Clinical Donation Specialist I

Join a mission-driven clinical team supporting life-saving organ donation and transplantation.

The Clinical Donation Specialist I (CDS I) plays a vital role in the organ recovery and transplantation process by providing technical support during surgical organ procurement and preservation. This hands-on clinical role is ideal for Surgical Technicians or clinically experienced professionals seeking to apply their operating room expertise in a highly specialized, mission-driven environment.

Working as part of a multidisciplinary recovery team, the CDS I supports all aspects of the organ recovery process, including sterile field preparation, organ preservation, surgical assistance, perfusion support, laboratory operations, and transportation logistics to ensure successful transplantation outcomes.

This position offers a unique opportunity to expand surgical and preservation expertise while making a direct impact on saving and improving lives.

Key Responsibilities

Surgical & Operating Room Support

• Respond promptly and professionally to organ recovery cases
• Prepare and assemble all recovery equipment, supplies, preservation solutions, and perfusion systems
• Assist hospital OR staff with donor preparation and sterile field setup
• Scrub in to assist surgeons during organ procurement, preservation, and packaging
• Assist with organ flush procedures, including perfusion cannula setup and preservation solution preparation
• Monitor preservation flow and communicate findings to the recovery surgeon and team
• Assist with back-table flush procedures and organ packaging in accordance with UNOS and organizational protocols
• Recover and properly package vessels, specimens, and tissues for transplant or research purposes
• Perform post-procedure donor care and assist with transport as needed

Organ Preservation & Technical Support

• Prepare, cannulate, and manage kidneys on pulsatile preservation machines
• Monitor preservation parameters and evaluate post-recovery organ function
• Support allocation of organs according to UNOS and organizational protocols
• Maintain accurate case documentation and allocation records within national transplant systems

Laboratory & Equipment Management

• Maintain clean, organized, and fully stocked perfusion and laboratory spaces
• Clean, inspect, and maintain donor bags, coolers, recovery sets, and preservation equipment
• Ensure readiness of all supplies for emergent recovery response

Education & Outreach

• Support professional education efforts through hospital in-services and presentations
• Represent the organization at community outreach events and public education opportunities
• Contribute to hospital development initiatives that promote organ donation awareness

Travel

• Travel throughout the designated service area and occasionally out of state for organ recovery cases

Qualifications

We encourage applicants with surgical or direct clinical procedural experience to apply.

Required:

• Associate degree or equivalent combination of education and clinical experience
• Entry-level clinical experience in a procedural, surgical, sterile processing, or critical care setting
• Knowledge of sterile technique and aseptic practices
• Ability to work in fast-paced, high-acuity clinical environments
• Ability to travel and respond to emergent case activity

Preferred:

• 2 years of Surgical Technician experience
• Operating room experience
• Surgical Technologist certification (CST)
• Experience supporting sterile procedural environments
• Experience handling clinical equipment, instrumentation, or perfusion-related processes

Why Join Us?

• Make a direct impact in the transplant process and donor gift stewardship
• Expand your surgical and organ preservation expertise
• Work alongside highly skilled transplant surgeons and recovery professionals
• Be part of a mission-driven team dedicated to saving lives through donation