Academic Stroke Neurologist, University of Minnesota

Position Specifics

• Academic Rank: Open rank: Assistant Professor, Associate Professor, or Professor, commensurate with qualifications and experience.
• Role: Academic Vascular Neurologist
• Academic Appointment: Division of Vascular Neurology, Department of Neurology, University of Minnesota Medical School
• Employers: University of Minnesota and University of Minnesota Physicians
• Location: Minneapolis/St. Paul, Minnesota (Twin Cities)

Position Summary

The University of Minnesota Medical School and University of Minnesota Physicians invite applications and nominations for an academic vascular neurologist to join one of the nation’s largest academic stroke programs during a period of continued growth. Based at one of the country’s leading academic medical schools, the program combines the reach of a nine-hospital network with advanced clinical resources and opportunities to influence stroke care, education, and discovery.

Join a collaborative team of 12 stroke neurologists and 12 stroke-specialized advanced practice providers delivering comprehensive cerebrovascular care across M Health Fairview. Anchored by the University of Minnesota Medical Center’s Comprehensive Stroke Center, the program integrates inpatient, outpatient, and telestroke care with fellowship education, including three vascular neurology fellows annually.

Faculty have opportunities to develop specialized clinical interests and contribute to program leadership, education, quality improvement, and stroke systems of care. Distinctive resources include advanced 7-Tesla MRI capabilities, Photon CT, the Center for Magnetic Resonance Research, and programs in neurorecovery and neuromodulation. As home to the NIH StrokeNet Upper Midwest Regional Coordinating Center, the University offers interested faculty opportunities to participate in clinical trials, supported by dedicated research coordinators, research fellows, clinical and imaging databases, biostatistical resources, and mentorship.

A 12-hour shift model with fully virtual overnight coverage provides clearly defined clinical responsibilities, with additional compensation available for service beyond the base expectation.

Fellowship-trained vascular neurologists at all career stages are encouraged to apply, including recent graduates, established academic faculty, and physicians in health system, community, or private practice seeking an academic opportunity. Academic rank will be commensurate with qualifications and experience.

Key Program Highlights

• Scale. One of the largest academic stroke programs in the United States: about 5,000 stroke code activations, more than 2,500 telestroke cases, about 300 Tenecteplase treatments, about 200 thrombectomies, and 150 to 200 clinical trial enrollments in a single year.
• A true system of care. The Stroke Division is responsible for cerebrovascular care at all nine M Health Fairview hospitals. A 24/7 inpatient telestroke model launched in 2019 cut transfer rates at spoke hospitals from 55—100% percent to about 20 percent, bringing specialist evaluation to every stroke patient in the system.
• NIH StrokeNet Regional Coordinating Center. The University of Minnesota is one of the NIH StrokeNet Regional Coordinating Centers and a top enroller in major multicenter stroke trials: 4th in North America for LIBREXIA-STROKE despite being open for only half of the enrollment period, 2nd in the United States and Canada for TIMELESS, 2nd in the United States for FASTEST, and 3rd in the United States for SISTER. Trials run across the system, including the community hospitals, through an electronic remote-consent platform.
• Research infrastructure built for faculty. CVNEURO-CORE, a REDCap-based clinical and imaging data ecosystem covering the system’s cerebrovascular patients; 24/7 research coordinator coverage from two dedicated teams, the StrokeNet Research Nurses and the Emergency Medicine Acute Care Research Coordinators; integrated biostatistics and IRB support; and a two-year Stroke Research Fellowship that trains research coordinators embedded with the clinical team.
• Teaching at every level. Three ACGME vascular neurology fellows per year plus endovascular surgical neuroradiology, neurocritical care, and StrokeNet research fellows; neurology residents; stroke research fellows; and stroke-specialized APPs.
• A schedule designed for longevity. Twelve-hour day and night shifts, attending nightfloat, home-based telestroke night coverage, and compensated additional service weeks.
• Recognized quality. Every M Health Fairview hospital in the stroke program earned an American Heart Association Get With The Guidelines achievement award in 2026, seven at the Gold level; Southdale earned Target: Stroke Honor Roll Elite in 2025 and 2026; UMMC was ranked the number one hospital in the Twin Cities by U.S. News & World Report in 2025.
• Advanced imaging and neuromodulation. Clinical 7 Tesla MRI, access to the Center for Magnetic Resonance Research, a system-wide cardiac CTA stroke work-up protocol, RAPID-AI, and an active post-stroke neuromodulation program (Vivistim paired VNS, TMS, tDCS).

