Postdoctoral Researcher / Postdoctoral Researcheress in Multi-Modal Surgical Scene Modeling and Simulation

Join the University of Zurich

The University of Zurich, Switzerland's largest university, offers a range of attractive positions across various subject areas and professional fields. With approximately 10,000 employees and currently 12 professional apprenticeship streams, the University provides an inspiring working environment focused on cutting-edge research and top-class education. Put your talent and skills to work with us and explore the opportunities offered by UZH as an employer!

Your Responsibilities

The postdoctoral researcher's primary responsibility is to conduct original research at the intersection of medical imaging, computer vision, and simulation. This includes refining research concepts in line with state-of-the-art and emerging ideas, supervising PhD students in the implementation of methodologies, and guiding them through validation and scientific publication. Beyond core research activities, the postdoctoral researcher is expected to support and supervise experimental data collection and validation in the ex-vivo environment of the OR-X.

In particular, the responsibilities include:

• Supervising PhD students and collaboratively developing methods that advance the state-of-the-art in soft tissue simulation, multi-modal generative modeling, and digital twinning.
• Contributing to the development of new research concepts and methodologies in relevant fields.
• Designing experimental studies and advanced data-capture setups for acquiring high-quality surgical data in ex-vivo experiments.
• Collaborating with surgeons and engineers to ensure strong translational relevance.
• Disseminating results through scientific publications, patents, and prototype demonstrations.
• Actively participating in shaping and strengthening the group's research direction, methods, and best practices.

Your Profile

You hold an excellent PhD degree in computer science, robotics, or electrical engineering, with a strong background in computer vision, machine learning, and computer graphics—ideally in the context of computer-assisted surgery. You have experience with deep learning and simulation frameworks and bring hands-on experience with hardware (e.g., cameras, tracking systems, audio capture devices, augmented reality).

We are looking for candidates who demonstrate:

• Significant experience with computer vision, camera calibration, and tracking, along with proficiency in relevant libraries (e.g., OpenCV, Open3D).
• Familiarity with AI/ML frameworks (e.g., PyTorch, TensorFlow) and medical image analysis libraries (Slicer3D, MONAI).
• Solid understanding of generative models and proven experience in working with multimodal data (images, 3D data, natural language, audio).
• Experience with signal processing, especially in the audio domain, is a plus.
• Experience with haptic rendering and augmented reality is a plus.
• Excellent communication skills in English (German is an asset), combined with initiative, problem-solving ability, and teamwork.

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

Contact Information

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