Research Associate/PhD Student Position (m/f/d) - Surgical AI

Aufgaben

This position is part of a 5-year research program funded by the German Cancer Aid (DKH), which aims to develop and clinically evaluate an AI-based assistance system for function-preserving minimally invasive rectal cancer surgery. The project involves multicenter data collection and AI development as well as an early-stage clinical trial. As a Research Associate/PhD Student, you will take a leading role in the computational aspects of this project, with room to pursue adjacent research interests within the group's broader thematic scope.

The position is embedded in an interdisciplinary and international research environment within the “Surgical Artificial Intelligence” research group led by Dr. Fiona Kolbinger, which is jointly affiliated with the Department of Visceral, Thoracic and Vascular Surgery and the Else Kröner Fresenius Center for Digital Health at TU Dresden. The group works at the intersection of AI development, clinical surgery, and translational research, with the goal of developing and clinically evaluating AI tools that improve surgical care.

• Implement, evaluate, and iteratively optimize AI models for real-time video-based intraoperative guidance in colorectal procedures
• Develop and implement innovative strategies and tools to enable efficient, high-quality expert labeling of multicenter surgical video datasets; coordinate the annotation process across clinical partners
• Contribute to the technical preparation of a first-in-human clinical trial evaluating the guidance system, in alignment with regulatory policies
• Collaborate closely with clinical partners, including surgeons and clinical researchers across participating centers
• Mentor undergraduate student researchers within the group
• Prepare journal publications and presentations at national and international conferences

• University degree (Bachelor's/Master's level) in computer science, biomedical engineering, electrical/computer engineering, software engineering, or a related field
• Strong background in machine learning and computer vision, LLMs/VLMs, human-AI interaction, and/or a strong interest in clinical surgery, interdisciplinary oncology, and translational research
• Collaborative and curious mindset with an interest in clinical or translational applications at the intersection of disciplines, in particular clinical surgery/surgical oncology and data science/AI
• Ability to time-manage and carry out research independently, ability to mentor junior researchers, ability to identify and communicate the need for support
• Excellent English communication skills, willingness to learn/knowledge of German is a plus

at the Department of Visceral, Thoracic and Vascular Surgery and the Else Kröner Fresenius Center for Digital Health

The position is to be filled from October 1, 2026 on a full- or part-time basis, initially limited to 24 months, with the option of extension. Compensation is based on the pay scale for the public sector (TV-L) and may be classified in pay grade E13, provided you meets the personal qualifications.

• An excellent interdisciplinary research environment with direct access to clinical data and expertise
• The opportunity to be part of a young, ambitious, growing team of interdisciplinary researchers
• Scientific flexibility through innovative, externally funded projects spanning all areas of translational surgical AI, including surgical video understanding, multimodal AI, longitudinal and causal inference, agentic AI
• Career development opportunities and mentoring, regular conference attendance, publication opportunities, national and international collaborations
• Working from home is generally possible in coordination with the respective department; however, it is limited to a defined portion of the regular working time
• Compensation: In accordance with the collective bargaining agreement, including an annual special payment and occupational pension scheme
• Vacation: 30 days per year
• Career development: Numerous internal and external training and professional development opportunities, e.g., via the Carus Academy
• Work–life balance: Our Family Office provides support in all life situations, including assistance with childcare placements near the hospital, holiday programs, and caregiving responsibilities
• Health: Extensive sports and fitness programs in our state-of-the-art gym, as well as mental health programs and counseling, occupational health management, and more
• Employee benefits: Staff discounts at the hospital pharmacy, corporate benefits, and additional shopping portals

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