Position Responsibilities

The stroke neurologist will contribute across the clinical, educational, research, and quality missions of the Stroke Division, including but not limited to:

• Provide inpatient vascular neurology care at UMMC (Comprehensive Stroke Center), Fairview Southdale (Thrombectomy-Capable Stroke Center), and Fairview St. John’s (Primary Stroke Center).
• Provide telestroke coverage, including emergent stroke code evaluation and inpatient telestroke rounding at system hospitals (Ridges, Woodwinds, Lakes, Northland, Range, and Grand Itasca).
• Manage the full spectrum of cerebrovascular disease: ischemic stroke, TIA, intracerebral and subarachnoid hemorrhage, and urgent non-stroke neurology encountered on the stroke service, including status epilepticus. The stroke team is first call for hemorrhage and covers neurocritical care patients in collaboration with the neurointensivists.
• Provide outpatient care in stroke clinic, TIA clinic, telestroke clinic, and collaborative specialty clinics (Neuro-Cardiology, Stroke and PM&R, intracerebral hemorrhage, atherosclerosis, brain health) according to interest.
• Participate in the shift-based coverage model, including a share of virtual night shifts distributed across the faculty.
• Teach and supervise vascular neurology fellows, neurocritical care and endovascular fellows, neurology residents, stroke research fellows, APPs, and medical students on service and in clinic; contribute to the weekly Stroke and Neurocritical Care Conference and to system-wide nursing, ED, and EMS education.
• Faculty work collaboratively on stroke clinical trials as sub-investigators or, if desired, pursue site principal investigator roles. Dedicated research coordinators, research fellows, clinical databases, biostatistical support, and faculty mentorship provide a robust infrastructure to support participation based on individual interests and career goals.
• Contribute to quality improvement and new care pathways across the system (current priorities include the hemorrhagic stroke care pathway, prehospital activation and direct-to-CT workflows, and advancing spoke hospitals to Primary Stroke Center designation).
• Participate in fellowship and residency recruitment and in the faculty events that build the program’s community.

Candidate Qualifications

Required Qualifications

• MD, DO, or equivalent degree, with completion of an ACGME-accredited neurology residency and an ACGME-accredited vascular neurology fellowship (current fellows completing training by summer 2027 are encouraged to apply).
• Board certified or board eligible in Neurology by the American Board of Psychiatry and Neurology; vascular neurology certification expected within two years of hire if not already held.
• Eligible for an unrestricted Minnesota medical license.
• Broad vascular neurology expertise, including hemorrhagic stroke and the ability to manage urgent non-stroke neurologic conditions and ICU-level stroke patients.
• Demonstrated commitment to teaching trainees and collaborative clinical care.
• A collaborative, team-oriented approach and a strong interest in telemedicine as a tool for equitable stroke care; prior telestroke experience is not required.

Preferred Qualifications

• Record of scholarly activity (abstracts, publications, quality projects) during residency or fellowship.
• Experience enrolling patients in clinical trials, including NIH StrokeNet studies.
• Interest in a specific program area such as neurorecovery and neuromodulation, neurocardiology, hemorrhage, telestroke and systems of care, transcranial Doppler and vascular ultrasound, or health equity.

Division Scale & Resources

The Stroke Division is supported by a highly collaborative and growing team that includes:

• Twelve vascular neurologists and 12 stroke-specialized APPs, most recruited directly from fellowship since 2020, including two new faculty hires in 2026.
• Neurointensivists, endovascular surgical neuroradiologists, and open cerebrovascular neurosurgeons within a single cerebrovascular clinical service unit.
• Stroke program coordinators at every hospital, system-wide stroke nurse educators, and 48 Stroke Certified Registered Nurses across the system (up from 8 in 2020).
• Research coordinators with 24/7 on-call coverage, Stroke Research Fellows, integrated biostatistics, free IRB support, and REDCap and Box infrastructure.
• Two dedicated telestroke hubs, RAPID-AI at every site, standardized Epic order sets, and a system-wide GWTG and REDCap stroke database covering about 3,000 patients a year.
• Fellowship leadership across vascular neurology, endovascular surgical neuroradiology, neurocritical care, and StrokeNet research tracks.

