Post-Doctoral Fellow: Neuroimaging & Military Brain Health

About The Position

The Geneva Foundation is recruiting a Post-Doctoral Fellow to join a cutting-edge research team advancing Military Brain Health at USU's Department of Radiology and Bioengineering. This is an embedded role on-site at WRNMMC, co-located with USU at National Support Activity Bethesda. As a nonprofit partner, Geneva receives and administers federal awards for research conducted directly at DoD installations, serving as a dedicated supporter of federal researchers and a trusted partner in military medical research.

The Post-Doctoral Fellow will develop high-sensitivity, quantitative, and multiparametric MR imaging methods to study neurotrauma and mild cognitive impairment, evaluate their reproducibility, and accelerate their clinical translation. The primary focus of this work will leverage the MAGNUS 3T MRI system — a high-performance, head-only scanner developed in collaboration with GE Healthcare — to map global and microstructural brain anatomy. Working alongside a multidisciplinary team of researchers and radiologists, the fellow will receive comprehensive training in advanced MR acquisition, reconstruction, and data processing techniques.

This is a full time position located in Bethesda, MD — embedded on-site at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center (WRNMMC), USU Dept. of Radiology and Bioengineering. Background checks will be administered.

About The Program

Correlating Repetitive Blast Overpressure Exposure with Neuroinflammation and Microstructural Changes Assessed by MRI in a Large Animal Model

This project leverages a large animal BOP model undergoing a series of LLBE to evaluate both structural and functional changes in both in vivo and ex vivo brains of the exposed animal.

Research Focus & Tools

The Post-Doctoral Fellow will be working in a laboratory that utilizes advanced imaging techniques to assess brain changes due to injury or environmental effects, including:

Diffusion Weighted Imaging
Magnetic Resonance Elastography (MRE)
Multi-echo Functional MRI (fMRI)
World-Class Facilities

Access to the Biomedical Research Imaging Center (BRIC) and the 4D Bio3 Center for Biotechnology, features:

3T GE Healthcare MAGNUS (high-gradient, head-only scanner)
7.0T Bruker MRI scanner
Siemens MRI platform
Extensive collaborative networks across military and global academic sectors

Compensation

$75,000 - $88,000. Salaries are determined based on several factors including external market data, internal equity, and the candidate’s related knowledge, skills, and abilities for the position.

Qualifications

• PhD (or equivalent) in Biomedical Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Chemistry, Physics, or a related field
• 1-2 years medical research experience strongly desired
• Candidates who have successfully defended their dissertation and graduated from their PhD program are eligible. Degree conferral is not required at the time of hire, but the degree must be completed by the end of the semester in which the dissertation was successfully defended
• Strong background in MR physics, data analysis, and computer programming
• Preferred experience in pulse sequence programming or image reconstruction
• Excellent written and oral communication skills
• Ability to excel in both independent research and large-scale collaborative projects
• Ability to pass background screening, U.S. work authorization required

Responsibilities

• Collaborate and assist the Principle Investigator, Co-Investigators and research team in the performance of the research study
• Contribute to the drafting and submitting of abstracts, manuscripts and reports for dissemination
• Prepare progress reports on research as required
• Analyze and write-up data
• Present complex information effectively to a range of audiences
• Provide data management assistance
• Provide project close-out support