[AY26-27] Postdoctoral Researcher - Digital Health and AI - Innovations in Health Sciences (IHS)

ABOUT VINUNIVERSITY

VinUniversity (VinUni) is the first private, not-for-profit Vietnamese university established based on international standards. The university integrates the models of excellent international universities with the unique cultural and economic characteristics of Vietnam, to make a breakthrough in Vietnamese higher education and to become a world-class university.  

The University has built strategic collaborations with Cornell University and the University of Pennsylvania — a choice that speaks to our commitment to excellence, innovation in research and teaching, and to making a difference in the world. VinUni comprises of College of Arts and Sciences; College of Business and Management; College of Engineering and Computer Science; and College of Health Sciences.  

VinUni’s founding benefactor - Vingroup is one of the biggest private conglomerates in Asia with the largest market capitalization value in Vietnam. As a multisector corporation, Vingroup focuses on three main areas: Industrials & Technology; Real Estate & Services; Infrastructure; Green Energy; and Social Enterprises. VinUni is proud to be a part of the Vingroup ecosystem, giving its students the opportunities to connect with pioneering companies (such as VinFast, Vinpearl, Vinmec, Vinschool, and Vinhomes) and a dynamic entrepreneurial ecosystem (such as VinVenture, VinMotion, or VinRobotics, VinSpace…).  

In September 2024, VinUni became the youngest and fastest university in the world to achieve QS 5 stars, earning 5 stars in 9 categories: global engagement, good governance, program strength, academic development, teaching, employability, facilities, arts, and social impact.  In October 2024, VinUni was appointed by UNESCO as the first and only UNESCO University Chair, focusing on Environmental Leadership, Cultural Heritage, and Biodiversity.   

On our journey to become one of the world’s top 100 universities, VinUni is building a dynamic ecosystem of innovation and discovery. Through strategic investments in world-class research centers, state-of-the-art facilities, and transformative technologies, the university empowers collaboration across disciplines, strengthens partnerships with industry and society, and nurtures a thriving global network, who spearheads advancements in AI/Machine Learning, Data Science, Environmental Intelligence, Innovations in Health Sciences, Policy Development and Sustainable Societies. 

 

ABOUT INNOVATIONS IN HEALTH SCIENCES (IHS)

IHS is committed to advancing innovative solutions that promote health, wellness, and disease prevention; enhance early detection; and deliver accessible precision medicine for prevalent health challenges in Vietnam, Southeast Asia, and beyond. IHS aims to be a leading authority on healthcare access and the social determinants of health that influence health outcomes in Vietnam and Southeast Asia, with the goal of developing policies, practices, and interventions that improve health and wellbeing for all. 

 

PROJECT DESCRIPTION

IHS is looking for highly motivated postdoctoral researchers who are committed to advancing impactful, mission-driven science contributing to the Center’s growing research ecosystem of interdisciplinary health research.

The successful candidate will join two funded projects, I-CARE and EMBRACE-AI, each with a duration of 24 months (including a three-month probation period). These projects aim to generate evidence on the development, implementation, and evaluation of innovative healthcare interventions in real-world settings.

The Postdoctoral Research Fellow will contribute to a broad range of research activities, including evidence synthesis, study design, data collection and analysis, project coordination, stakeholder engagement, and the dissemination of scientific findings.

 

KEY ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

Roles & responsibilities:

The successful candidate will be a driving force behind the project’s success and will be expected to:

• Ensure strict compliance with ethical standards and all confidentiality requirements.
• Conduct types of critical literature reviews (e.g. scoping reviews) to inform study development and implementation.
• Manage and curate datasets, including clinical, survey, and digital health data sources.
• Conduct quantitative and qualitative data analyses, including evaluation of clinical, behavioral, and health system outcomes.
• Develop and apply machine learning models using Python to identify patient/consumer patterns and support clinical decision-making.
• Contribute to the development, adaptation, and evaluation of AI-enabled and digital health interventions.
• Engage with key stakeholders (e.g., clinicians, policymakers, and technology partners) to support implementation and translation activities.
• Lead and contribute to scientific publications, technical reports, and policy briefs
• Support grant writing, project reporting, and dissemination activities.
• Collaborate within a multidisciplinary and international research team.
• Contribute to capacity-building activities and mentor undergraduate and postgraduate students involved in the projects

Expected Deliverables:

• Peer-reviewed publications in high-impact journals (authorship in accordance with ICMJE guidelines).
• Well-documented and reproducible datasets and analytical workflows.
• Reproducible code repositories, including Python scripts and machine learning pipelines.
• Validated analytical models, including machine learning models for consumer insights and clinical decision support.
• Contributions to logistics, and project reports, and implementation materials.
• Presentations at national and international conferences and stakeholder meetings.
• Future grant applications and project proposals.

 

KEY QUALIFICATIONS

Essential:

• Doctoral Degree in health services research, data science or a related field.
• Strong experience in both quantitative and qualitative data analyses and demonstrate experience co-design process.
• Demonstrated skills in Python programming and/or machine learning methods
• Experience working with health data (e.g., clinical, survey, or administrative datasets)
• Track record of peer-reviewed publications
• Strong analytical thinking, scientific writing, and communication skills
• Ability to work independently and collaboratively in a multidisciplinary environment

Desirable:

• Experience in digital health, AI in healthcare, or telehealth research
• Familiarity with implementation science or hybrid study designs
• Experience in low- and middle-income country (LMIC) settings, particularly in Asia
• Skills in qualitative or mixed-methods research
• Experience engaging with policy or health system stakeholders

 

APPOINTMENT DETAILS

• Salary: Competitive, in the range of 30,000 – 40,000 USD per annum, commensurate with experience.
• Contract: The position is offered on a yearly contract basis. The initial contract is renewed, typically for one year, subject to availability of funds, project needs, satisfactory performance, and approval from IHS.
• Principal Investigator:
  • Associate Professor Jo Wu, whose research focuses on digital health interventions, patient self-management and self-efficacy, and clinical health services research, particularly in chronic diseases such as cardiovascular disease and diabetes.
  • Her work emphasises telehealth delivery, multidisciplinary care, and the development of patient-centred interventions to improve health outcomes.
  • ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6512-9049
  • Google Scholar: https://scholar.google.com/citations?user=m_ouNbIAAAAJ&hl=en 

 

HOW TO APPLY 

• A cover letter outlining their research experience and motivation for joining the I-CARE and EMBRACE-AI projects
• A comprehensive curriculum vitae (CV)
• A statement addressing the selection criteria. Applications should be sent to: Asso Professor Jo Wu, Email: [email protected]
• Application Deadline: 8:00 AM (Hanoi time), 28 December 2026
• Please include "Postdoctoral Application: I-CARE/EMBRACE-AI" in the subject line of your email

 

We thank all applicants for their interest. Please note that only those candidates selected for interviews will be contacted.