Summer Research Assistant – Image Analysis & Digital Pathology

Duties & Responsibilities

• Develop, train, and evaluate machine learning and deep learning models for biomedical image analysis tasks (classification, segmentation, object detection).
• Implement and adapt digital pathology pipelines for whole-slide image (WSI) processing, including tiling, stain normalization, and feature extraction.
• Curate, organize, and annotate image datasets in coordination with pathologists and other domain experts.
• Write clean, well-documented Python code using standard ML and computer vision libraries (PyTorch, TensorFlow, scikit-learn, OpenCV, OpenSlide, QuPath).
• Maintain reproducible experiments using version control (Git) and notebook-based workflows (Jupyter).
• Participate in lab meetings, present progress and findings, and assist in preparing figures and supplementary materials for manuscripts.
• Follow all data handling, privacy, and IRB guidance applicable to patient-derived imaging data.

Qualifications

• Minimum Qualifications: Currently enrolled in (or recently completed) a Bachelor's degree program in Computer Science or a closely related discipline (Data Science, Computer Engineering, Applied Mathematics).
• Coursework or demonstrated project experience in programming (Python preferred), data structures, and at least one machine learning or computer vision course/project.
• Ability to commit consistent weekly hours throughout the semester.
• Demonstrated ability to work in and foster an environment of respect, professionalism and civility with a population of faculty, staff, and students from all backgrounds and experiences, or a commitment to do so as an hourly employee at VCU.

Preferred Qualifications

• Hands-on experience with deep learning frameworks (PyTorch or TensorFlow).
• Experienced in GPUs, HPC clusters, or cloud computing environments.
• Coursework or research experience in biology, bioinformatics, or biomedical engineering is a plus but not required.
• Strong academic standing (cumulative GPA 3.0 or higher).

Salary Range

$15.00 per hour

Benefits

All VCU employee types are eligible for a wide array of benefits to support you during your employment at VCU. Consult the benefits website for information on benefits eligibility according to employee type.

FLSA Exemption Status

Non-Exempt

Hours Per Week

Up to 25 hours per week; flexible schedule Monday–Friday between 8:00 AM and 6:00 PM, arranged around the student's course schedule.

Flexible Work Arrangement

Fully Onsite