Orthopedic Surgeon, Clinical Expert (Contract)

Kinetic Systems • San Francisco, CA

3d • $200 - $400

About The Position

Work with an applied AI research lab at the intersection of healthcare and AI, bringing musculoskeletal and surgical judgment to the testing and improvement of AI. Partner with researchers to explain what good orthopedic care looks like, including documentation, handoffs, and clinical decisions that may not be captured in textbooks. Author clinical cases from the ground up by assembling realistic patient charts, posing and answering clinical questions, and defining what makes a response strong, weak, or unsafe. No coding or AI experience is required; tools will be taught. This is a part-time contract role for 10–15 hours per week for at least one month, with a possible extension. The role is based in San Francisco, with on-site work strongly preferred; remote work may be considered for candidates in the United States.

Requirements

• MD or DO with an active, unrestricted medical license in any US state.
• Board certified in Orthopedic Surgery (ABOS or AOBOS), or board eligible.
• Completion of an accredited orthopedic surgery residency in the US.
• At least 2 years of independent, hands-on practice after residency or fellowship.
• Currently practicing, or in clinical practice within the last 3 years.
• Working knowledge of AAOS clinical practice guidelines and appropriate use criteria.
• Excellent written English and the ability to explain clinical reasoning precisely and concisely.
• Ability to commit 10–15 hours per week for at least 1 month, with a possible extension.

Nice To Haves

• Fellowship training in a subspecialty such as sports medicine, adult reconstruction, spine, hand and upper extremity, trauma, foot and ankle, or shoulder and elbow.
• Experience across academic, private practice, ambulatory surgery center, or hospital employment environments.
• Strong command of orthopedic documentation, coding, and payer rules, including prior authorization and surgical appropriateness criteria.
• Experience writing board-style questions, teaching cases, or CME material.
• Residency faculty or teaching experience.
• Utilization review, peer review, quality improvement, or independent medical examination work.
• Peer reviewing for journals or clinical research experience.
• Prior experience writing rubrics, building test cases, or reviewing AI outputs on any platform.
• Ability to make consistent, well-reasoned judgments across similar cases and identify the evidence supporting each judgment.
• Enjoyment of developing challenging cases, including atypical presentations, mismatches between imaging and examination, and cases that do not fit textbook patterns.
• Ability to work independently, meet agreed timelines, and give and receive direct written feedback.
• Prioritization of case accuracy over volume.

Responsibilities

• Partner with researchers to explain standards of good orthopedic care, including documentation, handoffs, and clinical decision-making.
• Author realistic clinical cases by assembling patient charts, posing clinical questions, and answering them.
• Define criteria that distinguish strong responses from weak or unsafe responses.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Part-time
• Career Level: Senior
• Education Level: Ph.D. or professional degree