Postdoctoral Researcher in Artificial Intelligence for Medical Image Analysis

University of Oxford; Oxford; Hybrid; GBP 34,000 - 45,000; Full time

Job summary

A prestigious university in Oxford is seeking a postdoctoral researcher for the SMARTbiomed Collaboration. This full-time position involves developing computational pipelines for image-derived phenotypes using UK Biobank data. Ideal candidates will have a PhD/DPhil in a relevant field and extensive experience in medical imaging and machine learning. Flexible working arrangements may be available, alongside a comprehensive benefits package including substantial annual leave and pension schemes.

Benefits

Excellent contributory pension scheme

38 days annual leave

Comprehensive childcare services

Family leave schemes

Cycle loan scheme

Discounted bus travel

Membership to social and sports clubs

Qualifications

• Specialist knowledge in whole-body and abdominal MRI.
• Strong software development experience in Python and machine learning frameworks.

Responsibilities

• Develop and adapt self-supervised learning methods for IDPs.
• Design scalable computational pipelines for MRI.
• Conduct systematic literature searches in medical imaging.

Skills

Medical imaging knowledge

Machine learning expertise

Python programming

Research software development

Education

Completion or near completion of a PhD/DPhil

Job description

We are seeking a postdoctoral researcher to join the SMARTbiomed Collaboration. The primary focus of this post will be the development of computational pipelines for the automated extraction and discovery of image-derived phenotypes (IDPs) across multiple imaging modalities—initially concentrating on whole-body and abdominal MRI—using UK Biobank imaging data.

What we offer

• An excellent contributory pension scheme
• 38 days annual leave
• A comprehensive range of childcare services
• Family leave schemes
• Cycle loan scheme
• Discounted bus travel and Season Ticket travel loans
• Membership to a variety of social and sports clubs

The post is only available as full‑time. However, we can discuss flexible working hours (e.g. starting and finishing earlier in the day) to accommodate your needs. Working remotely is possible for up to 1 day a week.

About the role

The post is funded for 3 years and is based in the Big Data Institute, Old Road Campus. You will join an interdisciplinary team of researchers spanning imaging science, machine learning, genetics, and population health, working closely with collaborators at the Nuffield Department of Population Health, the Big Data Institute, and the Department of Psychiatry.

Responsibilities

• Develop, implement and adapt existing self‑supervised and multimodal learning methods for the automated extraction and discovery of image‑derived phenotypes (IDPs) across large‑scale population imaging datasets such as UK Biobank.
• Design and optimise scalable computational pipelines and algorithms to construct and evaluate foundation models for whole‑body and abdominal MRI.
• Conduct comprehensive and systematic literature and database searches related to self‑supervised learning, medical imaging, and population‑level phenotyping.

Qualifications

• Completion or near completion of a PhD/DPhil in Computer Science, Engineering, Medical Image Analysis or a related field.
• Specialist knowledge in medical imaging—particularly whole‑body and abdominal MRI—and machine learning.
• Strong demonstrable experience in research software development using Python and modern machine learning frameworks.
• Experience working with UK Biobank imaging or similar large‑scale population data (desirable).

Institutional context

Department of Psychiatry, Warneford Hospital, Oxford OX3 7JX. The University of Oxford is a stimulating work environment, which enjoys an international reputation as a world‑class centre of excellence. Our research plays a key role in tackling many global challenges, from reducing our carbon emissions to developing vaccines during a pandemic. The Department has a substantial research programme, with major funding from the MRC, Wellcome Trust and NIHR, and provides highly rated medical training in psychiatry. The Head of Department is Professor Belinda Lennox.