Postdoctoral Research Associate in Immuno-oncology and Autoimmunology

Do you want to contribute to improving human health?

Karolinska Institutet, Department of Oncology-Pathology, The Helleday Laboratory

Professor Thomas Helleday's laboratory has a strong track record in translating scientific discoveries into novel therapeutic strategies. Examples include PARP inhibitor treatment for BRCA-mutated cancers (Bryant et al., Nature, 2005), OGG1 inhibitors for inflammatory diseases (Visnes et al., Science, 2018), and MTHFD1/2 inhibitors for cancer treatment (Bonagas et al., Nature Cancer, 2022).

Based at Science for Life Laboratory (SciLifeLab), the group provides an excellent multidisciplinary environment for translational research and drug discovery. The team includes PhD students, postdoctoral researchers, and senior scientists with expertise in biology, biochemistry, medicinal chemistry, and pharmacology, complemented by substantial experience from the pharmaceutical industry.

The group is hosted within the Department of Oncology-Pathology where basic, translational and clinical research as well as educational activities related to cancer are carried out.

Your mission

We are seeking a dedicated Postdoctoral Researcher to drive an exciting new research project investigating the therapeutic applications of our novel inhibitors in immunology, with a focus on immuno-oncology and autoimmunity.

In this role, you will independently plan, perform, analyse, and interpret experimental results while collaborating closely within the research group and across national and international scientific networks. Full-time dedication to experimental research and rigorous, up-to-date documentation using electronic lab notebooks are required.

A key aspect of the position involves interacting directly with industrial partners to accelerate project translation into the clinic, contributing both to high-impact scientific publications and the development of new therapeutic approaches against cancer and autoimmune diseases.

Your profile

To be eligible for employment as a postdoctoral researcher, a PhD or a foreign degree deemed to be equivalent to a Swedish PhD is required. This eligibility requirement must be fulfilled at the latest at the time of the employment decision. Completion of your doctoral degree within the last three years is considered an advantage. If there are special reasons, your degree may have been completed earlier.

To be eligible for this position, applicants must hold a PhD in cancer biology, immunology, cell biology, or a closely related biomedical discipline. Candidates who are approaching completion of their doctoral studies are also welcome to apply, provided that all requirements for the doctoral degree, including the formal defence, must be fulfilled at the latest at the time of the employment decision.

We are looking for a highly motivated, ambitious, and independent scientist with strong scientific curiosity and a demonstrated ability to drive challenging experimental research projects. The successful candidate is expected to have a strong commitment to hands-on experimental research, the ability to address complex scientific questions, and an interest in working collaboratively in an open, multidisciplinary, and international research environment.

The position requires extensive hands-on experience in in vivo animal models and advanced immunological and cell-biological methods, including multicolour flow cytometry, flow cytometry panel design, and immunofluorescence microscopy. Experience with, and the ability to interpret data generated through, bioinformatic analysis of genomic and/or proteomic datasets is also required.

Applicants should have a strong scientific track record, demonstrated through first- and/or second-author publications in peer-reviewed journals, showing their ability to independently contribute to and bring research projects to completion.

Previous experience in drug discovery, autoimmune disease models, or DNA damage response research is considered an advantage. Experience in preparing research grant applications and supervising students or junior researchers is also considered a merit.

The successful candidate should have strong analytical, organisational, and interpersonal skills, with the ability to plan, prioritise, and independently advance research activities within defined project timelines. Excellent written and verbal communication skills in English are required.

Great emphasis will be placed on personal suitability for the position.

What do we offer?

A creative and inspiring environment with wide-ranging expertise and interests. Karolinska Institutet is one of the world's leading medical universities. At Karolinska Institutet, we conduct successful medical research and hold the largest range of medical education in Sweden. At KI, you get to meet researchers working with a wide range of specialisms and methods, giving you ample opportunity to exchange knowledge and experience with the various scientific fields within medicine and health. It is the crossover collaborations, which have pushed KI to where it is today, at the forefront of global research. Several of the people you meet in healthcare are educated at KI. A close relationship with the health care providers is important for creating groundbreaking top quality education and research. Karolinska Institutet is also a state university, which entitles you to several benefits through our collective agreement.

Location: SciLifeLab, Solna

Choose to work at KI – Ten reasons why

Application

An employment application must contain the following documents in English or Swedish:

• PhD certificate
• A complete resumé, including date of the thesis defence, title of the thesis, previous academic positions, academic title, current position, academic distinctions, and committee work
• A complete list of publications
• A summary of current work (no more than one page)

KI applies individual and differentiated salary setting in accordance with our collective agreements RALS and RALS-T

The application is to be submitted through the Varbi recruitment system. At the latest 19th November.

This position is 2 years with the possibility of extension.

Want to make a difference? Join us and contribute to better health for all!