Do you want to contribute to top quality medical research?

To be a doctoral student means to devote oneself to a research project under supervision of experienced researchers and following an individual study plan. For a doctoral degree, the equivalent of four years of full-time doctoral education is required.

The research group

With 1.1 million new diagnoses every year, prostate cancer is the most common cancer in men in developed countries. The prostate cancer group at MEB is a highly interdisciplinary and vibrant research group at the international forefront of developing and implementing precision medicine strategies for improving diagnostics and treatment of prostate cancer. The research spans world-leading data sources, innovative clinical trials, cutting edge genomics, machine learning and artificial intelligence.

The doctoral student project and the duties of the doctoral student

The work aims at prostate cancer tissue analysis based on digital pathology data. The biopsy Gleason grading system is the most important prognostic marker for prostate cancer but suffers from significant inter-observer variability, limiting its usefulness for individual patients. The Gleason grade is determined by pathologists based on the microscopical growth patterns of the tumor visible in tissue specimens and forms the basis for treatment decisions. We are now looking for a doctoral student with an interest in digital pathology for performing analyses on digital prostate pathology slides.

Questions regarding the role, please contact Martin Eklund. Contact information can be found below.

What do we offer?

A creative and inspiring environment full of expertise and curiosity. Karolinska Institutet is one of the world's leading medical universities. Our vision is to pursue the development of knowledge about life and to promote a better health for all. At Karolinska Institutet, we conduct successful medical research and hold the largest range of medical education in Sweden. As a doctoral student you are offered an individual research project, a well-educated supervisor, a vast range of elective courses and the opportunity to work in a leading research group. Karolinska Institutet collaborates with prominent universities from all around the world, which ensures opportunities for international exchanges. You will be employed on a doctoral studentship which means that you receive a contractual salary. Employees also have access to our modern gym for free and receive reimbursements for medical care.

Eligibility requirements for doctoral education

In order to participate in the selection for a doctoral position, you must meet the following general (A) and specific (B) eligibility requirements at latest by the application deadline.

It is your responsibility to certify eligibility by following the instructions on the web page Entry requirements (eligibility) for doctoral education.

A) General eligibility requirement
You meet the general eligibility requirement for doctoral/third-cycle/PhD education if you:

  1. have been awarded a second-cycle/advanced/master qualification (i.e. master degree) or
  2. have satisfied the requirements for courses comprising at least 240 credits of which at least 60 credits were awarded in the advanced/second-cycle/master level, or
  3. have acquired substantially equivalent knowledge in some other way in Sweden or abroad.*

Follow the instructions on the web page Entry requirements (eligibility) for doctoral education.

*If you claim equivalent knowledge, follow the instructions on the web page Assessing equivalent knowledge for general eligibility for doctoral education.

B) Specific eligibility requirement

You meet the specific eligibility requirement for doctoral/third-cycle/PhD education if you:

- Show proficiency in English equivalent to the course English B/English 6 at Swedish upper secondary school.

Follow the instructions on the web page English language requirements for doctoral education.

Verification of your documents
Karolinska Institutet checks the authenticity of your documents. Karolinska Institutet reserves the right to revoke admission if supporting documents are discovered to be fraudulent. Submission of false documents is a violation of Swedish law and is considered grounds for legal action.

Skills and personal qualities

The applicant should possess a Master’s degree in a relevant field such as applied mathematics and computational mathematics.

The ideal candidate is experienced in image analysis, the development of deep learning models and has a strong interest in prostate pathology. Experience from applications of statistics or machine learning methods in medicine and/or epidemiology are also considered strong merits, together with experience from cross-disciplinary research in a cancer research environment.

Strong programming skills (e.g. in Python, R or MATLAB) are a must, and software development experience (including e.g. version control and dependency management tools) is an advantage. Mastering basic and some advanced statistical and computational knowledge is a must, including numeral calculations, Bayesian statistics and time series. Familiarity with machine learning and image analysis frameworks (e.g. TensorFlow, PyTorch, Keras, Scikit-learn, OpenCV), whole slide image file formats and tools (e.g. OpenSlide, Bioformats, QuPath, Cytomine), databases and high-performance cluster/cloud computing are considered strong merits. Experience with image analysis from various types of whole slide image scanners, including the ones from Aperio, Hamamastu and Philips, is a merit. The candidate who has research experience on digital pathology, especially on color calibration of pathological images, will be prioritized.

Fluency in English is required, and experience of writing and publishing research articles in English is an advantage. Research and study experience in several countries is a strong advantage.

Personal qualities
The applicant should be highly collegial, and be able to work well in a cross-disciplinary team as well as having the ability to work independently. Further, the applicant should possess exceptional organizational skills, know how to successfully multitask, and should be able to describe past examples of having developed structured approaches to solving unanticipated and complex problems.

The applicant should have excellent analytical skills, possess curiosity and creativity, and have capacity to take responsibility for research projects together with the supervisor.

Terms and conditions
The doctoral student will be employed on a doctoral studentship maximum 4 years full-time.

Application process

Submit your application and supporting documents through the Varbi recruitment system. Use the button in the top right corner and follow the instructions.

Your application should contain the following documents. We prefer that your application is written in English, but you can also apply in Swedish:

- A personal letter and a curriculum vitae 
- Degree projects and previous publications, if any 
- Any other documentation showing the desirable skills and personal qualities described above 
- Documents certifying your general eligibility (see A above)
- Documents certifying your specific eligibility (see B above)

Selection

A selection will be made among eligible applicants on the basis of the ability to benefit from doctoral education. The qualifications of the applicants will be evaluated on an overall basis.

Karolinska Institutet uses the following bases of assessment:

- Documented subject knowledge of relevance to the area of research
- Analytical skill
- Other documented knowledge or experience that may be relevant to doctoral studies in the subject.

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

Type of employment Temporary position
Contract type Full time
First day of employment According to agreement
Salary Monthly
Reference number STÖD 2-804/2021
Contact
  • Martin Eklund, martin.eklund@ki.se
  • Carina Olofsson Moreno, carina.olofsson.moreno@ki.se
Union representative
  • Henry Wölling, SEKO, henry.wolling@ki.se
  • Ann Almqvist, SACO, ann.almqvist@ki.se
  • Niklas Andersson, OFR, niklas.andersson@ki.se
Published 12.Feb.2021
Last application date 05.Mar.2021 11:59 PM CET

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