Senior Research Infrastructure Specialist to a World Leading PET Facility - Hiring in process/Finished, not possible to apply

Do you want to contribute to top quality medical research?

Positron emission tomography (PET) is an imaging technique used to investigate brain function in healthy subjects and patients with neuropsychiatric conditions. We are now looking for a Senior Research Infrastructure Specialist in Radiochemistry to join the Radiopharmacy Core Facility (RCF) at Karolinska Institutet (KI) to support the production and validation of radiotracer molecules for both clinical and pre-clinical PET studies. In close collaboration with Andrea Varrone's research group, you will be part of one of the world's leading PET operations.

Description of the subject area

Positron emission tomography (PET) is a non-invasive molecular imaging technique that is increasingly used in biomedical research, medical diagnostics, and drug development. A fundamental prerequisite for PET is the synthesis of radiotracer molecules, which can be specifically designed to explore human physiology in unprecedented detail. PET plays a key role in the study of diseases in psychiatry and neurology, and as a tool to optimize treatments with new and established drugs.

Your mission

As part of our team, you will play a key role in cutting-edge medical research. Your daily work will directly support the production of radiotracers that enable PET studies and other clinical and pre-clinical trials.

Duties will include:

• Maintaining strict safety and quality standards, which is important when working in modern GMP regulated laboratories and cleanroom environments.
• Ensuring that our processes and equipment meet the highest quality and regulatory standards by validation and qualification work.
• Development and validation of quality control and production methods and ensure that our products meet the highest quality standards.
• Be responsible for documentation necessary when working with CMC and subsequent submission of IMPD to the Swedish Medical Products Agency.
• Collaboration with an independent QA/QP department at Region Stockholm to ensure that all activities, such as the production of radiotracers, validation of new radiotracers, and CMC documentation, are conducted in accordance with GMP standards.
• Production of radiotracers for clinical and pre-clinical trials, work with modern synthesis modules and apply your technical skills to produce radiotracers according to GMP requirements.

For the right person, there is the opportunity to develop the role and take on more responsibility over time.

Eligibility requirements

We are seeking a skilled and motivated Senior Research Infrastructure Specialist with a background in radiochemistry or organic chemistry, who thrives in a collaborative and interdisciplinary environment and consistently delivers high-quality work.

The ideal candidate holds a university degree (Master’s or higher) in chemistry or a related field, as well as a PhD in a relevant discipline. To be eligible, you must also have experience working in the field of radiochemistry. Particular emphasis is placed on experience leading development services projects, such as the validation of new tracers, including the compilation of CMC documentation and subsequent submission of IMPD to the Swedish Medical Products Agency. Additionally, experience working in modern GMP-regulated laboratories and cleanroom environments, as well as maintaining strict safety and quality standards, is required.

You enjoy working closely with specialists from various fields and organizations, and you possess strong collaborative skills. Excellent written and spoken English is a requirement.

For employment as Senior Research Infrastructure Specialist at Karolinska Institutet, the eligibility requirements and assessment criteria 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 an employment as Senior Research Infrastructure Specialist the applicant must have demonstrated research expertise and been awarded a PhD or a qualification from a foreign higher education institution deemed equivalent to a Swedish PhD. The applicant must have demonstrated technological and methodological expertise as well as a good technological and methodological independence in which their own contribution has been significant. The applicant shall also have demonstrated documented broad and in-depth expertise in a number of technologies/methods focused on both service and development.

Assessment criteria

You possess strong organizational and communication skills. You are responsible and proactive, and we value individuals who take initiative to drive improvements and development within the organization.

It is particularly meritorious that the applicant has shown

• Demonstrated experience in leading development services projects, such as the validation of new radiotracers
• A background in radiochemistry, with experience in labeling chemistry using the isotopes ¹¹C and ¹⁸F, automation, analytical chemistry, and quality assurance

It is meritorious that the applicant has shown

• Experience working with CMC documentation and validation of new radiotracers
• Experience in providing service and giving advise broadly within and outside the organisation
• Very good awareness of technological and methodological development in radiochemistry and successful, independent technological and methodological development in the field

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. We place great emphasis on personal suitability.

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

Read more about the core facility you will be part of
Choose to work at KI – Ten reasons why
Read more about being international staff at KI

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  presented in accordance with Karolinska Institutet's qualifications portfolio for research infrastructure specialist/senior research infrastructure specialist.

The application is to 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!