Under the direction of the attending physician and departmental leadership, the Principal Perfusionist provides advanced patient care services requiring extracorporeal circulation and/or oxygenation while serving as a recognized subject matter expert in perfusion practice, mechanical circulatory support, quality improvement, clinical program development, and staff development while also mentoring staff and supporting departmental operations across multiple UCSF locations. Clinical perfusionists are members of the open-heart surgery team, working primarily in cardiac operating theatres, as part of a team which includes cardio-thoracic surgeons, anesthetists, cardiologists, healthcare scientists working in cardiac sciences, theatre nurses and operating department practitioners.