Research Associate/PhD (m/f/d) – Clinical Needs & Translation of Surgical AI

Research Associate/PhD (m/f/d) – Clinical Needs & Translation of Surgical AI

at the Department of Visceral, Thoracic and Vascular Surgery and the Else Kröner Fresenius Center for Digital Health

The position is to be filled from October 1, 2026 on a full- or part-time basis, initially limited to 36 months, with the option of extension. Compensation is based on the pay scale for the public sector (TV-L) and may be classified in pay grade E13 , provided you meets the personal qualifications.

This position is part of a 5-year research program funded by the German Federal Ministry of Research, Technology and Space (BMFTR) that aims to develop generalizable, clinically relevant surgical AI approaches. While other full-time group members will work on computational implementation, you will focus on understanding clinical and patient needs related to surgical AI applications and on driving innovative strategies for the clinical translation of surgical AI tools. Specifically, you will lead qualitative research with surgeon and patient stakeholder groups, conduct systematic regulatory analyses, and develop and practically implement policy-aligned strategies for risk-adapted clinical evaluation of surgical AI in real-world settings, with room to pursue adjacent research interests in health services research, digital health, or medical ethics.

The position is embedded in an interdisciplinary and international research environment within the “Surgical Artificial Intelligence” research group led by Dr. Fiona Kolbinger, which is jointly affiliated with the Department of Visceral, Thoracic and Vascular Surgery and the Else Kröner Fresenius Center for Digital Health at TU Dresden. The group works at the intersection of AI development, clinical surgery, and translational research, with the goal of developing and clinically evaluating AI tools that improve surgical care.

Your responsibilities:

Design and conduct qualitative research with clinical and patient stakeholder groups, including focus group discussions, semi-structured interviews, workshops, and Delphi surveys

Develop evidence-based best-practice recommendations for the safe and efficient clinical translation of AI tools in surgery

Engage with national and international regulatory agencies and industry stakeholders, and contribute to policy-facing publications (e.g., whitepapers)

Collaborate with technical and clinical group members to ensure patient- and clinician-centeredness of the groups research

Mentor undergraduate student researchers within the group

Prepare journal publications and presentations at national and international conferences

Your profile:

University degree (Bachelors/Masters level) in public health, health services research, social sciences, medical sociology, science and technology studies, health policy, or a related field

Strong background in qualitative research methods (e.g., focus groups, thematic analysis, Delphi methodology), and/or a strong interest in clinical surgery, interdisciplinary oncology, and translational research

Collaborative and curious mindset with an interest in AI, digital health, or medical technology; no programming experience required

Excellent interpersonal skills and comfort engaging with diverse stakeholder groups, including patients, clinicians, and policymakers

Ability to time-manage and carry out research independently, ability to mentor junior researchers, ability to identify and communicate the need for support

Excellent English c