Senior Research Specialist in Clinical Psychology

Do you want to contribute to better health for all?

We are looking for a senior research specialist to join the Centre for Psychiatry Research (CPF). CPF is a knowledge hub for psychiatric disorders, with a mission to conduct internationally competitive research and to support education, quality assurance, and implementation of evidence-based methods within psychiatric and related somatic healthcare. A central objective for us is to enable equitable, scalable, and patient-safe interventions through clinically grounded treatment development and implementation-oriented research. We offer a stimulating scientific environment as well as a possibility to collaborate with other researchers at the Karolinska Institutet and internationally.

Description of the subject area

The research area concerns psychiatric and psychological factors in somatic disease, with a particular focus on cardiovascular and respiratory conditions. The core of the work is the development, evaluation, and implementation of evidence-based psychological and behavioral medicine interventions, with a specific emphasis on cognitive behavioral therapy and digital treatment formats. The research integrates psychiatry, psychology, behavioral medicine, and clinical medicine, focusing on mechanisms underlying psychological distress and functional impairment in the context of somatic illness. Particular attention is given to vulnerable populations, including migrants and other groups with increased disease burden or limited access to care.

Your mission

As a Senior Research Specialist, the role involves independently leading and further developing clinical treatment research within psychiatry and behavioral medicine, with a particular focus on the interface between mental health and somatic disease. Responsibilities include the development and evaluation of scalable, evidence-based psychological interventions, including digitally delivered cognitive behavioral therapy, and research with clear clinical and implementation relevance. The role will also involve development and evaluation of adapted interventions to suit migrant populations. This is with the goal of increasing scalability within this area of research.

The position involves close collaboration with clinical services and academic partners at national and international levels, including participation in and leadership of interdisciplinary research consortia. Responsibilities include study design, methodological development, quality assurance, preparation of ethics applications and other regulatory documentation, supervision of doctoral students, postdoctoral researchers, and students, as well as scientific reporting, manuscript preparation, and dissemination.

The work builds on established treatment research and aims to support long-term implementation within healthcare systems.

Eligibility requirements

For employment as Senior Research 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 employment as a Senior Research Specialist, in addition to holding a PhD, or having a foreign degree deemed equivalent to a Swedish doctoral degree, the applicant must have demonstrated good level of research expertise with significant scientific output. The applicant must also have demonstrated a good scientific independence to which their own contribution has been significant and a research plan of high quality with clear future potential.

The applicant should have authored 15 original publications, the majority of which must be based on his/her postdoctoral research. Of these, at least two must be as first or last author, of which at least one as last author, conducted after PhD graduation and without any of his/her doctoral supervisors as co-authors.

In addition, documented research experience in digital psychological treatments for patients with cardiovascular and/or respiratory diseases is required. This experience should include the development and/or evaluation of digital interventions in clinical populations, preferably in collaboration with somatic healthcare services. Experience in intervention studies, such as feasibility studies and randomized controlled trials, is considered an advantage.

Several years of documented research experience in psychiatry, psychology, or behavioral medicine are required. The candidate must be a licensed psychologist with specialization in cognitive behavioral therapy and have strong familiarity with patient safety, clinical assessment, and multidisciplinary collaboration within both psychiatric and somatic healthcare. Documented experience of independently leading large, multi-year research projects from conception to publication is required, including grant applications, external funding, data collection, and the establishment of new collaborations, preferably in international settings. Excellent proficiency in both Swedish and English, written and spoken, is required.

Assessment criteria

The position requires strong leadership skills, including the ability to plan, lead, and distribute work effectively, and to manage multiple tasks and parallel projects. The candidate is expected to demonstrate persistence in long-term research initiatives, strong collaborative skills, and the ability to motivate research participants and partners across diverse collaborative settings. The role also requires the ability to move flexibly between strategic oversight and detailed scientific, ethical, and regulatory work. 

It is particularly meritorious that the applicant has shown:

• A doctoral dissertation within clinical psychology.
• A strong scientific publication record with internationally published original research.
• Documented scientific responsibility as principal investigator and leadership of independent research lines.
• Experience initiating and leading large-scale, interdisciplinary clinical research projects.
• Experience conducting research at the interface of psychiatry, behavioral medicine, and somatic healthcare.
• Documented experience in international research environments and academic networks.
• Experience conducting research with migrant populations, including the development and adaptation of interventions to promote equitable and accessible care
• Successful acquisition of research funding in competitive national and international settings.
• Established national and international research collaborations.
• Development of a clear, independent, and sustainable research profile within the relevant subject area.
• A well-articulated plan for future research with clear clinical and societal relevance.
• Experience of supervising master and doctoral candidate

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: Norrtull, Stockholm

Read more about Centre for Psychiatry Research

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 applications will be reviewed by external reviewers.

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!