Lead Clinical Specialist, RN

Vitalant; San Diego (CA); On-site; USD 106,000 - 140,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical, dental, and vision insurance

401K + 5% company match

Tuition assistance up to $5k per year

Free basic life and AD&D insurance

Free short-and-long-term disability

Paid time off

Employee Resource Groups

Recognition and perks

Job summary

Vitalant in San Diego is seeking an experienced Lead Clinical Specialist, RN to help launch our cellular therapy program at new contracted locations. You will lead clinical efforts in therapeutic apheresis and cellular therapies, caring for patients receiving cutting-edge treatments.

This role requires collaboration with hematologists, oncologists, transplant physicians, and nursing teams to deliver safe, high-quality care across inpatient and outpatient settings. Expect travel up to 30%.

Qualifications

• Current Registered Nurse (RN) license.
• BSN preferred.
• Experience in therapeutic apheresis, oncology, bone marrow transplant, hematology, critical care, infusion therapy, or cellular therapy preferred.
• Knowledge of CAR-T therapies, stem cell collection, cellular therapies, or transfusion medicine is highly desirable.
• Strong vascular access, patient assessment, and critical thinking skills.
• Excellent communication and collaboration skills.
• Ability to work independently while partnering effectively with multidisciplinary clinical teams.
• Commitment to compassionate, patient-centered care and continuous clinical excellence.

Responsibilities

• Perform therapeutic apheresis procedures for adult and pediatric patients in both inpatient and outpatient settings.
• Care for patients undergoing CAR-T cell therapy, stem cell collections, mononuclear cell collections, plasma exchange, red cell exchange, and other therapeutic apheresis procedures.
• Coordinate closely with hematologists, oncologists, transplant physicians, advanced practice providers, nursing teams, and laboratory professionals to ensure exceptional patient care.
• Serve as the clinical expert for therapeutic apheresis and cellular therapy services.
• Support implementation and growth of Vitalant’s cellular therapy partnership in San Diego.
• Provide patient and caregiver education before, during, and after treatment.
• Ensure compliance with FDA, FACT, AABB, and applicable regulatory and quality standards.
• Participate in quality improvement initiatives, clinical education, and program development.
• Collaborate with multidisciplinary teams to continuously improve patient outcomes and the patient experience.

Skills

Clinical leadership

Team collaboration

Patient care

Education

RN license

BSN preferred

Job description

At Vitalant, the impact you make doing work that is purposeful, meaningful, and worthwhile is vital. As a member of our non-profit organization, you can be impact-inspired to provide vital clinical services to communities nationwide, vital products to those in need of a donor's generosity, or vital scientific research that advances blood safety worldwide.

Compensation Considerations

Salary Grade: 121 3BS

Work Hours: Monday - Friday, 9:00 am - 5:00 pm, with occasional evening and weekends depending on patient need. Hours may vary.

Position will have rotational call and travel to five area hospitals.

Salary Range: 106,392 - 140,452

Work Shift (if Applicable)

Shift 1 (United States of America)

Job Description

Help Deliver the Future of Cellular Therapy

At Vitalant, our work goes beyond collecting blood—it advances therapies that transform lives. Every day, our teams partner with leading healthcare organizations to deliver innovative therapies that give patients new hope.

We're seeking an experienced Lead Clinical Specialist, RN to support the launch of our therapeutic apheresis and cellular therapy program at our new contracted locations in San Diego. This newly created role offers the opportunity to help establish a premier clinical partnership while caring for patients receiving some of today's most advanced therapies, that may include therapeutic apheresis procedures and/or stem cell, granulocyte and lymphocyte collections.

If you're passionate about delivering exceptional patient care, building clinical partnerships, and working at the forefront of cellular therapies, we'd love to have you join our team.

What To Expect

Work Hours

Monday - Friday 9:00 am - 5:00 pm,

Position will have rotational call

Travel will between five area hospitals

Must be able to travel locally, regionally, and nationally as business needs require to other hospitals to perform clinical and therapeutic apheresis services (approximately 30% travel when needed).

