Research Specialist in regulatory genomics in neuroscience

Do you want to contribute to top quality medical research?

Join a vibrant, international research environment at the Karolinska Institute, one of the world's leading medical universities. Our laboratory, located in Biomedicum, one of Europe's largest and most ultramodern research facilities, offers exceptional opportunities for collaboration, career development, and conducting cutting-edge research at the intersection of neuroscience, computational biology, and synthetic genomics.

Description of the subject area

The Llorens laboratory studies the regenerative potential of the mammalian central nervous system (CNS). We investigate principles of gene expression regulation during CNS development and injury and repurpose these mechanisms to promote regeneration. Our research integrates stem cell biology, systems biology, computational modeling, molecular engineering, and animal models of disease. Recent findings include the discovery of latent regenerative potential in adult spinal cord stem cells through single-cell multiomics approaches and the development of novel spatially-resolved multiomics technologies. Current projects employ computational modeling of large-scale single-cell and spatial genomics datasets, combined with synthetic genomics approaches, to design targeted regenerative interventions for the nervous system.

Your mission

As a research specialist, you will apply cutting-edge single-cell and spatial genomics approaches combined with advanced computational methods to uncover mechanisms of neural circuit repair and regeneration. Your responsibilities will include integrating large-scale transcriptomic and epigenomic datasets with state-of-the-art deep learning models to establish sequence-to-function relationships that inform the design of regenerative therapies.

You will combine hands-on neuroscience experimental approaches, such as surgical techniques, viral or genetic manipulation, and circuit tracing, with sophisticated data-driven analysis. You will be expected to drive independent research projects while collaborating with multidisciplinary team members, contribute to manuscript preparation and grant writing, and present your findings at international conferences.

Eligibility requirements

For employment as Research Specialist at Karolinska Institutet, the eligibility requirements stated in the Guidelines for non-teaching positions at Karolinska Institutet are applied in relation to the established profile of employment.

To be eligible for employment as a Research Specialist, in addition to holding a Degree of Doctor, PhD, or having a foreign degree deemed equivalent to a Swedish doctoral degree, the applicant must have demonstrated research expertise as well as have documented postdoctoral research experience.

Assessment criteria

Applicants will be assessed based on their scientific qualifications, research experience, and potential to contribute to the laboratory's mission. Key criteria include:

• Scientific excellence: Demonstrated through a strong publication record and quality of previous research contributions
• Relevant expertise: Background in neuroscience, computational biology, bioinformatics, machine learning, or related disciplines as evidenced by PhD training and/or postdoctoral work
• Technical skills: Proficiency with computational tools, programming languages (e.g., Python, R), and experience with high-performance computing environments
• Research independence and motivation: Self-driven approach, ability to develop and execute research projects, and clear research vision
• Communication skills: Strong written and verbal English communication abilities, as demonstrated through publications, presentations, and the application materials
• Collaborative potential: Ability to work effectively in an interdisciplinary, international team environment
  
  

It is particularly meritorious that the applicant has shown

• Expertise in machine learning and deep learning applied to biological datasets (e.g., using TensorFlow, Keras, or PyTorch)
• Hands-on experience with neuroscience experimental methods, including surgical approaches, viral or genetic manipulation, circuit tracing, or related techniques
• Track record of analyzing single-cell and/or spatial genomics data
• First-author publications in high-impact peer-reviewed journals demonstrating innovation and scientific rigor

It is meritorious that the applicant has shown

• Experience with comparative genomics data integration and analysis.
• Familiarity with glial biology or CNS injury models
• Proficiency in programming languages commonly used in computational biology (Python, R, or similar)
• Experience with molecular biology techniques and/or synthetic biology approaches
• Track record of interdisciplinary collaboration across wet-lab and computational research
• Recent PhD completion demonstrating cutting-edge training and up-to-date technical knowledge

After an overall assessment of the expertise and merits of the applicants in relation to the subject area, Karolinska Institutet will determine which of them has the best potential to contribute to a positive development of the activities at KI.

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. Here, 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: Solna

[Video about Karolinska Institutet, how we all work towards "a better health for all"]

Application

We prefer that Your application is written in English, but You can also apply in Swedish. An application must contain the following documents: PhD certificate, resumé, qualifications and description of planned research, presented in accordance with Karolinska Institutet's qualifications portfolio.

The application must be submitted through the Varbi recruitment system.

Permanent position is initiated by a six months trial period.

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