PhD Position in Medical Reasoning: ETH Zurich is inviting applications for a fully funded PhD position focused on advancing medical reasoning with foundation models. This exciting opportunity is part of the MLCARE consortium, aiming to develop cutting-edge research in the field of medical AI.
PhD Position in Foundation Models for Medical Reasoning at ETH Zurich
Designation
PhD Candidate
Research Area
Foundation Models for Medical Reasoning, AI, Machine Learning, Multimodal Learning
Location
ETH Zurich, Basel, Switzerland
Eligibility/Qualification
| Requirement | Details |
|---|---|
| Educational Background | Master’s degree in Computer Science, AI, Machine Learning, Mathematics, Electrical Engineering, or a related field; or a Medicine (MD) degree with strong Python skills and some ML experience. |
| Programming Skills | Strong programming skills in Python and experience with modern ML stacks (PyTorch, HuggingFace, distributed training). |
| Experience | Experience in LLMs, vision-language models, multimodal learning, or clinical NLP is highly preferred. Familiarity with large-scale ML training and good computational engineering practices is advantageous. |
| Independence | Ability to work independently and communicate effectively in English. Prior research experience and publications are a plus. |
Description
The successful candidate will:
- Develop novel methods to enhance the reasoning capabilities of medical foundation models.
- Design multimodal retrieval-augmentation strategies integrating various medical data sources.
- Implement systems for reasoning-chain generation and sequential decision-making.
- Improve reliability and robustness of medical AI systems.
- Publish research findings in top-tier ML venues and biomedical journals.
- Engage in collaborations–including potential secondments to esteemed institutions.
- Participate in dissemination and open-source contributions.
How to Apply
Interested candidates should submit their applications online, including the following documents in a single PDF:
- CV
- Bachelor and Master transcripts
- Motivation letter (detailing motivation & fit for the program and the host lab)
- Letters of recommendation (if available, or provide names for potential references)
Applications should be submitted through the official online application portal; submissions via email or postal services will not be considered. Additionally, since this position is part of the EU-funded MLCARE consortium, applicants must fill out the central application form.
Contact
For any questions regarding the position, please direct inquiries to Prof. Michael Moor’s lab email: mmoorlab@gmail.com (no applications).
Last Date to Apply
Applications are encouraged to be submitted as soon as possible, as the position will be filled when a suitable candidate is found.







