Postdoctoral Fellowship, Paediatric Musculoskeletal Imaging
Friday 3rd November 2023
Contact Email for the Job Posting danielle.whittier@ucalgary.ca
Organization University of Calgary
Location Calgary, Canada
Title Postdoctoral Fellowship, Paediatric Musculoskeletal Imaging
URL https://mccaig.ucalgary.ca/
Closing date Dec 10, 2023
Description One postdoctoral research position (2years, renewable) in the field of paediatric musculoskeletal imaging is available at the University of Calgary through support of the One Child Every Child initiative. The position will be in Dr. Danielle Whittier’s research group with joint affiliation between the Alberta Children’s Hospital Research Institute and McCaig Institute for Bone and Joint Health.
This postdoctoral research fellow will lead a new “musculoskeletal deep phenotyping” cohort study investigating bone growth in children and adolescence, with particular focus on using data-drive techniques to model the impact of chronic and complex childhood diseases on bone health. The project is highly multidisciplinary, bringing together imaging methods (e.g., EOS, MRI, HR-pQCT), biomechanics, clinical data, and genomics. Participant data collection will occur primarily through the world-class facilities available in the Centre for Mobility and Joint Health that is equipped with state-of-the-art imaging and biomechanics equipment that is fully-dedicated to research use. The fellow will be responsible for supporting the development and of the study design alongside team members of the deep phenotyping program and will oversee core image acquisition and data-driven analysis related to the initial phase of the project.
Through this role, the postdoctoral fellow will be well-positioned to build an interdisciplinary network through the One Child Every Child initiative and will have many opportunities for technical and professional development, including mentoring graduate and undergraduate students, grant writing, and presenting their work at international scientific meetings. Further, there will be opportunities to engage in independent research within the context of the broader cohort study.
Qualifications:
• A PhD in computer sciences, biomedical engineering, or related field.
• A background in medical image acquisition and image processing, preferably with familiarity implementing multimodal imaging (e.g., MRI and CT/HR-pQCT).
• Strong programming skills for data-driven analysis (e.g., deep learning), preferably in Python and R.
• Strong scientific communication skills and ability to work in a collaborative team environment.
• Previous experience in clinical cohort studies and/or paediatric musculoskeletal research is not required but will be considered favourably.
Salary & Benefits: Salary is in the range of $55,000, dependent on prior experience, plus Plan C health benefits. Opportunities are available to supplement salary through competitive fellowship competitions at the institutional and national level.
Submission guidelines:
Interested candidates should submit an application package containing a cover letter (including scientific interests and career ambitions), curriculum vitae, and contact information for 2-3 professional references (they will not be contacted unless shortlisted after interviews). Your application and any questions should be sent to danielle.whittier@ucalgary.ca Review of applications will begin on December 10, 2023, and will continue until the position is filled. The target start date is May 2024 (negotiable).
Equity and Diversity: We recognize a diverse staff/faculty benefits and enriches the work, learning and research experiences of the entire campus and greater community. Therefore, we strive to recruit individuals who will further enhance our diversity and will support their academic and professional success while they are here. Members of the under-represented groups (women, Indigenous peoples, persons with disabilities, members of visible/racialized minorities, and diverse sexual orientation and gender identities) are strongly encouraged to apply.
About the University of Calgary: The University of Calgary is one of Canada’s top research universities and a member of the U15 (the 15 most research-intensive universities in Canada). The University has recently been supported by a first-of-its kind $125 million grant through the Canada First Research Excellence Fund to support child health and wellness research through One Child Every Child initiative. This transformative initiative, one of the largest ever awarded to a university in Alberta, offers an unprecedented opportunity to conduct paediatric-focused research through a well-supported multi-disciplinary research program.
About Calgary, Alberta: The City of Calgary itself has a population of approximately 1.3 million, and has recently been ranked the third most livable city in the world. It remains an affordable place to live, with a number of growing vibrant communities, and is a short distance away from the world-famous Banff and Rocky Mountains.