Postdoctoral Associate in AI for Early Cancer Detection

The Division of Health Informatics & AI in the Department of Population Health Sciences at Weill Cornell Medicine invites applications for a Postdoctoral Associate position to join the research group led by Dr. Jiheum Park. The research program is supported by federal grants from the National Institutes of Health (NIH) and the Department of Defense (DoD) and focuses on developing artificial intelligence (AI) approaches for cancer early detection using longitudinal electronic health records (EHRs).

The postdoctoral researcher will lead research projects focused on developing clinically translatable AI for early cancer detection. Research directions include EHR foundation models for multi-cancer risk prediction, scalable risk stratification across patient populations and healthcare systems, and knowledge-augmented agentic AI approaches that combine EHR foundation models with external clinical knowledge, such as cancer literature and established risk factors, to support interpretable risk assessment and clinician-facing decision support.

The research is highly interdisciplinary, with opportunities to collaborate with oncologists and clinical researchers at Weill Cornell Medicine, including through the Meyer Cancer Center, as well as experts in machine learning, biomedical informatics, and human-computer interaction at collaborating institutions. Prior oncology experience is not required. As an early member of the research group, the successful candidate will receive mentorship, help shape research directions, and develop an independent research portfolio.

As a Postdoctoral Associate, you will be responsible for the following: 

• Conduct research independently and collaboratively in accordance with laboratory, departmental, and institutional policies and procedures. 

• Design, implement, and evaluate EHR foundation models and scalable computational pipelines for multi-cancer risk prediction and validation. 

• Investigate model generalizability, calibration, risk stratification, interpretability, and potential clinical utility. 

• Explore knowledge-augmented agentic AI and LLM-based methods for evidence-grounded explanations and clinician-facing decision support. 

• Prepare, document, analyze, and present research data and computational experiments. 

• Prepare manuscripts and abstracts, publish findings in peer-reviewed journals and conference proceedings, and present findings at conferences. 

• Contribute to fellowship and grant applications and mentor students or junior researchers, as appropriate.

Minimum Qualifications: 

• Ph.D., M.D./Ph.D., or equivalent doctoral degree in Computer Science, Biomedical Informatics, Data Science, Biomedical Engineering, Statistics, or a related quantitative field by the appointment start date. 

• Demonstrated research experience in machine learning, deep learning, or related computational methods, supported by publications or substantial research projects. 

• Strong Python programming skills and experience with a modern machine learning framework. 

• Ability to work independently and collaboratively, with strong written and oral communication skills. 

• Three letters of recommendation are required. 

Preferred Qualifications: 

• Experience with transformer architectures, foundation models, large language models, or agentic AI. 

• Experience analyzing longitudinal EHR data, clinical text, or large-scale healthcare datasets; familiarity with OMOP or clinical coding systems. 

• Experience in predictive modeling, federated learning, cross-institutional model adaptation, time-to-event analysis, model calibration, or external validation. 

• Experience with knowledge retrieval, clinical NLP, explainable AI, or human-AI interaction. 

• Experience with GPU computing, distributed processing, or development of research software and interactive interfaces. 

Application Process:

Interested applicants should submit a curriculum vitae, a brief letter of interest describing relevant research experience and career goals, and contact information for three professional references to Dr. Jiheum Park (jip7012@med.cornell.edu). Letters of recommendation will be requested during the selection process. Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis until the position is filled.

Commitment to Diversity 

Weill Cornell Medicine is committed to fostering a culture of diversity and inclusion among our faculty, staff, and students. We seek out individuals with a diverse range of backgrounds and experiences, and we work to create programs that support both our current employees and our recruitment efforts.

EEO Statement 

Weill Cornell Medicine welcomes students, faculty, and staff with diverse backgrounds from across the globe to pursue world-class education and career opportunities, to further the founding principle of “any person, any study.” No person shall be denied employment on the basis of any legally protected status or subjected to prohibited discrimination involving, but not limited to, such factors as race, ethnic or national origin, citizenship and immigration status, color, sex, pregnancy or pregnancy-related conditions, age, creed, religion, actual or perceived disability (including persons associated with such a person), arrest and/or conviction record, military or veteran status, sexual orientation, gender expression and/or identity, an individual’s genetic information, domestic violence victim status, familial status, marital status, or any other characteristic protected by applicable federal, state, or local law. 

Appointment Term: 

One year, with the possibility of reappointment contingent on satisfactory performance and funding availability.

Starting Date: 

Flexible; anticipated early 2027, subject to recruitment and appointment processing.

Location of Appointment: 

Weill Cornell Medicine main campus, New York City, New York.

Lab and Department Websites:

• Jiheum Park Lab (JPLab): https://jiheumparklab.github.io/JPLab/
• Department of Population Health Sciences: https://phs.weill.cornell.edu/about-us
• PI Introduction: New Faculty Q&A with Dr. Jiheum Park

Salary: 

Salary will be commensurate with experience and in compliance with the salary minimums set forth in the Postdoc Union’s collective bargaining agreement (CBA, Article 6 Compensation, pgs. 12-14).

Minimum salary is $75,812. 

Benefits:

A summary of employee benefits can be found on the WCM Human Resources website.

Visa Options:

Candidates applying for this position could be eligible for a J-1 Exchange visitor visa and the H-1B temporary worker visa.

Union Membership:

This position is covered under a Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA) between Weill Cornell Medicine and the International Union, United Automobile, Aerospace, and Agricultural Implement Workers of America (“UAW”), and its Local Union, Weill Cornell Medicine Postdocs United-UAW Local 4100.