Staff Scientist I

We are looking for an innovation-minded PhD to join our NIH-funded research in the role of a staff scientist. The project aims to develop a novel visualization and guidance system for laparoscopic procedures. The position will be in the Augmented Reality Surgery Lab, led and directed by Professor Raj Shekhar, PhD, located within the Sheikh Zayed Institute for Pediatric Surgical Innovation at the Children's National Hospital, Washington, DC.

The ideal candidate will play a key role in driving our laparoscopic augmented reality (AR) research toward developing a clinical system by streamlining hardware and software. This will include working with industrial partners developing custom hardware solutions, developing new software, performing system integration, and conducting laboratory and preclinical testing.

The Staff Scientist I is a junior career research position that reports to the principal investigator. The Staff Scientist I conducts research of significant scientific value in the basic or translational sciences and brings specialized skills, knowledge and experience to research programs or core laboratories. This position performs a variety of laboratory research, education and management tasks, including training technical staff, students, fellows and physicians in laboratory procedures and assisting the principal investigator in writing grant applications and publications.

Minimum Education

PhD in Electrical Engineering, Biomedical Engineering, Computer Engineering or a closely related discipline.

Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) (Required) Or
Medical Doctor (M.D.) (Required) Or
Master's Degree MS degree with 3 years of relevant work experience (Required)

Minimum Work Experience
2 years At least two to four years of progressive specialized post-doctoral experience. (Required)

Required Skills/Knowledge

• Experience in computer-assisted surgery, computer vision including camera calibration, image processing, tracking technologies, and CAD designs.
• Proficiency in software development using tools like Visual Studio, OpenCV, and/or QT.
• Peer-reviewed and/or refereed publications.
• Prior experience with working with ultrasound and other medical imaging modalities.
• Next-Generation sequencing, bioinformatics, molecular genetics.

Responsibilities:

• Apply expertise in computer-assisted surgery, computer vision, image registration, tracking technologies, and software development toward developing the next-generation laparoscopic visualization and guidance system.
• Collaborate closely with our industrial partners to ensure seamless integration and rigorous testing of the resulting system.
• Collaboration closely with the clinical partners and conduct experiments with phantoms and employ scientific methods to enhance and characterize system performance.
• Consistently demonstrates adherence to the standards for the responsible conduct of research.

• Plans, conducts and manages research projects within federal and institutional regulations and policies under the direction of the principal investigator.

• Uses research funds and resources appropriately.

• Maintains confidentiality of data as required.

• Meets all annual job-related training and compliance requirements.

Research

• Conducts research and development of new next generation sequencing clinical assays.

• Uses accepted methods and techniques, solves well-defined problems and performs specific and limited portions of broader projects under the technical guidance of the principal investigator and the senior staff scientist.

• Conducts experiments in the laboratory that include developing new methods, taking measurements and recording observations, collecting, compiling and processing data, and analyzing results.

• Assists with data analysis and management.

Leadership and Collaboration

• Uses accepted methods and techniques, solves well-defined problems and performs specific and limited portions of broader projects under the technical guidance of the principal investigator and the senior staff scientist.

• Conducts experiments in the laboratory that include developing new methods, taking measurements and recording observations, collecting, compiling and processing data, and analyzing results.

• Conducts research and development of new next generation sequencing clinical assays.

• Assists with data analysis and management.
• Interacts in a collaborative manner with other team members to accomplish organizational goals and may provide ideas to improve efficiency at group level; networks primarily within own technical peer group.
• Anticipate and responds to customer needs; follows up until needs are met

Teamwork/Communication

• Demonstrate collaborative and respectful behavior

• Partner with all team members to achieve goals

• Receptive to others' ideas and opinions

Performance Improvement/Problem-solving

• Contribute to a positive work environment

• Demonstrate flexibility and willingness to change

• Identify opportunities to improve clinical and administrative processes

• Make appropriate decisions, using sound judgment

Cost Management/Financial Responsibility

• Use resources efficiently

• Search for less costly ways of doing things

Safety

• Speak up when team members appear to exhibit unsafe behavior or performance

• Continuously validate and verify information needed for decision making or documentation

• Stop in the face of uncertainty and takes time to resolve the situation

• Demonstrate accurate, clear and timely verbal and written communication

• Actively promote safety for patients, families, visitors and co-workers

• Attend carefully to important details - practicing Stop, Think, Act and Review in order to self-check behavior and performance