Division Chief of Neuro-Oncology

The University of California, Irvine (UCI) School of Medicine seeks an innovative and collaborative leader to oversee and expand the Division of Neuro-oncology in the Department of Neurology. As the only academic medical center in Orange County, UCI Health plays an essential role in improving the lives of people in the local community and beyond. The next Division Chief must be a collaborative and growth-oriented partner who can work alongside health professionals across the institution, throughout Orange County and beyond, to ensure access to world-class neuro-oncology care. 

Ranked as one of the top U.S. medical schools by U.S. News & World Report, the UCI School of Medicine (UCI SOM) is dedicated to advancing medical knowledge and clinical practice through scholarly research, physician education, and high-quality care. Each year, UCI SOM educates more than 400 medical students and trains more than 700 residents and fellows at UCI Medical Center and affiliated institutions. The School’s 1011 full- and part-time faculty and 850 volunteer faculty members are involved in teaching, providing medical care, and conducting research into the health challenges facing the 21st century. UCI SOM has 24 departments, ranging from basic science research to clinical medical and surgical specialties. It has research, clinical and teaching relationships with the VA Long Beach Healthcare System, Long Beach Memorial Medical Center, and Children’s Hospital of Orange County (CHOC).

UCI Medical Center is the principal clinical facility for UCI Health and the UCI School of Medicine’s teaching and research programs. For 18 consecutive years, the medical center has been rated among the nation's best hospitals by U.S. News & World Report, and among the top 50 U.S. medical centers for gynecology and urology. It is the only Orange County hospital to be listed consistently among the nation's best. The medical center is also home to the UC Irvine Chao Family Comprehensive Cancer Center, the only National Cancer Institute-designated comprehensive cancer center in Orange County, and one of only 71 such high-level centers in the nation.

In November 2021, UCI and UCI Health broke ground on a new $1.3 billion medical complex in Irvine, that will include a 144-bed acute care hospital with an emergency room, an outpatient Center for Advanced Care with primary and specialty health services, a Center for Children’s Health, and the Chao Family Comprehensive Cancer Center and Ambulatory Care building. Key clinical programs available include oncology, neurology and neurosurgery, orthopedics & spine surgery, and advanced digestive health services. The medical center will also be a hub for participation in Orange County’s largest clinical trials portfolio, including early-phase trials in cancer, neurosciences, stem cell-derived treatments, internal medicine, and more. 

The Department of Neurology is ranked among the top neurology departments in the country by the National Institutes of Health and is committed to advancing clinical care, education, and research to help patients with diverse neurological conditions. The Department’s 46 full-time teaching faculty members are highly experienced clinicians and scientists who are devoted to training the next generation of neurologists. The Department of Neurology’s clinical activities take place at UCI Medical Center, the university campus in Irvine, and the VA Long Beach Healthcare System, in addition to several clinics serving broader communities, including Laguna Hills, Newport Beach, Costa Mesa, Tustin, and Yorba Linda. The state-of-the-art UCI Douglas Hospital at UCI Medical Center has beds for patients with neurological disorders as well as specialized units for epilepsy monitoring and neuro-intensive care. The Department also participates in leading-edge research including: devising methods to predict and improve functional recovery after stroke; mapping white matter tracts in epilepsy, seeking ways to promote healthy brain aging and novel treatments for Alzheimer’s disease and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis; understanding the pathophysiology of multiple sclerosis; delineating novel molecular and cellular mechanisms of neurodegeneration; and developing stem cell therapies for neurological disorders. 

The Department benefits from institutional resources including the Center for Clinical Research (CCR), offering support from grant-writing through contracting and trial implementation, as well as the California Institute for Regenerative Medicine (CIRM)-supported Stem Cell Research Center, the Beall Center for Art + Technology, Beckman Center of the National Academies of Sciences & Engineering, the UCI Institute for Precision Health, the Center for Neurotherapeutics, the Susan Samueli Integrative Health Institute, and a recently renewed award for our Alpha Stem Cell Clinic. 

The next Neuro-Oncology Division Chief has the unique opportunity to lead teaching, research, and clinical efforts that bridge the Department of Neurology with the Chao Family Comprehensive Cancer Center, which just received renewal as one of only 53 NCI-designated comprehensive cancer centers and provides operational support for clinical research in the Division. The construction of the new Irvine Newport Medical Campus as well as budding partnerships in the inland empire lay the groundwork for even greater impact on patients and the potential for international prominence in research.

To be successful, the new Division Chief will address the following opportunities and challenges:

• Lead an innovative and strategic vision for the future of neuro-oncology.
• Develop, recruit, and retain excellent and diverse faculty who will build on existing teaching, research, and clinical care.
• Drive a successful clinical strategy that provides the highest quality patient care.
• Further expand and develop the Division’s residency and fellowship programs to ensure training excellence. 
• Expand and develop the Division’s research portfolio. 
• Work collaboratively with partners across UCI Health and beyond to strengthen access to quality care in the region.

Screening of complete applications will begin immediately and continue until the completion of the search process/until the position is filled. For more details, including the full position profile and to submit inquiries, nominations, referrals, and applications, please see below. Electronic submission of materials is required.

The anticipated salary range for this position is $400,000-$500,000, commensurate with the successful candidate’s experience. The University of California offers a generous benefits package. More information can be found at: https://www.hr.uci.edu/partnership/benefits/

Courtney Wilk-Mandel is leading this search with Katheryne Martinez and Cara Meyers. 

The University of California, Irvine is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action Employer advancing inclusive excellence. 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 nondiscrimination policy. A recipient of an NSF ADVANCE award for gender equity, UCI is responsive to the needs of dual career couples, supports work-life balance through an array of family-friendly policies, and is dedicated to broadening participation in higher education.