PhD Position in Multimodal AI for ICU Clinical Decision Support
The Biomedical Data Science Lab (BMDS Lab) at the Department of Health Sciences and Technology, ETH Zurich, invites applications for a fully funded PhD position in Multimodal AI for ICU Clinical Decision Support. This interdisciplinary project sits at the intersection of clinical simulation, artificial intelligence, and human factors research, aiming to advance our understanding of clinician cognition and improve AI-assisted clinical decision support systems (CDSS) in intensive care units (ICUs).
ICUs are among the most cognitively demanding environments in medicine, requiring clinicians to rapidly integrate diverse streams of patient data, coordinate with teams, and make critical decisions under time pressure. Despite this, the cognitive processes underlying clinical decision-making remain poorly understood. This PhD project seeks to bridge that gap by designing high-fidelity ICU simulation scenarios, capturing synchronized datasets of gaze, speech, and documentation behavior from practicing ICU clinicians, and evaluating how these cognitive markers can enhance AI-driven CDSS.
As a PhD student, you will join a collaborative team spanning biomedical data science, clinical simulation, and human factors. You will have access to unique clinical datasets, wearable sensing technology, and state-of-the-art simulation facilities. Under the supervision of Prof. Catherine Jutzeler and Dr. Liliana Paredes, you will design and refine simulation scenarios, operate wearable smart glasses and multimodal recording systems, recruit and coordinate simulation sessions with ICU clinicians, and manage rich multimodal datasets. Your work will involve both qualitative and quantitative analysis, including the development and evaluation of machine learning models (e.g., unimodal, fusion, and attention-based transformer architectures) to assess the value of cognitive data streams for clinical decision support.
Key responsibilities include conducting systematic literature reviews, disseminating research findings through publications and conferences, and contributing to the supervision of Master's students and selected teaching activities within the BMDS Lab. The position offers a competitive Swiss doctoral salary, professional development opportunities, and the chance to engage in high-impact research at one of the world’s leading universities in science and technology.
Eligibility:
Applicants must hold a Master’s degree in Computer Science, Biomedical Engineering, Data Science, Cognitive Science, or a related field. Strong Python programming skills and experience with PyTorch or TensorFlow are required. Interest in multimodal data, time-series analysis, or NLP is expected. Excellent English is mandatory; German or French is an asset. Preferred qualifications include experience with eye-tracking or wearable sensor technology, background in clinical simulation or human factors, familiarity with speech processing or explainable AI methods, and exposure to clinical environments or health informatics.
Application Process:
Applications are evaluated on a rolling basis. Submit your application via the ETH Zurich online portal, including your CV, MSc and BSc diplomas, and task-based statements for two specified tasks. Shortlisted candidates will be invited for an online interview within two to three weeks. For further information, contact Prof. Catherine Jutzeler ([email protected]) or Dr. Liliana Paredes ([email protected]).
ETH Zurich is committed to diversity, equality of opportunity, and sustainability, providing an inclusive environment for all staff and students. Join us in advancing research at the interface of data science and medicine!
