Postdoctoral Research Associate

University of Utah; Salt Lake City (UT); On-site; USD 61,000 - 75,000; Full time

Job summary

An established industry player is seeking a Postdoctoral Research Associate to join a dynamic team focused on developing deep learning tools for predicting disease progression. This role involves leading research projects, developing machine learning models, and collaborating with experts in ophthalmology and data science. With access to extensive datasets, the successful applicant will quickly contribute to impactful research and publications. This position offers a unique opportunity to work at the intersection of healthcare and technology, making a significant difference in patient outcomes through innovative research.

Benefits

Health Insurance

Retirement Plan

Flexible Work Hours

Professional Development Opportunities

Qualifications

• PhD required with strong research background and ability to manage diverse teams.
• Experience in developing machine learning models and statistical tools is essential.

Responsibilities

• Lead data-driven research projects on glaucoma and diabetes using large datasets.
• Develop and validate machine learning models for disease progression.

Skills

Machine Learning

Data Analysis

Statistical Tools

Image Processing

Deep Learning

Project Management

Education

PhD in Computer Science

PhD in Data Science

PhD in Statistics

PhD in Mathematics

PhD in Engineering

PhD in Physics

Tools

OCT Imaging

EMR Systems

Statistical Software

Job description

Details

Open Date 04/11/2025

Requisition Number PRN41629B

Job Title Post Doc Res Assoc

Working Title Postdoctoral Research Associate

Job Grade A00

FLSA Code Administrative

Patient Sensitive Job Code? No

Standard Hours per Week 40

Full Time or Part Time? Full Time

Shift Day

Work Schedule Summary

Monday to Friday, 9 am – 5 pm.

VP Area U of U Health - Academics

Department 00870 - Ophthalmology-Research

Location Campus

City Salt Lake City, UT

Type of Recruitment External Posting

Pay Rate Range $61,008.00 - $74,088.00

Close Date 07/11/2025

Priority Review Date (Note - Posting may close at any time)

Job Summary

Applications are invited for a position in the rapidly expanding data analytics run by Prof Adam Dubis. The main focus of the team is to develop deep learning tools for prediction of disease progression on an individualized-level and development of methods to handle high intra-disease and inter-subject heterogeneity. The successful applicant will carry out a wide range of duties including developing, optimizing and validating deep learning models for the prediction of disease progression from ophthalmic data. Skills include working with image or computer vision-based toolkits, development of multimodal, multidata type models and data-driven longitudinal statistical analysis.

The successful applicant will have access to a variety of datasets covering diabetes, AMD, Glaucoma and rare genetic retinal diseases.

With significant data and labels already available, the successful applicant will have the ability to quickly get to work with several publications quickly achieved.

The position is funded for a period of 24 months in the first instance. Required to meet FLSA threshold to be paid on a salaried basis, otherwise employment record will convert to hourly.

Responsibilities

Research and Analysis

• Lead and contribute to data-driven research projects focused on glaucoma, diabetes or nAMD using large-scale clinical and imaging datasets.
• Develop, validate, and implement machine learning models and statistical tools for disease detection, progression modeling, and treatment outcome prediction.
• Perform rigorous data cleaning, preprocessing, and quality control of ophthalmic imaging (e.g., OCT, fundus photography) and clinical records (e.g., EMR, registry data).

Scientific Communication

• Prepare high-quality manuscripts for peer-reviewed journals and present findings at national and international conferences.
• Contribute to grant writing, project proposals, and progress reports.

Collaboration and Mentorship

• Work collaboratively with ophthalmologists, imaging specialists, and computer scientists within and outside the lab.
• Provide mentorship to graduate and undergraduate students, including supervision on small projects or data-related tasks.

Technical Development

• Contribute to the development and maintenance of code repositories, analytical pipelines, and lab data infrastructure.
• Stay current with emerging technologies and methodologies in data science, artificial intelligence, and ophthalmology research.

Ethics and Compliance

• Ensure that all research is conducted in compliance with institutional review board (IRB) protocols, data privacy regulations (e.g., HIPAA), and ethical standards.
• Participate in lab meetings, journal clubs, and departmental seminars.

This job description has been designed to indicate the general nature and level of work performed by employees within this classification. It is not designed to contain or be interpreted as a comprehensive inventory of all duties, responsibilities and qualifications required of employees assigned to the job.

Minimum Qualifications

Applicants must have completed a PhD Degree and demonstrate the potential ability to perform the essential functions of the job as outlined in the position description. These include verifiable evidence of completing novel and insightful research as demonstrated by patents, peer reviewed manuscripts and conference proceedings. They must also demonstrate the ability to project manage and work within diverse teams.

Preferences

The successful applicant must have a Ph.D. in Computer Science, Data Science, Statistics, Mathematics, Physics, Engineering or related field at the start of the appointment.

Type Benefited Staff

Special Instructions Summary

Additional Information

The University is a participating employer with Utah Retirement Systems (“URS”). Eligible new hires with prior URS service, may elect to enroll in URS if they make the election before they become eligible for retirement (usually the first day of work). Contact Human Resources at [phone] for information. Individuals who previously retired and are receiving monthly retirement benefits from URS are subject to URS’ post-retirement rules and restrictions. Please contact Utah Retirement Systems at [phone] or [phone] or University Human Resource Management at [phone] if you have questions regarding the post-retirement rules.

This position may require the successful completion of a criminal background check and/or drug screen.

The University of Utah values candidates who have experience working in settings with students and patients from all backgrounds and possess a strong commitment to improving access to higher education and quality healthcare for historically underrepresented students and patients.

All qualified individuals are strongly encouraged to apply. Veterans’ preference is extended to qualified applicants, upon request and consistent with University policy and Utah state law. Upon request, reasonable accommodations in the application process will be provided to individuals with disabilities.

The University of Utah is an Affirmative Action/Equal Opportunity employer and does not discriminate based upon race, ethnicity, color, religion, national origin, age, disability, sex, sexual orientation, gender, gender identity, gender expression, pregnancy, pregnancy-related conditions, genetic information, or protected veteran’s status. The University does not discriminate on the basis of sex in the education program or activity that it operates, as required by Title IX and 34 CFR part 106. The requirement not to discriminate in education programs or activities extends to admission and employment. Inquiries about the application of Title IX and its regulations may be referred to the Title IX Coordinator, to the Department of Education, Office for Civil Rights, or both.

To request a reasonable accommodation for a disability or if you or someone you know has experienced discrimination or sexual misconduct including sexual harassment, you may contact the Director/Title IX Coordinator in the Office of Equal Opportunity and Affirmative Action (OEO/AA). More information, including the Director/Title IX Coordinator’s office address, electronic mail address, and telephone number can be located at: https://www.utah.edu/nondiscrimination/

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