PhD position: Automation & AI for clinical radiology workflow improvement

Help us bring the promise of AI to clinical radiology. Join our multidisciplinary team to identify bottlenecks in clinical workflows and develop AI-driven automated solutions that improve efficiency and support our clinical teams.

What You Will Do

As a researcher, you will:

• Identify and analyse bottlenecks in clinical radiology workflows through observations, structured workflow mapping, and close collaboration with clinical staff.
• Design, develop, and evaluate AI-based and automated workflow solutions, including training algorithms and preparing solutions for clinical implementation.
• Assess the impact of your workflow solutions after implementation, determining whether the expected improvements are realized and identifying opportunities for further refinement.
• Develop a robust quality management framework for your AI-solutions, ensuring they can be safely evaluated, validated, and integrated within our clinical environment.
• Collaborate closely with radiologists, technicians, data scientists, and engineers in a multidisciplinary research team that brings together academic partners (e.g., Utrecht University, Radboud University) and industry partners (e.g., Philips, Kalcio Healthcare).
• Conduct and publish high-quality scientific research, including studies on workflow optimization, AI application in healthcare, and active participation in conferences.

You will join multidisciplinary projects analysing and enhancing the current liver cancer imaging workflow, with opportunities to address other workflow challenges moving forward.

Where You Will Work

You will work at the Center for Image Sciences and the Radiology Department of UMC Utrecht. You will join the ImagO PhD Programme and its active PhD community, where colleagues regularly organize academic and social activities to help you settle in quickly.

Your role is set in the IMAGINE Open Innovation Lab, a collaboration between multiple institutions and industry partners that integrates clinical expertise with engineering innovation. Together, these partners drive advancements in imaging and image-guided interventions in oncology, cardiology, and other medical domains. The IMAGINE network fosters a truly multidisciplinary approach, enabling rapid innovation and effective translation of research into clinical practice.

Through close collaboration among clinicians, engineers, physicists, and researchers, IMAGINE aims to create personalized treatments that are more precise, less burdensome for patients, and more efficient for healthcare systems. At the same time, the program helps reduce strain on healthcare resources and contributes to lower healthcare costs. IMAGINE also plays a central role in training future-ready professionals within an inspiring and collaborative work environment. Your direct colleagues will include researchers and support staff from diverse backgrounds who share a strong commitment to improving patient outcomes. The team values a supportive, inclusive atmosphere where members inspire and challenge one another.

What You Bring

• You have a Master’s degree in a relevant field such as Biomedical Engineering, Technical Medicine, (Applied) Physics, Computer Science, Artificial Intelligence, or a related discipline.
• You are eager to work in a clinical environment (Radiology) and collaborate closely with clinicians, technicians, engineers, and researchers.
• You excel at communicating and collaborating with diverse experts, and you deliver clear, well-tailored presentations to both technical and clinical audiences.
• You are proactive, curious, and capable of working independently as well as in a multidisciplinary team.
• You have demonstratable programming experience and preferably with data analysis and machine learning (e.g., Python, AI frameworks).
• You have strong analytical and problem-solving skills, with the ability to translate complex clinical processes into structured workflows.
• A good command of English (spoken and written) is required; Dutch is an asset but not mandatory.

What We Offer

• A salary between € 3108 and € 3939 gross per month (salary scale OIO), based on full-time employment (36 hours).
• A position for a period of 4 years.
• Year-end bonus of 8.3% and holiday allowance of 8%.
• Pension insurance with ABP. We take care of approximately 70% of the monthly contribution.
• 100% public transport reimbursement. Are you coming on foot, by bike or by car? You will then receive a reimbursement of € 0.18 per km (by car up to a max. of 40 km one way).
• Possibilities to develop yourself personally and professionally.
• The option to select additional employment benefits in exchange for gross salary, such as purchasing a bicycle and memberships.