Postdoctoral Fellow

Position Description:

Purpose

According to the National Institute of Health (NIH) and the National Science Foundation (NSF), a postdoc is an individual who has received a doctoral degree (or equivalent) and is engaged in a temporary and defined period of mentored advanced research training to enhance the professional skills and research independence needed to pursue his or her chosen career path. In addition, according to the National Postdoc Association (NPA), Postdoctoral appointees can pursue basic, clinical, or translational projects so long as their primary effort is devoted toward their own scholarship. Postdocs are essential to the scholarly mission of the mentor and host institution, and thus are expected to have the freedom to publish the results of their scholarship.

The Department of Neurosurgery is seeking a highly motivated and dedicated postdoctoral fellow to join our research team focused on studying degenerative cervical myelopathy (DCM) on the translational research continuum. This multi-year position is supported by a funded research project to determine if spinal cord microstructure and function can disambiguate clinic-radiologic data and improve prognostication of outcome after surgery for DCM. The successful candidate will work closely with a multidisciplinary team of researchers and clinicians to investigate relationships between advanced multi-parametric spinal cord magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and functional (motor, sensory, and balance function) correlates within a clinical population. This collaborative project will be guided by faculty of the Medical College of Wisconsin (MCW) and the joint Biomedical Engineering Department at MCW and Marquette University. The ideal candidate should have a strong background in neuroscience, neurology, biomedical engineering, biophysics, computer science or a related field with expertise in medical image processing, machine learning, artificial intelligence, neuroimaging, MR imaging analysis, functional testing, statistical analysis, and a passion for translational research. This position provides an intellectually stimulating and collaborative neuroscience and biomedical engineering community with ample opportunities for career development and scientific growth.

The post-doctoral fellow will work closely with Aditya Vedantam, MD (Faculty Website), Brian D. Schmit PhD (Faculty Website), and Matthew Budde, PhD (Faculty Website) and will be affiliated with the MCW Center for Cervical Myelopathy (Center for Cervical Myelopathy Website).

Characteristics of a postdoctoral appointment:

It is expected that postdocs at MCW, with the assistance of their supervisor, will:

• Transition to career independence through the development of professional skills that enable the postdoc to actively pursue a career of his/her own choosing.
• Be supervised by at least one senior scholar who actively promotes the postdoc's professional development.
• Establish an individual development plan (IDP) that incorporates equally the postdoc's career and training goals and the mentor's research goals.
• Pursue basic, clinical, or translational projects so long as effort is focused primarily on research.
• Publish results of the postdoc's research and scholarship during their appointment.
• The postdoctoral appointment is temporary by nature, the aggregate amount of time spent as a postdoc is recommended to not exceed five years (not including family medical leave or maternity/paternity leave).
• As postdocs are important members of the host institution's community, appropriate levels of compensation, health care, and other benefits commensurate with their essential status should be afforded, independent of the postdoc's source of funding.

Primary Functions

• Plan, design and execute complex research studies, procedures and protocols.
• Participate in discovery projects.
• Coordinate research study activities; lead and manage projects.
• Oversee organization, synthesis and analysis of data and findings.
• Prepare scientific reports, outcome findings and scientific manuscripts.
• Participate in meetings with principal investigator and research staff in which you will evaluate/interpret the validity of data, develop methodologies, and design and evaluate lab procedures.
• Maintain supplies, may require negotiation with vendors, and track purchase orders.
• May oversee the work of laboratory personnel including training and development as well as daily work direction, delegation and establishing priorities.

Knowledge - Skills - Abilities

Required knowledge: medical image processing, machine learning, artificial intelligence, statistics, documentation, records management, data utilization, complex problem solving, critical thinking, resource management, and writing skills

Skills and abilities: Computational and Programming skills and manuscript preparation.

Organizational Structure

Building: MCW HUB, Marquette University - Cramer Hall

Department: Neurosurgery

Division: Research

Reports to (Title): Principal Investigators, Program Director

Direct Reports (Titles): None

Collaborates with (Titles): Engineers, Graduate Students, Post-doctoral Fellows

Preferred Schedule:

Position Requirements:

Specifications

Minimum Required Education: PhD, MD/MBBS or equivalent

Minimum Required Experience: None

Preferred Education: PhD (or MD/MBBS) in computer science, biomedical engineering, biophysics, radiology, or a related field, or equivalent.

Preferred Experience: Medical image processing, machine learning, artificial intelligence, scientific writing, statistical analysis, MR imaging analysis, and biomechanical functional testing. Proficiency in Python, MATLAB is preferred but not mandatory. Some clinical experience and experience with human subjects research is preferred.

Field: Computer science, biomedical engineering, electrical engineering, clinical medicine, computer science, biophysics, radiology, or related field

MCW as an Equal Opportunity Employer and Commitment to Non-Discrimination


The Medical College of Wisconsin (MCW) is an Equal Opportunity Employer. We are committed to fostering a diverse community of outstanding faculty, staff, and students, as well as ensuring equal educational opportunity, employment, and access to services, programs, and activities, without regard to an individual's race, color, national origin, religion, age, disability, sex, gender identity/expression, sexual orientation, marital status, pregnancy, predisposing genetic characteristic, or military status. Employees, students, applicants or other members of the MCW community (including but not limited to vendors, visitors, and guests) may not be subjected to harassment that is prohibited by law or treated adversely or retaliated against based upon a protected characteristic.

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