Data Scientist - Imaging Physics Research

The Data Scientist - Imaging Research role is based within the Institute for Data Science in Oncology, a multidisciplinary program at The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center focused on applying data science and emerging technologies to improve safety, quality, and access in clinical care and operations. This role supports the Institute's surgical data science program, including translational research in image-guided surgery, with close collaboration among data scientists, engineers, and clinicians.

The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center is a leading institution focused on cancer care, research, education, and prevention. In this environment, the Data Scientist - Imaging Research contributes to the development and clinical translation of advanced imaging, image analysis, and registration methods. The Data Scientist - Imaging Research works closely with surgeons and scientific collaborators across UT MD Anderson, with primary areas of impact including orthopaedic surgery and neurosurgery.

The Data Scientist - Imaging Research plays a key role in advancing computational approaches that support innovative, data-driven surgical care.

Ideal candidate has an advanced academic background in science or engineering with hands-on experience in scientific software development and image analysis. This individual brings practical expertise in optimization, computer vision, and machine learning or deep learning methods applied to medical imaging, along with experience working with complex medical image datasets. Strong programming skills, statistical rigor, and the ability to communicate technical concepts clearly to both technical and non-technical stakeholders are essential for success in this collaborative research environment.

Why Us?

This role offers the opportunity to contribute directly to mission-driven research that advances image-guided surgery and improves patient care through innovation in data science and medical technology. UT MD Anderson supports professional growth through collaboration with world-class clinicians and researchers while promoting a balanced and supportive work environment focused on meaningful scientific impact.

• Algorithm Development & Research
  • Develop algorithms for image analysis, including segmentation and registration
  • Develop and implement machine learning and deep learning algorithms for image-guided surgery research
  • Apply optimization, computer vision, and image analysis techniques to complex image registration problems
  • Define and compute key model performance metrics
  • Design and conduct rigorous laboratory and clinical experiments to test hypotheses and validate models
• Collaboration & Clinical Translation
  • Collaborate and consult with surgeons, engineers, and data scientists to define and resolve analytical problems
  • Work in multidisciplinary research related to systems engineering, technology development, and data-intensive surgical methods
  • Support translational research in image-guided surgery, orthopaedic surgery, and neurosurgery
  • Communicate with research and clinical stakeholders to share findings and best practices
• Data Analysis & Software Development
  • Design, develop, and implement research algorithms and software solutions
  • Analyze and interpret large medical imaging datasets to identify trends and patterns
  • Work with medical image datasets, PACS, and hospital information systems
  • Provide ongoing support for existing software systems as they evolve
• Reporting, Presentation & Professional Engagement
  • Communicate results clearly in written and oral formats for technical and non-technical audiences
  • Present research findings at internal and external meetings and scientific conferences
  • Prepare final reports in required formats by established deadlines
  • Stay current with advances in image-guided surgery, image analysis, and optimization techniques
  • Learn new methods and support others in the adoption of emerging techniques

• Education
  • Required:
    
    Bachelor’s Degree in Biomedical Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Computer Engineering, Physics, Applied Mathematics, Science, Mechanical Engineering, Computer Science, Statistics, Computational Biology, or related field.
  • Preferred:
    Master’s Degree in Science, Engineering or related field.
  • Preferred:
    PhD in Science, Engineering or related field.
• Work Experience
  • Required:
    
    3 years of scientific software or industry development/analysis experience
  • Required:
    
    1 year of experience with Master’s degree
  • Required:
    
    With PhD, no experience required

• Required
  :
  Demonstrated experience with computing or programming using Python, Matlab, R, C++, Java, and SQL; experience with machine learning and deep learning methods including neural network design; experience with statistical analysis; familiarity with modern object-oriented programming languages such as Python, C++, and Java; experience with open source image analysis, image guidance, and optimization packages such as 3D Slicer, VTK, ITK, and IGT Link;
  
  experience with…