Compensation, Benefits, and Support

• Appointment and compensation. Faculty are dually employed by University of Minnesota Physicians for clinical responsibilities and the University of Minnesota for academic effort. Compensation is market competitive and benchmarked to AAMC data. The clinical base salary range is $275,000 to $350,000, commensurate with experience, qualifications, and clinical FTE. Total compensation may exceed the clinical base salary through paid additional service weeks and any applicable bonus or incentive programs.
• Benefits. Substantial 401(k) employer contribution; well-being program with annual spending allotment, peer coaching, counseling, and concierge services; CME, license, board, and DEA allowances; malpractice coverage; University benefits including low-cost medical, dental, and pharmacy plans. University of Minnesota Physicians is a 501(c)(3) qualifying employer for Public Service Loan Forgiveness.
• Academic support. Dedicated biostatistical support, system-wide stroke research databases, research coordinator coverage, research mentorship, and a Career Development Lecture series.
• Visa sponsorship. The program has successfully sponsored faculty on J-1 waiver and O-1 pathways. J-1 waiver positions are tied primarily to the University site; candidates who will require sponsorship are encouraged to raise this early so that site assignments and timelines can be planned.

Why University of Minnesota?

Few academic stroke programs offer this combination: a nine-hospital system in which one faculty group owning all cerebrovascular care, an NIH StrokeNet Regional Coordinating Center with top-tier enrollment, a schedule built on 12-hour shifts rather than night call, and a faculty culture in which research infrastructure and leadership opportunities are shared rather than concentrated. The program has grown from a single stroke neurologist to 12 in under a decade, has added faculty nearly every year since 2020, and treats each new hire as a colleague to be developed.

The University offers access to the Center for Magnetic Resonance Research, the Institute for Translational Neuroscience, and the MnDRIVE Brain Conditions Initiative, and the Twin Cities are the birthplace and headquarters of the American Academy of Neurology and the largest medical device cluster in the United States.

Strategic Opportunities for the Incoming Faculty Member

• Join a faculty where site principal investigator roles on NIH StrokeNet and industry trials are shared, with 150 to 200 enrollments a year to build on.
• Develop a program-area focus (neurorecovery and neuromodulation, neurocardiology, hemorrhage, telestroke and systems of care, TCD and vascular ultrasound, health equity) with CVNEURO-CORE data, research fellows, and biostatistics behind it.
• Help lead the 2026 to 2027 priorities: the hemorrhagic stroke care pathway, prehospital activation and direct-to-CT workflows, and advancing Fairview Ridges to Primary Stroke Center designation.
• Teach across one of the region’s largest neurology training enterprises, from fellows and residents to APPs and system nurses.
• Grow into Fairview-funded site medical directorships and clinical trial leadership as experience and interest develop.

Overview of the Stroke Division

The University of Minnesota Stroke Division is a collaborative, multidisciplinary program dedicated to outstanding cerebrovascular care, systems innovation, clinical research, and education. Under the leadership of Christopher Streib, MD, MS, the division has grown from a single stroke neurologist to 12 vascular neurologists and 12 stroke-specialized APPs, and now provides all stroke care across the M Health Fairview system. Key program leaders include Praveen Hariharan, MBBS (Cerebrovascular Medical Director), Allison Ho, MD (Vascular Neurology Fellowship Director), Ramachandra Tummala, MD (Endovascular Director), Benjamin Miller, MD (Neurocritical Care Director), Kamakshi Lakshminarayan, MD, PhD (NIH StrokeNet MPI), and Sarah Engkjer, MA, RN, SCRN (Cerebrovascular Program Director).

In a single year the program manages about 5,000 stroke code activations, more than 2,500 telestroke cases, about 300 Tenecteplase treatments, about 200 thrombectomies, and 150 to 200 clinical trial enrollments, with every patient in the system captured in a centralized research database.

A Nine-Hospital System of Stroke Care

The University of Minnesota Stroke Program operates one comprehensive stroke center, the University of Minnesota Medical Center, and one thrombectomy capable site, Fairview Southdale Hospital. Through an innovative network of emergent and inpatient telestroke sites the program provides stroke care across the entire M Health Fairview system.

