The University Hospital Düsseldorf (UKD) is the largest hospital in the state capital and one of the most important medical centers in North Rhine-Westphalia. Around 9,300 employees at UKD and its subsidiaries ensure that more than 45,000 patients receive inpatient treatment each year and over 270,000 are treated on an outpatient basis. UKD stands for international excellence in patient care, research, and teaching, as well as for innovative and safe diagnostics, therapy, and prevention.

Patients benefit from the intensive interdisciplinary collaboration of 60 clinics and institutes. A particular strength of the university hospital is the close integration of clinical practice and research, enabling the safe application of new methods. At UKD, the medicine of tomorrow is being created-every day.

The Faculty of Medicine at Heinrich Heine University Düsseldorf is a leading center for research-driven medicine. Its projects and collaborations in basic and clinical research are funded, among others, by the German Research Foundation, federal and state ministries, and the European Union.

We are seeking, at the earliest possible date, for the Interdisciplinary Cardiometabolic Imaging group within the Center for Cardiovascular Research in Diabetes (CARDDIAB):


1 Research Associate (m/f/d), full-time
Fixed-term for 5 years


This is a qualification position in accordance with the German Academic Fixed-Term Contract Act (WissZeitVG, §2 (1)).

A central research focus of the group is the investigation of heart failure in ischemic cardiomyopathy in the context of disorders of glucose metabolism such as hyperinsulinemia, prediabetes, and diabetes mellitus. The aim is to non-invasively characterize metabolic changes in the myocardium and their interactions with metabolically active tissues such as epicardial and visceral adipose tissue.
The Center for Magnetic Resonance in CARDDIAB (CMRC) offers a unique platform for translational imaging, including:


A clinical 3T and 7T MRI system
Two 9.4T small-animal scanners
Hyperpolarization technologies
Comprehensive infrastructure for translational cardiometabolic research


This platform enables the development and application of imaging and spectroscopic methods from animal models to clinical use in humans.

By combining state-of-the-art magnetic resonance spectroscopy, cardiovascular imaging, and AI-based data analysis, new imaging markers of cardiometabolic dysfunction are to be identified. The position focuses on the development and application of advanced MR-based methods for investigating the cardiometabolic system, including:
Metabolic MR imaging of the heart

Development, implementation, and optimization of advanced MR spectroscopy methods (especially ³¹P and ¹H MRS) on a 3 Tesla MR system
Investigation of cardiac energy and glucose metabolism in patients with ischemic cardiomyopathy
Integration of metabolic imaging with structural and functional cardiac MRI
Development of post-processing and analysis pipelines


AI-supported analysis of cardiometabolic imaging data


Application of modern machine learning and AI methods to analyze large cardiovascular datasets
Quantification of metabolically relevant tissues (e.g., epicardial and visceral fat)
Integration of structural, functional, and metabolic parameters to identify new cardiometabolic biomarkers

Completed university degree in natural sciences, engineering, or medicine
PhD relevant to the advertised research areas
Experience in magnetic resonance imaging or MR spectroscopy of the human heart
Interest in translational cardiometabolic research


Desirable additional qualifications


Experience in MR sequence development or MR data analysis
Knowledge of image processing, data analysis, or machine learning
Experience in scientific software programming


What you also bring


Enthusiasm for new challenges
Ability to work in a goal-oriented and solution-focused manner on complex problems
Strong interpersonal and...