Solid Organ Preservationist

University of Virginia•Charlottesville, VA

5d•Onsite

About The Position

The Solid Organ Preservationist plays a critical, hands‑on role in saving lives by preserving donor organs outside the body using cutting‑edge machine perfusion technology. This position sits at the intersection of surgery, critical care, and innovation—supporting transplant teams by ensuring donor organs remain viable, functional, and transplant‑ready. Working side‑by‑side with transplant surgeons, anesthesiologists, and organ procurement teams, you will operate advanced perfusion platforms (including OrganOx and TransMedics) to support liver and other solid organ transplants. This is a highly specialized, high‑impact clinical role where your expertise directly expands transplant opportunities for patients. Due to the time‑sensitive nature of transplantation, this role includes rotating on‑call coverage, nights, weekends, and holidays.

Requirements

Graduate of an accredited Surgical Technologist, or Surgical Assistant program, OR a Bachelor’s degree in a relevant health science field required.
2+ years of experience in a surgical, critical care, or transplant setting required.
See Requisition for Certification/Licensure requirements.

Responsibilities

Independently set up, operate, and manage machine perfusion systems to maintain donor organ viability prior to transplantation.
Support normothermic and hypothermic organ perfusion, allowing more organs to be successfully transplanted.
Utilize state‑of‑the‑art perfusion devices such as OrganOx, TransMedics, and LifePort Kidney Pump systems.
Calibrate, troubleshoot, and maintain perfusion equipment before, during, and after each use.
Assist with sterile preparation and cannulation of donor organs.
Secure organs to perfusion circuits to ensure continuous oxygenated perfusion.
Continuously monitor flows, pressures, temperatures, and biochemical markers.
Interpret data, recognize early signs of organ dysfunction, and collaborate with physicians to intervene when needed.
Respond rapidly and calmly to alarms or changes in perfusion status.
Work closely with transplant surgeons, anesthesiologists, transplant coordinators, and OPO partners.
Communicate real‑time updates on organ condition and escalate concerns without delay.
Seamlessly integrate perfusion workflows into transplant surgeries.
Participate in a rotating 24/7 on‑call schedule.
Respond on short notice to donor organ arrivals—including nights, weekends, and holidays.
Thrive in fast‑paced, high‑stakes clinical environments where timing is critical.
Accurately document perfusion parameters, medications, labs, and observations.
Support data collection for quality improvement, outcomes tracking, and program development.
Contribute to protocol refinement and emerging best practices in organ preservation.
Uphold strict aseptic technique and hospital safety standards.
Ensure compliance with regulatory, hospital, and manufacturer requirements.
Represent the transplant program with professionalism and integrity.