The stroke program is housed within the Stroke Clinical Service Unit which encompasses vascular neurology, neurocritical care, cerebrovascular neurosurgery, and endovascular surgical neuroradiology. Our trainees are exposed to the entire spectrum of cerebrovascular disease through the collaborative academic and clinical mission of our stroke neurologists, neurointensivists, cerebrovascular neurosurgeons, and endovascular surgical neuroradiologists.

Faculty practice in person at the three highest-acuity sites and staff APP-led inpatient telestroke rounding at the remaining sites.

Telestroke and Systems of Care

Before the 2019 launch of 24/7 inpatient telestroke, between 55 and 100 percent of stroke patients at spoke hospitals were transferred, most often because no neurologist was on site rather than because a higher level of care was required. After implementation, transfer rates fell to about 20 percent across the system, median length of stay fell, and guideline-based care improved. Every patient in the system with a concern for stroke now sees a stroke specialist, receives the same evidence-based work-up and secondary prevention regardless of hospital, and can participate in clinical trials and registries. Two dedicated telestroke hubs, a system-wide telestroke and TIA clinic, standardized Epic order sets, and RAPID-AI across all sites support the model.

NIH StrokeNet and Clinical Trials

The University of Minnesota is an NIH StrokeNet Regional Coordinating Center and leads regional recruitment for pivotal trials. Active and recent studies across the system include:

Enrollment leadership. M Health Fairview sites rank among the top enrollers nationally: 4th in North America for LIBREXIA-STROKE despite being open for only half of the enrollment period, 2nd in the United States and Canada for TIMELESS, 2nd in the United States for FASTEST, and 3rd in the United States for SISTER. Trials are actively supported at UMMC, Southdale, Ridges, and St. John’s, with further expansion across the system planned, and both St. John’s and Ridges are approved to run exception-from-informed-consent hyperacute studies.

Research is operationalized as a clinical workflow: a “research code” runs in parallel with every stroke code, supported by REDCap screening, electronic and telestroke consent, on-call research coordinators, and weekly PI and coordinator meetings. Faculty, fellows, and APPs all enroll, and site PI roles are shared across the faculty. Faculty are supported in clinical trial enrollment 24-7 by exceptional clinical research coordinators.

CVNEURO-CORE

CVNEURO-CORE (CerebroVascular Neuroscience, Cardiovascular, and Radiological Outcomes Research Ecosystem), funded in 2025, links clinical, registry, and imaging data for the system’s cerebrovascular patients under multi-departmental governance spanning Neurology, Neurosurgery, Radiology, Cardiology, Epidemiology, and Health Informatics. It supports neurocardiology, machine learning and causal modeling, neuroradiology, endovascular, and disparities research, with a publicly available dataset and an application pathway for new collaborations.

Stroke Research Fellowship

A two-year program for postgraduate fellows preparing for neurology residency. Fellows are trained as research coordinators, enroll patients in trials, maintain databases, and provide collaborative support for faculty research projects. Recent cohorts have included fellows with graduate training in epidemiology, and the fellowship has become a pipeline into the department’s residency.

Vascular Neurology Fellowship and Education

• Vascular Neurology Fellowship (Program Director: Allison Ho, MD): three fellows per year, with combined tracks in endovascular surgical neuroradiology, neurocritical care, and StrokeNet research. Fellows take first call for Southdale and telestroke consults; residents take first call at UMMC. Alumni now direct stroke programs and endovascular services across the Upper Midwest and nationally.
• Weekly Tuesday Stroke and Neurocritical Care Conference (M&M, journal club, interesting cases, didactics); Wednesday Neurocritical Care and Endovascular conferences; Thursday Stroke, NCC, and Neuroradiology case review; monthly research and clinical research operations meetings.
• Teaching across the system: ED physician and nursing education, resident lectures across neurology, neurosurgery, and radiology, University of Minnesota and M Health Fairview grand rounds, and a Stroke Certified RN exam preparation course.
• Weekly Faculty meeting for fellows and junior faculty: teaching, presenting data, using existing databases, and manuscript review.

