Senior AI Scientist - Computer Vision & Life Science AI

About PHIO

PHIO, headquartered in Munich, is an innovative life science technology company focused on creating advanced imaging and analytical tools for non-invasive live cell analysis within incubators. By integrating proprietary lensfree imaging techniques with cutting-edge hardware, software, and AI-powered data analysis, PHIO empowers researchers and life science organizations to monitor living cells, quantify biological processes, and extract actionable insights from complex cellular models.

Role Overview

The Senior AI Scientist specializing in computer vision and life science AI will spearhead the development of PHIO's AI functionality related to biological image interpretation. This role encompasses applied AI research, computer vision, and machine learning targeted at live cell imaging, cell morphology assessments, organoid studies, and multimodal biological data integration.

You will work extensively with a variety of imaging data including lensfree and holographic PHIO images, reconstructed/raw images, microscopy data, biological ground truth references, time series, and associated assay metadata. Your efforts will focus on designing AI methodologies that transform intricate cell imagery into reliable, interpretable outputs pertinent to products. This senior position offers substantial hands-on involvement and technical leadership, plus an opportunity to influence PHIO's AI strategic trajectory.

Key Responsibilities

• Contribute to defining PHIO's AI roadmap and pinpoint key opportunities for biological image analysis and multimodal life science data applications.
• Convert biological and scientific challenges into scientifically sound machine learning solutions ready for validation and product integration.
• Participate in strategic choices concerning data use, model architectures, evaluation approaches, and upcoming AI feature sets.
• Create, train, and assess computer vision and machine learning models focused on biological imaging.
• Utilize advanced deep learning frameworks like PyTorch or TensorFlow to implement state-of-the-art techniques.
• Investigate multimodal AI strategies, synthetic data creation, data augmentation methods, and ensure models generalize effectively.
• Design reproducible experimental setups for ML, establish data pipelines, and define evaluation processes.
• Produce well-documented research prototypes suitable for validation stages and seamless handover to product teams.
• Support conversion of research prototypes into production-ready features collaborating closely with the software engineering group.
• Maintain scientific rigor while delivering practical AI solutions within a dynamic startup environment.
• Work collaboratively with interdisciplinary teams spanning biology, software, hardware, product management, and leadership.
• Contribute to the preparation of technical documentation, facilitate knowledge transfer, and engage in select scientific or customer partnerships.

Candidate Profile and Essential Qualifications

• PhD in machine learning, computer vision, bioinformatics, computational biology, physics, mathematics, computer science, or related quantitative disciplines, plus minimum two years of relevant postdoctoral or industry experience.
• Alternatively, a Master’s degree with at least five years of significant industry experience in applied machine learning, computer vision, biological image analysis, or AI applications in life sciences.
• Demonstrated expertise in image-based machine learning, with substantial practical experience working on complex computer vision tasks, preferably within biological, biomedical, or scientific contexts.
• Proficiency in Python and hands-on experience developing with deep learning frameworks such as PyTorch or TensorFlow.
• Ability to independently identify scientific questions and translate these into effective, testable machine learning solutions.
• Experience owning technical components of AI or vision projects, including experiment design, evaluation criteria setting, approach review, and facilitating collaboration across AI, software, biology, and product domains.

Personal Attributes

• Highly proactive and hands-on approach, motivated to engage directly with data, code, models, and experiments.
• Organized and pragmatic with a commitment to scientific integrity, aiming to produce robust, well-documented prototypes.
• Comfortable navigating ambiguous biological problems, managing incomplete datasets, and adapting to shifting priorities in a startup setting.
• Strong communication skills enabling effective teamwork across AI, biology, software engineering, product management, and leadership groups.

What PHIO Offers

• Opportunity to shape PHIO’s future AI strategy, capabilities, and organizational structure.
• Chance to contribute to cutting-edge AI technology for non-invasive live cell analysis inside incubators from the ground up.
• Access to exclusive biological imaging datasets, including lensfree and holographic images, live-cell time series, organoid models, microscopy images, and multimodal assay data.
• An interdisciplinary work environment combining AI, biology, software engineering, hardware development, product innovation, and executive leadership.
• Room for technical ownership, transforming applied AI research into dependable and product-aligned prototype solutions.
• The role is ideally full-time and based in Munich / Planegg / Martinsried area, with flexible hybrid working arrangements depending on fit and project requirements.

Application Instructions

• Provide your updated CV, emphasizing relevant projects and the impact of your technical contributions.
• Include evidence of pertinent work, such as a GitHub profile, Google Scholar page, portfolio, publication record, or a brief summary of a project you feel proud of.
• No formal cover letter is necessary; instead, include 2-3 sentences describing your excitement about integrating AI with live cell imaging at PHIO.