Postdoctoral Research Fellow / Robotic Transplantation

American Society of Transplantation; New York (NY); On-site; USD 70,000 - 90,000; Full time

Job summary

Columbia University Irving Medical Center's Department of Surgery seeks a highly motivated Postdoctoral Research Fellow to join a multidisciplinary team at the forefront of robotic liver surgery, robotic transplantation, and surgical innovation.

Under the mentorship of Dr. Jason Hawksworth and Dr. Tomoaki Kato, the fellow will contribute to clinical research, outcomes studies, surgical education initiatives, and the development of a groundbreaking multimedia learning platform.

Qualifications

• MD and completion of residency in surgery or internal medicine/pediatrics.
• Proven research output via presentations/publications.
• Interest in hepatobiliary surgery, transplantation, or surgical education.
• Experience in clinical research, scientific writing, or statistics.
• Strong communication and collaborative abilities.

Responsibilities

• Conduct clinical/translational research in robotic liver surgery and transplantation.
• Lead research projects from concept to IRB submission and publication.
• Present findings at regional, national, and international venues.
• Collaborate with surgeons, engineers, and multimedia specialists to build a web-based educational platform.
• Develop educational content: videos, guides, webinars, and interactive modules.
• Mentor students and residents and contribute to grants and publications.

Skills

Research productivity

Communication

Organizational skills

Collaborative skills

Statistical analysis

Education

MD

Tools

Video editing

Web development

Graphic design

Multimedia production

AI-assisted education

Job description

Postdoctoral Research Fellow

Division of Abdominal Organ Transplantation & Hepatobiliary Surgery

Columbia University Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons

The Department of Surgery at Columbia University Irving Medical Center is seeking a highly motivated Postdoctoral Research Fellow to join a dynamic multidisciplinary team at the forefront of robotic liver surgery, robotic transplantation, and surgical innovation. Under the mentorship of Dr. Jason Hawksworth and Dr. Tomoaki Kato, the fellow will contribute to groundbreaking clinical research, outcomes studies, surgical education initiatives, and the development of innovative multimedia learning resources. The position combines cutting-edge research, surgical education, digital innovation, and multidisciplinary collaboration in the rapidly evolving fields of robotic liver surgery and transplantation.

The successful candidate will play a central role in advancing the next generation of robotic hepatobiliary and transplant surgery while helping build a groundbreaking multimedia educational platform designed to transform how surgeons, trainees, and patients learn complex surgical procedures.

Position Highlights

This unique fellowship offers an opportunity to:

• Conduct impactful clinical and translational research in robotic liver surgery, living donor liver transplantation, and abdominal transplantation.
• Design and lead research projects from concept development and IRB submission through publication.
• Analyze institutional and national datasets and present findings at regional, national, and international conferences.
• Collaborate with surgeons, engineers, software developers, and multimedia specialists to create a comprehensive web-based educational platform for robotic liver surgery.
• Develop educational content including operative videos, animations, surgical technique guides, webinars, podcasts, and interactive learning modules.
• Mentor medical students and residents while contributing to grant writing and scholarly publications.

Qualifications

We welcome candidates who have:

• An MD and completion of at least three years of a general surgery residency program, or completion of an internal medicine or pediatric residency
• A demonstrated record of research productivity through presentations and/or publications.
• Interest in hepatobiliary surgery, abdominal transplantation, robotic surgery, surgical education, or medical innovation.
• Experience in clinical research, scientific writing, and statistical analysis.
• Excellent communication, organizational, and collaborative skills.

Experience with video editing, website development, graphic design, multimedia production, or AI-assisted educational content is advantageous but not required.

Why Join Columbia Transplant Surgery?

This fellowship provides a rare opportunity to work alongside internationally recognized leaders in transplantation and robotic surgery while helping shape the future of surgical education through innovative digital learning platforms. Fellows will gain extensive experience in research methodology, academic scholarship, surgical innovation, and educational technology in one of the fastest-growing areas of modern surgery.