PhD Scholarship for a Design-Led Research Program on the Future of CT Imaging in Distributed Care
PhD Scholarship for a Design-Led Research Program on the Future of CT Imaging in Distributed Care
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Job Description
PhD Scholarship for a Design-Led Research Program on the Future of CT Imaging in Distributed Care
Job No:680923
Location:Caulfield campus
Employment Type: Full-time
Duration:3-year fixed-term appointment
Remuneration:AUD $50000 pa stipend tax-free
- Tuition Fees: Fully covered
- Resources: Access to fabrication prototyping and simulation facilities as well as clinical testing sites and international collaboration opportunities
Program Overview
Monash Universitys Design Health Collab is offering a fully funded PhD opportunity for a candidate to undertake applied research in intelligent task guidance technologies that support CT scanning by generalist clinicians working in distributed healthcare settings.
In this contextintelligent task guidancerefers to the design of technologies and systems that assist non-specialist healthcare providers such as a primary care physician to safely and effectively perform clinical procedures that fall within an expanded scope of capability. In this case the focus is on diagnostic imaging. The aim is to extend the reach of diagnostic and treatment services in environments where specialist support is unavailable without compromising safety accuracy or quality of care.
The PhD is funded by the Advanced Research Projects Agency for Health (ARPA-H) as part of itsPARADIGM program a multi-institutional initiative to develop deployable hospital-grade care systems for underserved and remote communities. The candidate will be embedded within this program working in parallel with a multidisciplinary team designinga ruggedised mobile CT scannerin collaboration with Micro-X Inc. while engaging closely with clinical stakeholders and system engineers.
This research does not centre on the hardware design but on the technologies and systems that support its use including AI embedded interfaces and mixed-reality tools. The emphasis is on designingadvanced interaction models and procedural guidance systemsthat enable safe effective and intuitive use of imaging equipment by non-specialists.
Research Scope
The successful candidate will undertake original practice-based research across areas such as:
- Task Guidance Design: How can procedural support be embedded within the mobile care environment to scaffold operator confidence and reduce cognitive load
- Interaction Sequencing: What models of interface flow and human-system interaction best support safe use under pressure or with limited training
- Technological Integration: What roles might advancing technologies such as artificial intelligence mixed reality displays context-aware prompts or embedded feedback play in supporting diagnostic imaging workflows
- Error Mitigation and Trust: How can interfaces and interaction systems reduce the likelihood of operator error while building trust in semi-automated diagnostic tools
Your research will include speculative design rapid prototyping and real-world evaluation. The aim is to generate outcomes that inform the current CT scanner in development and shape the future of imaging modalities intended for distributed or autonomous operation.
Supervision and Research Environment
- Lab: Design Health Collab Faculty of Art Design & Architecture Monash University
- Lab Director:Professor Daphne Flynn
- PhD Supervisors: Dr Nyein Chan Aung Dr Myra Thiessen and Dr Indae Hwang
- Industry Collaborators: Micro-X Inc. (SeaTac WA) and ARPA-H (USA)
- Setting: Embedded within a large-scale international design-engineering-clinical collaboration
Candidate Profile
We welcome applications from industry professionals as well as academic researchers. This opportunity is best suited to candidates with demonstrated experience in:
- Design-led projects
- Designing for complex or high-consequence systems
- Human-centred product service or interaction design in healthcare defence or critical infrastructure
- Applied human-computer interaction or cognitive ergonomics
- Designing for safety usability or performance in constrained or distributed environments
Applicants should demonstrate strong skills in prototyping systems thinking and collaborative research. Prior experience in healthcare is beneficial but not essential.
Funding and Support
- Stipend: AUD $50000 pa (2025 rate) tax-free
- Tuition Fees: Fully covered
- Resources: Access to fabrication prototyping and simulation facilities as well as clinical testing sites and international collaboration opportunities
Application Process
This position follows atwo-stage selection process.
Step 1: Expression of Interest (EOI)
Submit an EOI via the Faculty of Art Design and Architecture at Monash:
Your EOI should include:
A brief research proposal(12 pages) that addresses the following questions:
- What do you see as the critical design challenges or opportunities in enabling non-specialists to operate CT imaging in mobile healthcare environments
- What kinds of design methods or research strategies would you use in this challenge For example:
- Would you begin with workflow mapping interface audits or observational fieldwork
- Would you prototype interface ideas early or conduct user scenario testing in a simulation
- What role might participatory or co-design approaches play
- What types of technologies or interface modes do you believe are promising in this context You dont need to commit to a solution or specific technologies. We are interested in how you might explore possibilities. These might include:
- Advanced UIs beyond a touch screen audio prompts visual overlays physical affordances decision trees or conversational tools
- What criteria would guide your design approach Would you prioritise ease of learning error reduction operator confidence trust in system feedback or something else
- What excites you about practice-based research in a healthcare environment Where do you think your work could meaningfully inform both design and deployment
ACV and design portfolio which should include:
- Relevant professional and academic work
- Evidence of process capability (e.g. user flows workshop facilitation technical integration)
- A shortstatement of motivationexplaining your interest in healthcare design and in this specific opportunity
Step 2: Interview and Proposal Development
Shortlisted candidates will be invited to meet with the supervision team to discuss their proposal before being invited to submit a full application.
Enquiries: For project-specific enquiries contactDr Nyein Chan AungProgram Director Imaging Technology Design Research
Monash University Design Health Collab
Applications Close: Thursday31 July 2025 11:55pm AEST
Supporting a diverse workforce
Monash University recognises that its Australian campuses are located on the unceded lands of the people of the Kulin nations and pays its respects to their elders past and present.
Employment Type
Student