Quality and Recognition

• American Heart Association Get With the Guidelines Stroke awards grew from 3 hospitals in 2022 to all 9 in 2026, with 7 at the Gold level and 23 specialty awards (Plus, Target: Stroke, Target: Type 2 Diabetes, Rural).
• Fairview Southdale: Gold Plus with Target: Stroke Honor Roll Elite and Target: Type 2 Diabetes Honor Roll in 2025 and 2026; Joint Commission Thrombectomy-Capable Stroke Center; U.S. News & World Report High Performing for stroke care and number two hospital in the Twin Cities (2026 Best Regional Hospitals).
• University of Minnesota Medical Center: number one hospital in the Twin Cities and third in Minnesota in U.S. News & World Report’s 2025 Best Regional Hospitals.
• Minnesota Department of Health Stroke Quality Award recipients 2023 to 2025; 2021 Outstanding QI Achievement Award; faculty recognized among 2025 Minnesota Monthly Top Doctors and 2026 UMP Clinical Excellence Honorees.
• Program leadership testified in support of Minnesota’s formal recognition of the Thrombectomy-Capable Stroke Center designation, which passed the State Senate.

Program Milestones

Department of Neurology

The Department of Neurology at the University of Minnesota has a long and distinguished history of leadership, innovation, and academic excellence. Founded in 1946, the Department quickly became a national force in neurology under the direction of A.B. Baker, MD, PhD, who also founded the American Academy of Neurology and served as its first president in 1948. Today that legacy continues under Jerrold L. Vitek, MD, PhD, a global authority in movement disorders and neuromodulation.

Key departmental strengths include:

• More than 80 faculty supporting over 3,000 inpatient evaluations and 10,000 outpatient visits annually.
• Ten clinical divisions, including stroke, neurocritical care, epilepsy, movement disorders, neuromuscular medicine, multiple sclerosis, behavioral neurology, neurohospitalist medicine, general neurology, and pediatric neurology.
• A top-25 NIH-funded neurology department with a collaborative research ecosystem spanning Neurosurgery, Psychiatry, Radiology and Neuroradiology, Cardiology, Biomedical Engineering, Genetics, and the School of Public Health, and major centers including the Center for Magnetic Resonance Research, the Institute for Translational Neuroscience, and the Brain Sciences Center at the Minneapolis VA.
• Research leadership under Jeremy Duncan, PhD, Director of Research, with department-wide regulatory and IRB support staff.

University of Minnesota

Founded in 1888, the University of Minnesota Medical School educates students and graduate physicians, provides patient care, and performs biomedical and clinical research. It is one of the largest medical schools in the country, with campuses in the Twin Cities and Duluth; the Duluth campus educates first- and second-year medical students committed to practicing in rural or American Indian communities.

Research & Teaching

The University of Minnesota is a world-class research institution whose medical school pioneered the first external pacemaker, the first successful bone marrow transplant, the first successful open-heart surgery, and the world’s first stem cell institute. Research is a critical element in the fight against neurological disease, and the Stroke Division’s integration of pivotal clinical trials, system-wide telestroke, and advanced imaging through the Center for Magnetic Resonance Research illustrates the role research plays in the delivery of clinical care.

M Health Fairview and University of Minnesota Physicians

M Health Fairview, formed in 2019, is the academic health system partnership of the University of Minnesota, University of Minnesota Physicians, and Fairview Health Services, with ten hospitals and more than 60 clinics across Minnesota. University of Minnesota Medical Center on the East Bank campus is the system’s quaternary referral hospital and Comprehensive Stroke Center. University of Minnesota Physicians (M Physicians) is the nonprofit multispecialty practice of the Medical School faculty, with more than 1,200 physicians and 300 advanced practice providers. In 2025 the system enrolled more than 5,500 new patients in clinical trials and trained nearly 7,000 learners across its sites.

Unique Infrastructure & Research Strengths

The University of Minnesota offers one of the country’s richest research environments for the neurosciences, supported by:

Center for Magnetic Resonance Research (CMRR)

One of the world’s premier imaging centers, home to the world’s first 10.5T human MRI system and multiple ultra-high-field scanners (7T, 4T, 3T). CMRR develops cutting-edge MRI and MRS technology and advanced brain connectivity methods, and clinical 7 Tesla imaging is available to the stroke program for high-field flow studies of aneurysms, AVMs, and carotid stenosis, carotid plaque imaging, and cerebral amyloid angiopathy research.

Institute for Translational Neuroscience (ITN)

A university-wide initiative established to accelerate the movement of basic neuroscience discoveries into clinical practice, uniting investigators across neuroengineering, neurodegeneration, neuromuscular disease, mental health, and imaging, and supporting translational research, clinical trials, and technology development.

