Research Faculty - AI for Surgical Simulation and Skill Assessment

12-month, Permanent, Non-Tenure Track Position

Position Overview

Artificial intelligence (AI) and immersive simulation are redefining how surgeons learn—enhancing training outcomes, reducing errors, and improving patient safety.

Florida State University (FSU) invites applications for a Research Faculty position in AI for Surgical Simulation and Skill Assessment, housed within the FAMU-FSU College of Engineering.

This position offers an exciting opportunity to join a growing interdisciplinary research program that integrates AI, computer vision, and virtual reality (VR) to create next-generation systems for surgical training and evaluation. The successful candidate will help design AI-driven, data-informed simulation platforms that objectively assess performance, accelerate skill acquisition, and enable adaptive, personalized learning.

The position is ideally suited for a researcher passionate about combining machine learning, real-time simulation, and human performance modeling to create intelligent, interactive environments that enhance both technical precision and decision-making in surgery. The candidate will collaborate across departments and research centers, publish in leading journals, mentor students, and play an active role in securing competitive external funding to expand this rapidly advancing area.

Responsibilities

• Conduct research in AI-enabled surgical simulation and video-based skill assessment.
• Develop novel algorithms and techniques for real-time simulation, workflow analysis, and performance evaluation.
• Integrate deep learning and computer vision approaches into VR/AR surgical training systems.
• Collaborate with faculty members and researchers from medical schools to advance the field of surgical simulation and assessment.
• Design and execute human subjects studies, in partnership with clinicians and human factors experts, to evaluate system effectiveness and training outcomes.
• Prepare and submit competitive research proposals for external funding.
• Publish research findings in high-quality journals and present them at leading conferences.
• Mentor graduate students and postdoctoral researchers.

Qualifications

• Doctoral degree in Computer Science, Mechanical Engineering, or a related discipline.
• Experience in C/C++ and Python programming, computer graphics, haptics, or physics-based real-time computing.
• Proficiency in machine learning and deep learning frameworks such as TensorFlow, PyTorch, or Scikit-learn.
• Experience in video-based assessment, computer vision, or VR/AR simulation development is strongly preferred.
• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills
• Demonstrated ability to work collaboratively with other faculty members and researchers from diverse backgrounds.
• Strong publication record in relevant areas of research
• Demonstrated ability to secure external funding
• Experience in mentoring graduate students and postdoctoral researchers is preferred
   

About the College

The FAMU-FSU College of Engineering is a joint college of two nationally recognized universities, Florida A&M University and Florida State University, located in Tallahassee, Florida. The college offers undergraduate and graduate degree programs across six departments.

The successful candidate will have the opportunity to collaborate with world-class researchers through the College’s many interdisciplinary centers, including the High-Performance Materials Institute, Center for Advanced Power Systems, and the InSPIRE Institute. The position will be based in the Artificial Intelligence, Imaging, and Medical Simulation (AIMS) Laboratory, a state-of-the-art facility at FSU dedicated to advancing AI-driven surgical simulation, video-based skill assessment, and intelligent training technologies.