Salary Range

106,392 - 140,452

Our comprehensive total rewards support you, your family, and your future with

• Medical, dental, and vision insurance
• 401K + 5% company match
• Tuition assistance up to $5k per year
• Free basic life and AD&D insurance
• Free short-and-long-term disability insurance
• Paid time off
• Employee Resource Groups
• Recognition and perks

What You’ll Do

As the Lead Clinical Specialist, RN, you’ll serve as the clinical leader supporting therapeutic apheresis services throughout several contracted Health Systems in San Diego. In this highly specialized role, you will:

• Perform therapeutic apheresis procedures for adult and pediatric patients in both inpatient and outpatient settings.
• Care for patients undergoing CAR-T cell therapy, stem cell collections, mononuclear cell collections, plasma exchange, red cell exchange, and other therapeutic apheresis procedures.
• Coordinate closely with hematologists, oncologists, transplant physicians, advanced practice providers, nursing teams, and laboratory professionals to ensure exceptional patient care.
• Serve as the clinical expert for therapeutic apheresis and cellular therapy services.
• Support implementation and growth of Vitalant’s cellular therapy partnership in San Diego.
• Provide patient and caregiver education before, during, and after treatment.
• Ensure compliance with FDA, FACT, AABB, and applicable regulatory and quality standards.
• Participate in quality improvement initiatives, clinical education, and program development.
• Collaborate with multidisciplinary teams to continuously improve patient outcomes and the patient experience.

Why This Role Is Different

This is more than a nursing position—it’s an opportunity to help build a new cellular therapy program supporting patients receiving life-changing treatments.

You’ll care for individuals battling leukemia, lymphoma, multiple myeloma, autoimmune disorders, and other complex diseases while helping deliver innovative therapies that continue to redefine modern medicine.

As one of the clinical leaders supporting this strategic partnership, you’ll play a key role in establishing clinical excellence, strengthening provider relationships, and expanding access to advanced therapeutic apheresis services throughout the San Diego community.

What You Bring

• Current Registered Nurse (RN) license.
• BSN preferred.
• Experience in therapeutic apheresis, oncology, bone marrow transplant, hematology, critical care, infusion therapy, or cellular therapy preferred.
• Knowledge of CAR-T therapies, stem cell collection, cellular therapies, or transfusion medicine is highly desirable.
• Strong vascular access, patient assessment, and critical thinking skills.
• Excellent communication and collaboration skills.
• Ability to work independently while partnering effectively with multidisciplinary clinical teams.
• Commitment to compassionate, patient-centered care and continuous clinical excellence.

Why Vitalant

At Vitalant, every role contributes to saving and improving lives. We foster a culture built on our RITE Values:

• Respect for one another and every patient we serve.
• Integrity in every decision and interaction.
• Teamwork across clinical, laboratory, and healthcare partners.
• Excellence through innovation, quality, and compassionate care.

Whether supporting groundbreaking cellular therapies or advancing the future of therapeutic apheresis, you’ll find meaningful work, professional growth, and the opportunity to make a lasting impact every day.

Join Us

Together, we’ll help deliver the therapies that are changing-and saving-lives.

Physical Requirements

This position requires the ability to perform the following (expressed as hours per shift):

• Sitting 5+
• Standing 5+
• Walking N/A
• Lift (40# Max) 46086
• Carry/move (40# max) 0-3
• Push/pull (10# of force max) 0-3
• Climbing 0-3
• Bend 0-3
• Squat 0-3
• Kneel N/A
• Reaching above shoulders 0-3
• Reaching waist to shoulder 0-3
• Reaching knee to waist 0-3
• Reaching floor to knee 0-3
• Grasp 0-3
• Handling 5+
• Finger dexterity 5+
• Pinch 5+
• Driving 0-3

Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

The above statements are intended to describe the general nature and level of work performed by people assigned to this job. They are not intended to be an exhaustive list of responsibilities, duties and skills required of personnel so classified.

Location:

3636 Gateway Center Avenue Suite 100 San Diego, CA 92102

Job Category

Lab Services

Contact Information:

[e-mail]

If you are impact-inspired to help others, and making a difference is vital for you, you'll experience a career built on purpose, a company created to care, and a team committed to lead - together.