School of Public Health and NIH StrokeNet

The Stroke Division’s NIH StrokeNet Regional Coordinating Center is co-led with the School of Public Health, where Kamakshi Lakshminarayan, MD, PhD, directs the Master of Science in Clinical Research program. The partnership gives faculty access to epidemiology, biostatistics, and clinical research training alongside the StrokeNet Clinical Research Fellowship.

MnDRIVE Brain Conditions Initiative

Minnesota’s Discovery, Research, and Innovation Economy (MnDRIVE) is a landmark partnership between the University and the State of Minnesota. The Brain Conditions program advances diagnostics, neuromodulation, neural engineering, informatics, and neurorehabilitation through interdisciplinary projects linking University experts with industry and community partners, and provides seed funding, infrastructure, and translational support for brain conditions research, including stroke recovery.

Center for Neuroengineering (CNE)

The Center for Neuroengineering brings together neuroscience, engineering, and clinical experts to develop next-generation neurotechnologies, including brain-machine interfaces and neuromodulation platforms. Its close ties to Minnesota’s medical device industry create opportunities to translate discoveries into clinically impactful tools, including the paired VNS, TMS, tDCS, and brain-computer interface approaches under study for post-stroke recovery.

Biomedical Discovery District

A state-of-the-art, multi-building research complex that co-locates leading scientists from across the Academic Health Center, with advanced laboratories in neuroscience, cardiovascular science, immunology, stem cells, and translational therapeutics.

Minnesota Innovation Partnerships (MN-IP) and MINREACH

MN-IP accelerates collaboration between University researchers and industry through streamlined licensing and research agreements, and the University is one of only three NIH-designated Research Evaluation and Commercialization Hub (REACH) sites, providing commercialization expertise, project funding, and industry mentorship for diagnostics, therapeutics, and medical devices. Both programs connect faculty to Medical Alley, the largest medical device cluster in the United States.

Twin Cities

This position is based in Minneapolis, Minnesota. The Twin Cities of Minneapolis and St. Paul have consistently been ranked among the best cities in the United States. The metropolitan area is home to about 3.7 million people and offers a progressive, growing economy, varied cultural experiences, and superb recreational activities. The warmth of Minnesotans, together with world-class music, theater, art, professional sports in every major league, dozens of lakes within the city limits, and an extensive park and trail system, makes the Twin Cities a wonderful place to live and work in every season.

Key Attributes of Minneapolis/St. Paul

The University of Minnesota is located in the birthplace and headquarters of the American Academy of Neurology. Four attributes set the region apart: a resilient, diverse economy anchored by more than a dozen Fortune 500 headquarters, a penchant for innovation, one of the most highly educated workforces in the nation, and an outstanding quality of life. Minneapolis-St. Paul is the second largest economic center in the Midwest and the largest medical device manufacturing center in North America, and corporate headquarters such as Target, UnitedHealth Group, U.S. Bancorp, and 3M support strong career opportunities for a candidate’s spouse or partner. Cost of living is moderate relative to coastal academic centers, and Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport is a major hub with direct flights across the United States and abroad.

Academic Med

The University of Minnesota Medical School and University of Minnesota Physicians have retained Academic Med to lead this national search. Academic Med is a retained executive search firm specializing in the recruitment of physicians, scientists, and senior leaders for academic medical schools and health systems across the United States. This search is led by Gentry Zacheis, President and CEO of Academic Med, and supported by Jim Hagood, Managing Director and Co-Founder. The Academic Med team works closely with Christopher Streib, MD, MS, Praveen Hariharan, MBBS, and the Department of Neurology throughout the recruitment process.

Application Instructions

Please submit a CV and a brief letter of interest via email to Gentry Zacheis at ge****@**********ed.com. Confidential inquiries are welcome at 214.396.5124. Applicants advancing to an on-site visit will also complete applications through University of Minnesota Physicians and the University of Minnesota employment sites. Application review will begin immediately and will continue until the position is filled.

EEO/AA

The University of Minnesota is an Equal Employment Opportunity/Affirmative Action institution committed to excellence through diversity. The University does not discriminate on the basis of race, ethnicity, color, sex, religion, national origin, age, disability, genetic information, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, pregnancy, marital status, military or veteran status, or any other status or classification protected by federal, state, or local law. All qualified candidates are encouraged to apply.