Postdoc in AI-driven automated radiotherapy treatment planning

Job description

Radiotherapy for a cancer patient requires development of a treatment plan that defines the patient-specific treatment unit settings such as X-ray beam angles and intensities that result in a favorable dose distribution in the patient, balancing probability of cure versus development of radiation-induced complications. Currently, treatment plan generation is an inefficient, time-consuming and fragmented process. Apart from the high workload for the department, this causes enhanced waiting time for patients and it may also impact treatment quality. To tackle these problems, the Erasmus MC Cancer Institute is searching for a postdoctoral researcher to develop and investigate advanced tools for automated real-time treatment plan generation for cancer patients, using artificial intelligence/deep learning for prediction of individualized optimal treatment unit parameters. The developed real-time planning may also offer opportunities to further personalize treatments.

The research will be performed in a multi-disciplinary environment with physicists, mathematicians, scientific programmers, radiation technologists, clinicians, and PhD students and postdocs. The team is broadly recognized as a world leader in the field of automated generation of highest quality plans using mathematical optimization approaches. You will closely collaborate with other investigators involved in projects on deep learning dose prediction. Large curated, high-quality datasets for training of deep learning networks are available. The collaboration with an industry partner can facilitate worldwide clinical application of developed tools. The project is embedded in the postgraduate school of Molecular Medicine of the Erasmus University.

Work environment

The department of Radiotherapy of the Erasmus MC Cancer Institute is one of the largest departments of radiotherapy in Europe, treating over 5.000 cancer patients per year. The department has an extensive and renowned research program with important national and international collaborations with academic partners and industry in the field of automated treatment plan optimization, deep learning dose prediction, high-precision adaptive radiotherapy, robotic radiotherapy, molecular radiobiology, hyperthermia, and proton therapy.

Physics is of major importance in the research program, and a large part of the 60 employees of the Medical Physics unit is involved in research projects. The research is embedded in multi-disciplinary teams, consisting of radiation oncologists, (medical) physicists, mathematicians, technologists, and computer scientists.

Qualifications and skills

• You are a highly motvated candidate with a master's degree in artificial intelligence, (computational) physics, (applied) mathematics, operational research, or a related discipline, and a PhD degree with relevance for this project.
• You have experience in software development (Python/Matlab) as well as profound expertise in deep learning model development (e.g. TensorFlow, PyTorch).
• You have proven affinity with writing of scientific papers and preferentially also with writing grant proposals.
• You also have a practical, result-driven working attitude and are an excellent team player.
• Good academic writing and presentation skills in English are required as well.

Terms of employment

• You will receive a temporary contract for 2 years.
• The gross monthly salary amounts a minimum € 3.493,- and a maximum of € 5.504,- (scale 10).
• Excellent fringe benefits, such as a 13th month that is already paid out in November and a individual travel expense package.
• Working from home is an option.
• An International Office which aids you in preparing for you arrival and stay.
• Pension insurance with ABP. We take care of approximately 2/3 of the monthly contribution.
• Special benefits, such as a incompany physiotherapist and bicycle repairer. And there is also a gym where you can work on your fitness after work.