Post Doctoral Research Fellow

EOE Statement We are an equal employment opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, gender, national origin, disability status, protected veteran status or any other characteristic protected by law. About the Organization Wills Eye Hospital, located in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, is a global leader in the treatment of eye disease. Established in 1832 as the America's first eye hospital, we are one of the world's premier eye care facilities and the #2 best hospital in the nation for ophthalmology as ranked by U.S. News & World Report.

Our clinical expertise, state-of-the-art diagnostic testing and advanced surgical capabilities make Wills Eye a worldwide referral center where more than 250,000 patients are treated annually. From common eye problems to rare sight-threatening diseases, Wills Eye provides general eye care and comprehensive ophthalmic specialty services that attract patients throughout the Philadelphia metropolitan area, across the country and around the world.

Today, we continue to shape the science and medicine of ophthalmology, thanks to our talented, skilled physicians and staff who are dedicated to improving and preserving sight.

Description
The Advanced Center for Ophthalmic Research in Neuroimaging (ACORN) at Wills Eye Hospital and is seeking a full-time postdoctoral research fellow to join our expanding vision research program. Situated within the Glaucoma Service of Wills Eye Hospital, ACORN leverages modern standard-of-care and cutting-edge clinical and prototype ophthalmic imaging technology to perform investigative studies in glaucoma and other ocular and neurodegenerative diseases.

The ideal candidate will be a highly motivated and independent self-starter who enjoys diving deeply into understanding imaging and health record data to find answers and has strong algorithm development and analytical skills, with experience in high-demand clinical academic research settings. The postdoctoral research fellowship will focus on interdisciplinary projects in the field of medical data analysis, biomedical image processing and analysis, data curation and applied AI models. Ph.D. in Biomedical Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Computer Science, Optics, or a related field is required. Demonstrated excellence in one or more of the following areas is preferred: image processing, artificial intelligence and machine learning, statistical analysis, relational database management, C++/Matlab/Python programming for data analysis.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities:

• Effectively work with investigators, the Vice-Chair for Research Innovation, ACORN staff and trainees, especially in machine learning and analytic studies, algorithm development and implementation, study design, data analysis plans, grant proposal/protocol development and review, manuscript preparation, etc.
• Develop machine learning models for medical applications primarily utilizing medical imaging datasets focused on medical data analysis, biomedical image analysis, data curation, and applied AI models.
• Contribute to research projects by applying expertise in artificial intelligence, machine learning, image processing, relational database management, statistical analysis, and programming languages such as C++, Matlab, or Python.
• Engage in continuous learning and stay up to date on advances in the field of medical imaging, machine learning, and related technologies.
• Effectively collaborate and communicate with multidisciplinary teams including clinicians, trainees (e.g. residents, fellows), grad students, project staff, external collaborators and IT personnel involved in various projects.
• Prepare summaries of methods and interpretations of results for analysis reports, presentations, study manuscripts, monitoring reports, and grant applications.
• Respond in a timely manner to various analytic requests from study investigators and the Vice Chair for Research Innovation.
• Strive to uphold the rights of all people without regard to race, religion, marital status, creed, sex, age, handicap, national origin or financial status.
• Formulate and maintain effective working relationships with peers and management and functions as an effective team member.
• Receive constructive feedback in a positive self-developmental manner and be receptive and approachable.
• Perform other duties as assigned.

Position Requirements
Qualifications:

• PhD degree preferably in machine learning, biomedical engineering, computer science, computer vision, medical imaging, optics or related field.
• Minimum of two (2) years of experience in informatics/statistical applications and consultation in a biomedical setting and excellent general English language written/verbal communication skills.
• Comfort working in a dynamic, research-oriented group with several ongoing concurrent projects; highly organized, flexible and rigorous attention to detail.
• In-depth knowledge and experience using Deep learning coding/implementation using PyTorch, TensorFlow, or other equivalents.
• Proficient in Python, MATLAB, and/or R.
• Outstanding ability to communicate technical information to both technical and nontechnical audiences; ability to effectively communicate technical concepts both written and verbal.
• Excellent skills in using Microsoft Word, Excel, and PowerPoint are expected.
• Strong ability in critical thinking and problem solving.
• Effective at interacting and communicating with multidisciplinary teams including clinicians, trainees (e.g., residents, fellows), graduate students, project staff, external collaborators and IT personnel involved in vision research.
• Possesses a track record of collaboration on various clinical research projects.

Preferred:

• Demonstrated evidence from peer reviewed published papers.
• Experience with large datasets and database use.
• Experience with analysis of electronic medical record data.
• Manipulation and analyses of complex high-dimensional data.
• Experience with ophthalmic medical imaging data.
• Experience with creating GUI and work with Labview software.
• Experience with two or more of the following: neural networks, attention models, diffusion models, generative adversarial networks, large language models.
• Experience with design of data collection instruments and database management.
• Demonstrated ability to implement machine learning models in scalable formats for broad applicability.
• Experience in documenting study files/records, creating study reports and manuscript preparation is a plus

Physical Requirements:

Walking and standing; stooping, bending, balancing and sitting. The employee must occasionally lift and/or move up to 20 pounds. Specific vision abilities required by the job include close vision, distance vision, color vision, peripheral vision, depth perception and the ability to adjust focus. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

Working Conditions:

Works in a clean, well-lit, and ventilated work area.
Category Research Full-Time/Part-Time Full-Time Position Post Doctoral Researcher Number of Openings 1 Exempt/Non-Exempt Exempt Location Wills Eye Hospital
This position is currently accepting applications.