Doctoral fellow

ABOUT GHENT UNIVERSITY

Ghent University is a world of its own. Employing more than 15.000 people, it is actively involved in education and research, management and administration, as well as technical and social service provision on a daily basis. It is one of the largest, most exciting employers in the area and offers great career opportunities. 

With its 11 faculties and more than 85 departments offering state-of-the-art study programmes grounded in research in a wide range of academic fields, Ghent University is a logical choice for its staff and students.

ABOUT ORSI ACADEMY

Orsi Academy is a leading international center for surgical innovation and expertise in minimal invasive surgery. Bringing together clinicians, researchers and engineers, Orsi operates at the forefront of surgical innovation and education. Through strong collaborations with academic institutions and industry partners, Orsi offers a dynamic and multidisciplinary work environment with a direct impact on the future of surgical care and patient safety worldwide.

YOUR TASKS

For our international interdisciplinary education team focused on the development of training programs for robot-assisted surgery, we are looking for a motivated research assistant. This is a full-time, one-year position that is renewable once (upon a favorable evaluation) for a maximum total period of four years. The ultimate goal of this trajectory is to obtain a PhD degree. 
The candidate will work as a doctoral researcher at the facilities of Orsi Academy, Melle, Belgium. The researcher is expected to join an international interdisciplinary research team and, in collaboration with other PhD candidates and researchers with medical and engineering background, perform innovative research on the topic of Robot-assisted Surgery and Telesurgery Training. 
Research Topic:
This project focuses on the development and validation of objective performance metrics for proficiency-based training in robotic surgery and telesurgery. Surgical procedures will be systematically deconstructed into surgical phases, key steps, critical errors, and performance metrics through international expert Delphi consensus and validation methods.
Building on this framework, surgical performance derived from video analysis, simulator data and telesurgical platforms will be quantified using structured metrics. These metrics will be translated into training models and curricula, enabling objective, proficiency-based progression and standardized skill acquisition.
The project aims to establish reliable, objective metrics and benchmarks for skill assessment and training progression, and to explore their application in real-time feedback systems and remote surgical environments. 
In later stages, these structured datasets and metrics may also support the development and evaluation of computer vision models for automated performance assessment and feedback.
Ultimately, this research will contribute to the creation of scalable, data-driven training programs that enhance surgical performance, standardization and patient safety across robotic and telesurgical practice.
Responsibilities:

• Drafting study protocols and submitting requests to the ethical committee.
• Contributing to the development of objective performance metrics and assessment frameworks.
• Designing and conducting validation studies (e.g., face, content and construct validity).
• Collecting, annotating, and analyzing surgical performance data (video, simulator, or telesurgery data).
• Translating validated metrics into training models and proficiency-based simulation training.
• Supporting the integration of metrics into training curricula.
• Collaborating with clinical and technical partners to implement and test training and assessment tools.
• Contributing to the development and evaluation of computer vision models.
• Supporting the integration of metrics in automated feedback systems.
• Supporting robotic surgical skills training sessions at Orsi Academy 
• Reporting and presenting research results at internal and external events (regular project meetings, major international conferences).
• Contributing to the publication of research results in peer-reviewed international journals.

WHAT WE ARE LOOKING FOR

• You hold, or you are expected to hold, by September 2026, a medical degree (MD or equivalent)
• You have a strong interest in pursuing residency training in general surgery,
• Enrollment in a general surgery residency program, is considered a significant asset, although it is not a formal requirement.
• You have a strong interest in robot-assisted surgery and surgical innovation, with a particular focus on surgical training and education, simulation, and telesurgery.
• You are motivated to conduct (applied) research in the field of surgical performance, training and assessment.
• You have strong analytical skills to interpret the obtained clinical and research data.
• You have some experience with research methodologies and data analysis, or you are willing to develop these skills.
• You possess good academic writing and presentation skills or have a strong willingness to learn.
• You have an excellent command of English, both written and orally.
• You are driven to do independent research, and you have a strong self-learning ability. A creative and inquisitive attitude is a necessity.
• You are comfortable with working in an international and multi-cultural research team that is dynamic in nature.
• You are willing to travel internationally on an occasional basis to participate in conferences, courses and training activities.
• If need be, you have the willingness to work flexible hours and to participate occasionally in events outside of the regular working hours.

WHAT WE CAN OFFER YOU

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• We offer a full-time position as a doctoral fellow, consisting of an initial period of 12 months, which - after a positive evaluation, will be extended to a total maximum of 48 months.
• Your contract will start on 01/09/2026 at the earliest.
• The fellowship amount is 100% of the net salary of an AAP member in equal family circumstances. The individual fellowship amount is determined by Team Personnel Administration based on family status and seniority. A grant that meets the conditions and criteria of the regulations for doctoral fellowships is considered free of personal income tax. Click here for more information about our salary scales
• All Ghent University staff members enjoy a number of benefits, such as a wide range of training and education opportunities, 36 days of holiday leave (on an annual basis for a full-time job) supplemented by annual fixed bridge days, bicycle allowance and eco vouchers. Click here for a complete overview of all the staff benefits.

INTERESTED?

Send your cv, copy of your diploma (if already in your possession), a motivation letter and a PDF version of your Master’s Thesis to eva.vanderstraeten@orsi.be

We do not accept late applications.
As Ghent University maintains an equal opportunities and diversity policy, everyone is encouraged to apply for this position. 
For more information about this vacancy, please contact prof. Niki Rashidian nikdokht.rashidian@UGent.be, +32(0)933 25957.