Cardiothoracic Surgery - Physician - Des Moines - Salary Up To $850,000
Quick facts
- Pay
- $800,000 - $850,000 per year
- Type
- Full-time
- Location
- Des Moines, IA
- Background
- MD / physician
- Industry
- Health and Care — 3087 open jobs
- Visa in listing
- H-1B
- Apply
- Free to apply — never pay anyone for a job offer or visa sponsorship
Job description
Employment Type: Full time
Shift:
Description:
MercyOne Iowa Heart is seeking a Board Eligible/ Board Certified Cardiothoracic Surgeon to join a thriving, high-volume practice in Des Moines, Iowa. We’re looking for a candidate with strong foundation in adult cardiac surgery and a passion for minimally invasive and robotic thoracic techniques. The ideal candidate will bring energy, innovation, and desire to develop and grow a dedicated robotic thoracic program within one of the nation’s top cardiovascular centers. J1 and H1B welcome.
Opportunity Highlights:
- 4 Surgeons currently, seeking 5th for growth & innovation
- APP 1st Call with Inpatient rounding & Clinic Support
- CSICU 24/7 Intensivist Support
- Surgical case volume over 1000 cases per year
- Opportunity to support and grow LVAD
- Pioneer in beating heart surgery & robotic heart surgery, minimally invasive valve surgery, ECMO, VAD, TAVR and TEVAR
- Block time, 4 CV OR Rooms, 1 hybrid, Da Vinci Xi/Si
- EMR EPIC
- General Surgery Residency Faculty
Opportunity Details:
- Salary $800,000 Year-1, $825,000 Year-2, $850,000 Year-3
- Recruitment Incentive $75,000
- ATO 5 Weeks
- Paid malpractice and tail coverage
- Day One Benefits
- 403(B) Match
Iowa Heart Center was founded in 1970 and is one of the largest cardiovascular, Cardiology & Vascular practices in the country, with 44 Physicians on staff. Specializing in Cardiovascular Surgery, Vascular Surgery, Advanced Heart Failure, Interventional Cardiology, Electrophysiology and General Cardiology. MercyOne Iowa Heart Center is named one of top 50 cardiovascular Hospitals by Fortune/IBM Watson Health. MercyOne Iowa Heart is comprised of 8 primary locations and 15 outreach facilities, spanning across Iowa. We are an active participant in STS Registries (adult, congenital and anesthesia) and perform more than 10,000 cardiac interventions annually. Iowa Heart locally offers Vascular Surgery, EP, Vein Center and Advanced Heart Failure support in addition to General Cardiology and Interventional Cardiology.
www.iowaheart.com
Greater Des Moines is consistently ranked nationally among the best places to live with low cost of living and strong job market. Spend Saturdays at the nationally renowned Downtown Farmers' Market and afternoons strolling in the Pappajohn Sculpture Park. Bike to the job you love and come home to the community of friends and family. Enjoy abundant trails for walking, running and biking. Surrounding suburbs are known for top-notch schools, clean and safe neighborhoods. Cultural events, music and art festivals, the Iowa State Fair and Iowa Cubs games at Principal Park are just a few attractions Des Moines has to offer. This is a place where culture flourishes and opportunities can grow, where a work/life balance can be achieved, where education is unmatched and award-winning arts and entertainment is always just around the corner. Live life without compromise.
To learn more contact:
Roger McMahon, Physician Employment (515) 358-6923
Email: roger.d.mcmahon@mercyoneiowaheart.com
Our Commitment
Rooted in our Mission and Core Values, we honor the dignity of every person and recognize the unique perspectives, experiences, and talents each colleague brings. By finding common ground and embracing our differences, we grow stronger together and deliver more compassionate, person-centered care. We are an Equal Opportunity Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, veteran status, or any other status protected by federal, state, or local law.
Visa sponsorship record: MercyOne North Iowa
Sponsors actively| Fiscal year | H-1B LCAs | USCIS approvals | USCIS denials | PERM |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| FY2026 | 3 | — | — | — |
| FY2025 | 1 | 0 | 1 | — |
| FY2024 | — | 17 | 0 | — |
This exact kind of role (Physicians, All Other) isn't among the roles MercyOne North Iowa sponsored most often.
Roles they sponsor most
- clinical nutrition supervisor1 LCA · median $79k
- family medicine physician1 LCA · median $300k
- internal medicine residency faculty1 LCA · median $295k
- internal medicine resident1 LCA · median $74k
Which visas can work for this job
Occupation: Physicians, All Other (SOC 29-1229) — estimated from the job title.
- Mentioned in the listing
H-1B
- H-1B cap-exempt employer
Regular cap-subject employer — a new H-1B needs to win the lottery in March (unless you already hold cap-counted H-1B status).
- TN (citizens of Canada and Mexico)
This kind of role may fit the USMCA profession “Physician (teaching or research only)” — it depends on the actual duties. No lottery, no cap; you need the matching degree or license.
- E-3 (Australia) and H-1B1 (Chile, Singapore)
Same degree requirement as H-1B, but no lottery and a separate quota that is rarely filled.
- O-1 (extraordinary ability)
For candidates with awards, publications, press, a high salary or critical roles at distinguished organizations. No cap, no lottery; the employer files a petition.
Salary vs prevailing wage
Level IV (fully competent)Physicians, All Other · Iowa (state median of areas). Annual prevailing wages set by the Department of Labor (OFLC).
| Level | Prevailing wage | H-1B lottery odds* |
|---|---|---|
| Level I | $93,881 | ~15% |
| Level II | $178,006 | ~31% |
| Level III | $247,936 | ~46% |
| Level IV | $317,876 | ~61% |
This job pays $800,000–$850,000 a year — that's Level IV (fully competent). In the wage-weighted H-1B lottery a Level IV registration gets 4 entries; estimated selection chance about 61% — better than average.
* Odds are DHS projections for the FY2027 wage-weighted lottery (actual results vary by year and employer). Since the FY2027 cap season the H-1B lottery is weighted by wage level: Level I = 1 entry, II = 2, III = 3, IV = 4. The level is set by the offered wage against the prevailing wage for the occupation and worksite. Separately, a $100,000 fee for new H-1B petitions for workers outside the US was announced in 2025; as of September 2026 a federal court ruling keeps it unenforceable while appeals continue — check the current status.
Sources: U.S. Department of Labor OFLC disclosure data (H-1B/H-1B1/E-3 LCA, PERM), OFLC prevailing wage data, USCIS H-1B Employer Data Hub, E-Verify participating employers. Data loaded: LCA FY2024–FY2026, PERM, USCIS Data Hub, OFLC wages; updated 2026-10-03. Employers are matched by name, so records of companies with similar names can occasionally be mixed up. This is general information, not legal advice — talk to an immigration attorney about your case.