Post-doc Position in Orthopaedic Biomechanics, Hospital for Special Surgery, NYC, USA

[Carl Imhauser]

Job Description:
Post-doctoral Position in Computational Orthopaedic Biomechanics and Data Analysis
Hospital for Special Surgery, Biomechanics Department
Position start date: July 2017
Position duration: 2 years
Please send CV and research statement to: Carl Imhauser, PhD; imhauserc@hss.edu

In collaboration with the Sports Medicine and Arthroplasty services at Hospital for Special Surgery, research efforts in the Biomechanics Department over the past five years have led to a unique platform to evaluate the biomechanical function of the knee joint. This research integrates robotic and knee simulator technology, 3D soft tissue and bone imaging, physics-based computational modeling, patient-based testing of joint laxity, and hierarchical statistical modeling to combine data from these platforms. This integrated approach leaves us positioned to tackle emerging problems in these two surgical subspecialties, including the opportunity to translate findings to improved clinical care through the development of subject-specific treatments for surgical ligament reconstruction or replacement of the knee.

Reaching this goal requires advanced support at the doctoral level to work with Carl Imhauser, PhD and Timothy Wright, PhD in the Biomechanics Department, our statistical consultant Thomas Santner, PhD, and our collaborating team of orthopaedic surgeons. Job responsibilities for the post-doctoral student will include:

• Directing and collaborating with a master’s level research engineer in the Biomechanics Department to design and implement additional experimental characterization of cadaver knee joints and mechanical testing of the knees’ constituent soft tissues
• Collaborating with therapists and surgeons to collect peri- and intra-operative patient data on knee laxity and function as well as clinical histories
• Developing and evaluating computational models of the knee joint by integrating 3D image data and experimental biomechanics data obtained from the aforementioned in vitro and in vivo experiments and other already-completed experiments
• Under the supervision of our statistical consultant, applying Kriging and hierarchical Bayesian methodology to combine cadaver and simulator data to determine the role of soft tissues in knee movement
• Presenting and communicating results of analyses to a diverse group of engineers, surgeons, and therapists through oral presentations at monthly group meetings, national conferences, and through publication in peer-reviewed scientific journals

Qualifications include:

• Exceptional written, spoken, and interpersonal communication skills along with demonstrated ability to work as part of a diverse team of clinicians and engineers
• Training in the theory of multibody dynamics and of finite element methods
• Extensive experience (≥3 yrs an asset) using multibody dynamics software including MSC ADAMS and interaction with scripting languages
• Knowledge of OpenSim, and FEA packages, such as ABAQUS and FEBio with specific experience in contact modeling a plus
• Demonstrated expertise in implementation of mathematical optimization methods
• Understanding of statistical methodology including hierarchical Bayesian statistical analyses
• Experience in image processing methods including exposure to commercial packages for 3D reconstruction of medical image data such as MIMICS
• Experience with CAD and reverse engineering software including SolidWorks, ProEngineer, and GEOMAGICS
• Strong computer programming skills including Python, C, R, and MATLAB.
• Experience with mechanical testing of soft tissues, such as ligament and cartilage, including experimental strain analysis methods
• Knowledge of biphasic and viscoelastic constitutive modeling
• Experience and interest in experimental joint biomechanics testing
• Demonstrated interest in clinical and translational biomechanics research