Assistant Professor in immunology

Join a global community of excellence

Are you a bold, creative researcher ready to shape the future of medical science? Karolinska Institutet (KI), one of the world’s foremost medical universities, is launching a major recruitment initiative in 2025. KI is seeking 20 outstanding early- career researchers to join us as Assistant Professors in a wide range of subject areas.

At KI, we foster a vibrant, international research environment where curiosity, innovation, and excellence thrive. We are looking for inspiring, driven, and visionary scientists with exceptional research achievements and the potential to become future leaders in their fields.   

The Department of Clinical Sciences at Danderyd Hospital is dedicated to high-impact clinical and translational research across a wide range of medical disciplines. Embedded within Danderyd Hospital (KIDS) -  hosting approximately 400 medical students annually and over 46,000 inpatient admissions and 430,000 outpatient visits—the department is uniquely positioned for close integration between research and patient care. Our clinical environment comprising clinical biobanking and specialized platforms such as a human adult stem cell (hASC) organoid facility ensures direct access to patient samples, supports a true bench-to-bedside-and-back research model and accelerates the development of patient-centered innovations.

What do we offer?

If you meet our requirements and propose a groundbreaking research project, we are prepared to employ you as an Assistant Professor for six years and support you with a generous funding package of SEK [9 or 12] million to cover your salary and other research costs. KI offers the opportunity to be promoted from a time-limited (six-year) position as Assistant Professor to permanent employment as Senior Lecturer. You can read more about it here.

At KI, you’ll be part of an interdisciplinary research community. Our researchers work across a wide range of fields and methodologies within medicine and health, creating rich opportunities for knowledge exchange and cross-disciplinary collaboration. You’ll also benefit from close connections with healthcare providers, ensuring your research remains closely aligned with real-world clinical practice.

As a state university, KI offers a comprehensive benefits package governed by collective agreements. These include annual salary reviews, supplementary insurance, and opportunities to participate in institutional decision-making.

We also understand that a successful research career is supported by a strong personal foundation. That’s why we are committed to supporting not only our researchers but also their partners and families, recognising the vital role they play in your life and well-being.

Learn more about what KI and Sweden can offer, and the different calls!

Location: Danderyd 

Description of the subject area 

We are seeking a skilled and ambitious junior researcher with a passion for discovery and translational immunology to join our dynamic academic environment. This position is based within the mucosal immunology group and is part of an ERC-funded research program aimed at exploring the structure-function relationships of mucosal IgA, with the goal of guiding next-generation vaccine and therapeutic antibody design. Leveraging our globally unique biobank of human nasal secretions, the project explores recombinant secretory IgA candidates using affinity LC-MS, cell-based assays, omics approaches, and hASC-derived nasal and lung organoids. This is a unique opportunity for a motivated early-career scientist to contribute to cutting-edge research while actively shaping the development of a growing lab.

Your mission 

This Assistant Professor position offers a unique opportunity to build a strong academic profile—primarily by developing your independence as a researcher, while also gaining valuable teaching and pedagogical experience.

As Assistant Professor, you will play a central role in advancing the mucosal immunology group’s core research goals in translational immunology. In the initial years, your work will closely support the principal investigator across experimental planning, data interpretation, grant writing, and mentorship of junior researchers, while independently driving select subprojects. The position provides a structured path toward research independence. The successful candidate is expected to gradually establish their own research profile and, within 3–6 years, begin building an independent research group. You will have the opportunity to define your scientific niche, launch new research directions, and contribute to the long-term strategic and scientific vision of the lab.

Eligibility requirements 

To be eligible for an appointment as Assistant Professor, you must demonstrate good scientific skills according to KI’s eligibility criteria as follows:

• A PhD (or equivalent degree) in a relevant subject area
• At least two peer-reviewed original scientific publications as first or last author, in addition to the doctoral thesis

Priority is given to those who were awarded a PhD (or attained equivalent competence) no more than seven years prior to the expiry of the deadline for the application.

Those who have been awarded a doctoral degree or attained equivalent research competence earlier will also be considered if there are special circumstances for absence from research (deductible time), such as: parental leave, long-term illness, positions of trust in trade union organizations or mandatory service in total defence.

The circumstances, dates and extent must be clearly specified in the application and verified by relevant documentation.

For this call, exceptions are made from all pedagogical requirements specified in the instructions regarding the Appointment procedure for teachers at KI. However, you must complete three weeks of higher education pedagogical courses in accordance with the Association of Swedish Higher Education Institutions’ recommendations, no later than two years after starting your employment as an Assistant Professor (unless you can certify that you have completed equivalent training before starting the position).

Particularly meritorious is:

• the scientific quality, originality, and feasibility of your research plan within the relevant subject area
• documented experience in research environments outside KI, with special consideration given to international research experience

These criteria reflect our commitment to fostering globally competitive researchers who contribute to high-impact science and academic excellence.

It is further meritorious that you have demonstrated

• You are a researcher with a PhD in life sciences
• A strong background in mucosal immunology
• A strong interest and experience in antibody glycosylation
• A strong interest and experience in organoid culturing
• A strong interest in and experience of supervising PhD students
• Excellent organizational, planning and record-keeping skills
• An open and service-minded attitude
• Excellent teamwork and communication skills
• Excellent English skills, written and spoken

The criteria listed will form part of the overall assessment of the applicant. All criteria will be assessed but they should not individually be seen as requirements.

Offers will be extended to the best candidate based on an overall assessment of the applicant’s expertise and merits in relation to the subject area.

Application guidelines

All applicants are expected to follow the application instructions carefully. Failure to comply with the guidelines or misrepresentation of qualifications may negatively impact on the evaluation of your application.

The application should consist of the following documents, written in English:

• A personal letter (maximum 1 page)
• Application form, including your research project (the form can be found here)
• Up to ten published papers and optionally one manuscript, in PDF format
• PhD certificate
• If you have a PhD that is older than seven years and want to claim deductible time, you must attach a certificate of deductible time in Swedish or English.

Welcome to apply no later than September 2nd, 2025 (time 23.59 CEST).

For more information about the calls, conditions regarding funding and employment, see here.

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