(08/31/26) Research Scientist - Atlanta, GA

Research Scientist: Artificial Intelligence for Precision Oncology and Computational Imaging

The Atlanta VA Medical Center (VAMC) Research Service, in partnership with the Madabhushi Laboratory at Emory University and Georgia Institute of Technology, seeks an outstanding investigator with expertise in advanced AI methods to advance cancer detection, prognosis, treatment selection, and survivorship for Veterans. This investigator will join an established, NIH- and VA-funded research program led by Dr. Anant Madabhushi, Research Career Scientist at the Atlanta VAMC and Robert W. Woodruff Professor at Emory and Georgia Tech, and will collaborate closely with computational imaging scientists, oncologists, radiologists, and pathologists across the VA and Emory/Georgia Tech.

This position offers an exceptional opportunity to generate and translate practice-changing evidence on the responsible use of AI in oncology within the Veterans Health Administration (VHA), the nation's largest integrated health system, while improving outcomes, reducing disparities, and enhancing patient safety for a population with elevated rates of tobacco-, environmental-, and service-related cancers.

About the Opportunity

The successful candidate will lead or co-lead collaborative, innovative research applying AI to Veteran cancer care, building on the lab's ongoing portfolio, including:

• Radiopathomics: computational fusion of CT/MRI radiomics with digital pathology (H&E whole-slide) features to predict prognosis and treatment response in non-small cell and small cell lung cancer, prostate cancer, and other Veteran-prevalent malignancies.
• Computational pathology of the tumor microenvironment, including tumor-infiltrating lymphocyte architecture, vascular and stromal/collagen organization, and immune-cell spatial patterning, as prognostic and predictive biomarkers.
• Radiogenomics and multimodal data integration (clinical, imaging, pathology, and molecular/genomic) to improve cancer phenotyping, risk stratification, and prediction of response to immunotherapy and chemotherapy.
• AI-driven imaging biomarker development leveraging national data infrastructure such as the Medical Imaging and Data Resource Center (MIDRC), with an eye toward validation in VA's Corporate Data Warehouse (CDW), VA Science and Data Platform (SDP), and the Million Veteran Program (MVP).
• Emerging work in agentic AI and foundation models for contextualized, multimodal cancer decision support, extending the lab's radiopathomic framework toward closed-loop, interpretable clinical AI tools.

AI for cancer research and care delivery is a strategic priority for the Atlanta VAMC and for VA Office of Research and Development nationally, with growing emphasis on real-world deployment across the VA's 170+ medical centers. This work is highly competitive for external funding (e.g., NIH/NCI, VA Merit Review, DoD Congressionally Directed Medical Research Programs, and industry-sponsored research), and the successful candidate will be well positioned to translate advanced AI methods into pragmatic, implementation-focused research that benefits Veterans nationwide.

Environment and Research Context

This role is embedded within the Atlanta VAMC Research Service and the Madabhushi Laboratory, which spans Emory University and Georgia Institute of Technology and is directed by Dr. Madabhushi, Founder and Director of the Emory Empathetic AI for Health Institute. The lab maintains one of the largest academic portfolios in computational pathology and radiomics, with active NIH R01/U01 funding (NCI, NHLBI, NIBIB), VA Merit Review support, and Department of Defense research programs spanning lung, breast, prostate, and gynecologic cancers, as well as cardio-oncology and kidney disease.

The successful candidate will benefit from access to richly annotated, multi-institutional radiology and digital pathology cohorts; established computational infrastructure for radiomic, pathomic, and deep learning feature extraction; close collaboration with VA oncology, radiology, and pathology clinical leadership; and the lab's track record of translating imaging AI into FDA- and NIH-recognized tools (including an NIH Director's Award for MIDRC). The Atlanta VAMC's affiliation with Emory University School of Medicine provides additional access to fellowship training programs, tumor boards, and multidisciplinary cancer conferences.

Strategic Impact

This recruitment strengthens VA's capacity for AI-enabled precision oncology research and implementation science. The position will expand the Madabhushi Laboratory's leadership in AI-driven oncology research within VHA, accelerate translation of radiopathomic and multimodal AI tools into Veteran cancer screening, diagnosis, and treatment workflows, and advance equitable, evidence-based cancer care for a population disproportionately affected by service-related and environmental cancer risk (e.g., Agent Orange and burn pit exposure, high tobacco use).

Key Responsibilities

Develop and sustain an independent or co-led, externally funded research program in AI and precision oncology within VA; collaborate with Madabhushi Laboratory scientists, VA oncologists, radiologists, and pathologists on high-priority Veteran cancer research questions; contribute to multi-institutional, multidisciplinary studies spanning Emory, Georgia Tech, and the national VA research network; mentor trainees; and disseminate findings through high-impact publications, national presentations, and grant applications.

Qualifications

PhD with postdoctoral training, or MD/MD-PhD with relevant research training, in biomedical engineering, computer science, computational biology, biomedical informatics, or a related quantitative field. Candidates should demonstrate expertise in one or more of the following: computer vision and deep learning for radiology or digital pathology images; radiomics, pathomics, or radiogenomics; multimodal data fusion; or large language model/agentic AI applications in oncology. Experience securing or competing for external research funding (e.g., NIH/NCI, VA Merit Review), a strong record of peer-reviewed publications, and the ability to work effectively in a multidisciplinary, clinician-integrated VA research environment are expected. Eligibility for a VA research appointment (including any required background processes) is required; rank and appointment level (e.g., Research Health Scientist, Research Career Scientist track) will be commensurate with qualifications and experience.

Commitment to Inclusion

The Atlanta VA Medical Center and Emory University are committed to equity, inclusion, and diversity in research and care. Veterans, women, and applicants from groups underrepresented in medicine and science are strongly encouraged to apply.

Application Process

Interested candidates should submit a curriculum vitae (CV) and a cover letter (maximum 2 pages) describing research interests, career goals, and relevance to AI in precision oncology and VA cancer care.

Materials should be sent to: Anant Madabhushi, PhD, Research Career Scientist, Atlanta VA Medical Center anantm@emory.edu.

Location: Atlanta VA Medical Center, Decatur, GA, with joint appointment activities at Emory University and Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, GA

The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs is an Equal Opportunity Employer.

(02/27/26) Associate Chief of Staff (ACOS) of Research & Development - Clarksburg, WV

The Associate Chief of Staff (ACOS) of Research & Development works at Louis A. Johnson VAMC and is responsible for providing oversight for all research studies at Louis A. Johnson VA Medical Center (LAJVAMC). He/she has senior leadership responsibility for administrative and budgetary operations of the R & D department.

Closes: 09/30/2026

See https://www.usajobs.gov/job/854213900 for details.