Postdoctoral Fellow in Neural Engineering and Prosthetic Control

Job Summary

The Section of Plastic Surgery at the University of Michigan is looking for a talented and highly motivated applicant for a Postdoctoral Research Fellow position supporting two clinical trials investigating the use of Regenerative Peripheral Nerve Interfaces (RPNIs) for prosthetic limb control. The two studies are funded through the Department of Defense and National Institutes of Health under the direction of Dr. Theodore Kung (Plastic Surgery) and Dr. Deanna Gates (Movement Science, Biomedical Engineering and Robotics). The position will be physically located in Ann Arbor, MI.

The RPNI is a surgically created construct in which a free muscle graft is reinnervated by a severed peripheral nerve. When implanted electrodes are placed within RPNIs, they provide high-fidelity, stable electromyographic (EMG) signals for volitional prosthetic control and a serve as a means for delivering sensory feedback via electrical stimulation. The overall goal of this research program is to assess whether RPNIs can enable individuals with lower and upper limb amputation to achieve meaningful, multi-degree-of-freedom prosthetic control, restore sensory feedback, and improve function in daily life.

Responsibilities

• Supporting hardware and electrode interfacing for data acquisition systems
• Coordinating and conducting experimental sessions with research participants who have undergone RPNI surgery
• Contributing to data collection using motion capture, force plates, and intramuscular and surface EMG
• The postdoctoral fellow will also gain experience in student mentoring, managing clinical research projects, manuscript writing, and grant submissions.

Required Qualifications

• Ph.D. in Electrical Engineering, Biomedical Engineering, or a closely related field.
• Experience with neural or neuromuscular signal acquisition hardware (e.g., implanted or surface electrode systems, neural recording front-ends)
• Ability to bridge technical and clinical domains communicating effectively with both engineering collaborators and clinical research staff
• Comfort working in a regulated clinical research environment with human participants
• A proven track record of high-quality publications
• Excellent analytical and problem-solving skills
• Ability to thrive in both team and independent work environments
• Strong organizational and communication skills

Desired Qualifications

• Experience with human-subjects research protocols, IRB processes, or Good Clinical Practice (GCP) guidelines
• Prior involvement in translational research aimed at moving technologies from laboratory development to clinical application
• Experience working on interdisciplinary research teams involving engineers, neuroscientists, and clinicians
• Interest in establishing collaborations across engineering, neuroscience, and clinical disciplines

Work Schedule

• Full-time (40 hours/week)
• The position will primarily be based in Dr. Gates' laboratory at the School of Kinesiology at the University of Michigan
• Occasionally, the fellow will travel to University Hospital and the Taubman Health Care Center to work directly with Dr. Kung
• Period of remote work may be approved by Dr. Kung