browser.

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: 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.

Upload required documents:

• Cover Letter Containing:

  • Your interest in joining the University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health’s Department of Pediatrics as a Pediatric Physician Scientist

  • Your qualifications and experience in your pediatric subspecialty.

  • Statement of research describing current and future directions. It should also include a brief description of your teaching philosophy.

• CV

The deadline for assuring full consideration is August 15, 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.

The successful applicant will be responsible for ensuring eligibility for employment in the United States on or before the effective date of the appointment. University sponsorship is not available for this position.

Contact Information:

Leigh Fredericks, [email protected], 608-263-7735

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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