PhD Student in Generative Acoustics in Surgery (Male/Female)

Join the University of Zurich - Switzerland's Largest University

The University of Zurich offers a plethora of exciting positions across various disciplines and professional fields. With approximately 10,000 employees and 12 professional apprenticeship streams, the University provides an inspiring work environment that is strongly centered on cutting-edge research and top-tier education. Put your talent and skills to use with us and discover more about UZH as an employer!

Your Responsibilities

The PhD student's primary responsibility will be to conduct original research at the intersection of signal processing, machine learning, and medical imaging, particularly in the context of orthopedic surgery. The student will focus on the development of generative audio models to create a realistic, action-conditioned soundscape of surgical procedures, enhancing the multimodality of current surgical simulations. This work includes:

• Data collection through ex-vivo experiments
• Development of novel scientific methods
• Integration of methods into a functional prototype
• Validation through user studies

This research is expected to yield methodological contributions documented through publications in prominent venues such as MICCAI, IPCAI, or Medical Image Analysis. In the initial phase, the chosen candidate will review the state-of-the-art and collaborate with the supervisor to establish a structured multi-year research plan. The PhD program is integrated into the University of Zurich's graduate school, which also includes responsibilities as a teaching assistant for 1-2 courses annually.

PhD Project Involvement

Particularly, the PhD project will involve:

• Advancing generative models to create action-conditioned realistic soundscapes for next-generation multimodal surgical simulations
• Developing an advanced data capture setup and collecting data in a realistic ex-vivo experiment at OR-X
• Benchmarking existing generative approaches to produce a realistic soundscape for surgical tool-tissue interaction
• Conducting validation and user studies to evaluate the effectiveness of developed methods
• Collaborating with surgeons and engineers to ensure translational relevance
• Disseminating results through scientific publications, patents, and prototype demonstrations

Your Profile

We seek a candidate who holds an excellent MSc degree in mechanical engineering, electrical engineering, or computer science, with a strong background in signal processing, machine learning, computer vision, and image processing—ideally within the realm of computer-assisted surgery. Key qualifications include:

• Exceptional programming skills and hands-on experience with hardware (e.g., audio capture devices, cameras, tracking systems, imaging devices)
• Proficiency with software frameworks (OpenCV, Open3D, ROS2, AI/ML libraries)
• Solid understanding of generative models and experience working with multimodal data (images, 3D data, natural language, audio)
• Familiarity with AI/ML frameworks (e.g., PyTorch, TensorFlow) and signal processing libraries (scipy, librosa)
• Practical experience with computer vision and/or machine listening, along with proficiency in relevant libraries (e.g., OpenCV, Open3D, librosa, PyAudio)
• Excellent communication skills in English (German is an asset), combined with initiative, problem-solving abilities, and a strong sense of teamwork

Application Process

Apply online using the form below. Only applications matching the job profile will be considered.

Contact

For more information, please contact:

Joelle Kunz
Assistant
+41 44 510 73 66
Joinrocs@balgrist.ch