Post-Doc Research Associate

A global higher education leader in innovative teaching, research and public service, the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill consistently ranks as one of the nation's top public universities and is among is the top ten research universities in the nation for federal research expenditures as well as for federally funded social and behavioral sciences research and development.

Here at Carolina, our highly skilled postdocs play a vital role in our research enterprise and towards our overall commitment to research excellence. Across many disciplines, postdocs contribute to the intellectual vitality of the University. They provide innovative ideas and perspectives, foster a stimulating research environment and advance knowledge within their fields. Postdocs are crucial members of our scientific research workforce, contributors to our research outputs and an important reason why Carolina is one of the leading public research institutions in the country.

UNC-Chapel Hill offers postdocs comprehensive medical and vision coverage, paid leave, and benefits and services that support professional development and a healthy work/life balance. Chapel Hill regularly ranks as one of the best college towns and best places to live in the United States, a reputation guided by the diverse social, cultural, recreation and professional opportunities that span the campus and community.

The UNC School of Medicine has a rich tradition of excellence and care. Our mission is to improve the health and wellbeing of North Carolinians, and others whom we serve. We accomplish this by providing leadership and excellence in the interrelated areas of patient care, education, and research. We strive to promote faculty, staff, and learner development in a diverse, respectful environment where our colleagues demonstrate professionalism, enhance learning, and create personal and professional sustainability. We optimize our partnership with the UNC Health System through close collaboration and commitment to service.
OUR VISION
Our vision is to be the nation's leading public school of medicine. We are ranked 2nd in primary care education among all US schools of medicine and 5th among public peers in NIH research funding. Our Allied Health Department is home to five top-ranked divisions, and we are home to 18 top-ranked clinical and basic science departments in NIH research funding.
OUR MISSION
Our mission is to improve the health and well-being of North Carolinians and others whom we serve. We accomplish this by providing leadership and excellence in the interrelated areas of patient care, education, and research.
Patient Care: We will promote health and provide superb clinical care while maintaining our strong tradition of reaching underserved populations and reducing health disparities across North Carolina and beyond.
Education: We will prepare tomorrow's health care professionals and biomedical researchers by facilitating learning within innovative curricula and team-oriented interprofessional education. We will cultivate outstanding teaching and research faculty, and we will recruit outstanding students and trainees from highly diverse backgrounds to create a socially responsible, highly skilled workforce.
Research: We will develop and support a rich array of outstanding health sciences research programs, centers, and resources. We will provide infrastructure and opportunities for collaboration among disciplines throughout and beyond our University to support outstanding research. We will foster programs in the areas of basic, translational, mechanistic, and population research.

The Carmichael lab (https://idc9.github.io/) is looking for a postdoctoral fellow interested in developing either machine learning algorithms for high-resolution histopathology imaging/spatial-profiling data in combination with other modalities (e.g. radiology, sequencing, or text) or large language model-based approaches for extracting information from clinical notes at scale. The lab's goal is to address the key technical challenges holding back the impact of AI in Pathology/Oncology in order to improve diagnostic precision, increase access to state-of-the-art care for patients around the world, uncover novel biomarkers for disease prognosis/therapeutic response, and advance basic scientific investigation into disease processes. The ideal candidate will have a strong background in both the mathematical and software sides of machine learning, with the ability to design and implement novel artificial intelligence algorithms. Examples of research directions could include: multimodal foundational models for biomedical data, deep-learning architectures for high-resolution (e.g. gigapixel) imaging, or high-dimensional statistical approaches for analyzing spatial transcriptomic data.

This role involves close collaboration with an interdisciplinary team of data scientists/clinicians and working with unique datasets from multiple academic medical centers (e.g. UNC, UCSF, Mayo Clinic, Memorial Sloan Kettering, etc). Lab dedicated GPU workstations/servers and cloud compute credits are available along with CPU/ GPU nodes provided by the university. The expected outcomes of the position are: lead 1-2 major projects, contribute to other projects, collaborate with trainees (computational undergrad/masters/PhD students + clinical residents/fellows), write publications, and release open-source software. Projects may be focused on disease-specific translational research or core machine learning methodology development. This role is well suited for candidates aiming to launch an ambitious career at the intersection of machine learning and biomedical research in academia or industry.

In addition to recent PhD graduates, we welcome candidates from industry looking to make a pivot.

A PhD in computer science, statistics, biostatistics, bioinformatics, or a related discipline that comes with machine learning experience.

Strong communication skills and the ability to work with colleagues from other disciplines.

A strong background in both the mathematical and software sides of machine learning/data science (especially deep-learning, computer vision, or natural language processing) though exceptional candidates with other experience will be considered. Track record of publications in premier technical and/or biomedical venues. Previous experience with biomedical research is appreciated, but not required.

For information on UNC Postdoctoral Benefits and Services click here

If you experience any problems accessing the system or have questions about the application process, please contact the University's Office of Postdoctoral Affairs at (919) 962-9982 or send an email to opahr@unc.edu.

Please note: The Office of Postdoctoral Affairs will not be able to provide specific updates regarding position or application status.

The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill is an equal opportunity and affirmative action employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to age, color, disability, gender, gender expression, gender identity, genetic information, race, national origin, religion, sex, sexual orientation, or status as a protected veteran.