Senior AI Researcher (PhD required)

Our Mission

Virgo is the digital layer for endoscopy. Since launching in 2018, we have amassed the world's largest dataset of endoscopy videos. Now, we are leveraging that proprietary data to build vertical AI solutions for healthcare. Our vision is a world where technology powered by artificial intelligence dramatically improves the quality of and access to healthcare.

Endoscopy — a procedure in which the doctor places a camera inside the patient to visualize — plays a critical role in healthcare. Current endoscopy IT systems lack meaningful clinical data and do not provide actionable insights within today’s care pathways. We are building the data infrastructure, tools, and expertise to make this new world a reality. As part of our ambitious journey, we are seeking a highly skilled Senior AI Researcher with a PhD to spearhead our machine learning initiatives.

Job Description

As a Senior AI Researcher at Virgo, you will be at the forefront of developing cutting-edge foundation models using our extensive proprietary dataset of endoscopy videos. You will lead a talented team of machine learning professionals, guiding them in leveraging AI to make significant strides in our products. Due to the nature of this role, a PhD in Artificial Intelligence is required, with bonus points for specific experience with medical data, video data, and/or computer vision foundation models.

This is an in-office position based in San Diego, California. The salary range for this position is $350k - $400k.

Reports To

Chris Lawcock - VP of Engineering

Requirements

In this role, you'll get to:

• Lead the research, development, and deployment of novel AI foundation models
• Work closely with the product team to define and prioritize machine learning projects
• Design and implement cutting-edge machine learning algorithms for video understanding, object detection, segmentation, and tracking
• Develop scalable and efficient training and inference pipelines
• Collaborate with cross-functional teams to integrate machine learning models into Virgo's endoscopy platform
• Stay up-to-date with the latest advancements in machine learning, computer vision, and healthcare technologies
• Prototype to Production: Oversee the entire lifecycle of AI model development, from initial prototyping and experimentation to robust, scalable deployment in real-world medical environments. Ensure that research insights translate into tangible product features that enhance the effectiveness and usability of Virgo's endoscopy platform.

We'll expect you to have:

• A PhD in Artificial Intelligence
• Deep expertise in machine learning and computer vision
• Strong programming skills in Python and experience with deep learning frameworks (e.g., PyTorch, TensorFlow)
• Productization Expertise: Proven track record of bringing machine learning models from the research stage to full-scale production, demonstrating a clear understanding of deployment architecture, maintainability, and user impact.
• Impact Orientation: Ability to not only conduct cutting-edge research but also to translate these advances into reliable and efficient products that directly improve medical outcomes and patient care.
• Experience with training and deploying machine learning models at scale
• Knowledge of machine learning techniques for video analysis and understanding
• Strong problem-solving and analytical skills
• Excellent communication and collaboration abilities
• Experience working on healthcare or medical imaging projects is a plus

What you can get excited about:

• The Work — Build products that are used by physicians to help improve the quality of patient care and medical research
• The Data — Virgo has the largest endoscopy video dataset in the world and a deployed network of video capture devices for additional data aggregation and model deployment
• Cutting-Edge Technology — Work with a diverse and talented team of engineers and researchers at the forefront of AI in healthcare
• Growth Opportunities — Virgo is at the forefront of AI in healthcare, and there are plenty of opportunities to grow and advance your career
• Collaborative Culture — Join a collaborative and diverse team with a shared mission and vision
• Take pride in seeing your work on advanced AI models not just published in papers but also integrated into products that are actively used in medical settings, contributing to the health and well-being of individuals worldwide.

Benefits

• Early-stage startup equity
• Flexible PTO policy
• Generous, fully-paid parental leave policy
• Paytient - 0% interest medical credit card with no fees or impact on your credit
• Medical, Dental and Vision insurance - we pay 100% of the lowest tier plan for our employees; HSA available
• 401k
• Free one-year membership to Talkspace
• Free Teladoc membership