Postdoctoral Programs

The Center for Engineering in Medicine & Surgery at Massachusetts General Hospital provides a variety of educational programs for postdoctoral researchers.

A major portion of the mission and history of the Center for Engineering in Medicine & Surgery (CEMS) involves the training of MDs and PhDs in the fundamentals of biomedical science and engineering, and bringing the principles and tools of biomedical engineering to the forefront of biomedical research and patient care.

The CEMS is a place where scientific rigor and creativity are matched by a sense of sharing and community; it is a vibrant enterprise that draws strength from its diversity and collaborative spirit, and from its affiliations with surrounding biomedical research institutions including Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, the Shriners Burns Hospital and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.

Interactions, both within and outside the CEMS, provide excellent opportunities for training as well as opportunities for spin-off industrial activities. The CEMS's emphasis on collaboration serves to remove the boundaries separating the engineering, scientific and clinical disciplines. The physical layout and research activities in the CEMS follow the same principles, with an open-bay configuration, interdisciplinary group meetings, and a focus on highly challenging cutting-edge problems.

Interested individuals can apply for postdoctoral training by sending an application package via email containing: a cover letter, an extended CV with publications, and the names of 3-4 individuals who can serve as professional references. Upon receipt, the application is reviewed for fit with existing CEMS research programs. If the fit is appropriate, letters of reference are requested.

The next step is an on-site full day interview with a facilities tour, a candidate seminar, an interactive lunch, and individual meetings with CEMS faculty and postdocs. At the end of the day, those candidates still interested are charged with “homework”, which involves a 2-3-page proposal outlining a project that they would be interested in pursuing for their postdoc.

This proposal is reviewed by CEMS faculty, and comments are returned to the candidate for consideration and revision. When the revised proposal is accepted, an offer letter is sent to the candidate. CEMS postdoctoral fellow appointments include those at Mass General, Harvard Medical School, and the Shriners Hospitals for Children; appointment processing may take up to 2-3 months for domestic applicants and up to 4-5 months for non-domestic applicants.

Postdoctoral fellows usually spend 2-3 years in training before going on to academic or industrial positions. Although the vast majority of former CEMS postdocs have secured academic positions, a significant number find excellent jobs in industry.

Research Positions

William Harvey Postdoctoral Fellowships in Tissue Engineering

Postdoctoral fellowships are available in the Mass General Center for Engineering in Medicine & Surgery in Boston. The applicants will join the ongoing projects including revitalization of damaged organs, new techniques for organ storage, recellularization of organ bioscaffolds, next generation perfusion devices and advanced tissue chip designs. The positions offer outstanding opportunities for interdisciplinary training in the fields for surgery, engineering and biology.

We are seeking highly motivated, independent-minded postdoctoral fellows to drive innovative research projects forward in the area of tissue and organ engineering. The candidates must be productive and eager to learn, scientifically curious, intellectually committed and capable of working independently. Strong communication and writing skills are essential.

We encourage strong applicants (MD, PhD or MD/PhD) to submit a pdf package containing a cover letter, and extended CV, and a list of three references with complete addresses to ireis1@sbi.org with “Harvey Fellowship” in the subject field.

First year salary range is $48,000-$58,000, depending on experience. A materials and travel budget of $12,000/year is also provided. Candidates can apply anytime during the year.