Postdoctoral Researcher in Next-Generation Lineage Tracing for Immunology

Do you want to contribute to top-quality medical research and improving human health?

To be a postdoctoral researcher is to devote oneself to scientific discovery while contributing to a vibrant academic environment through supervision, teaching, and collaborative activities. We are seeking a highly motivated and intellectually curious postdoctoral fellow to join a joint research project between the laboratories of Associate Professor Dhifaf Sarhan and Assistant Professor Kasper Karlsson at Karolinska Institutet. The postdoc will work on an interdisciplinary project aimed at elucidating adaptive natural killer (NK) cell responses and immunological memory, using advanced lineage tracing and single-cell and spatial profiling. By combining cutting-edge immune biology with state-of-the-art lineage tracing technologies, the project seeks to understand how NK cell states are formed, maintained, and propagated across cell divisions in tumor and immune contexts.

The position is based at Science for Life Laboratory, Solna campus the first year, and at ANA Futura, Karolinska Institutet, Flemingsberg Campus, the second year. The project leverages close interactions with clinicians, technology developers, and core facilities, providing access to world-class infrastructure for single-cell genomics, spatial biology, functional genomics, and computational analysis.

As a postdoc in this project, you will be part of KIRI, the Karolinska Institutet Research Incubator, a unique initiative at KI to build a community for interdisciplinary research and breakthrough discoveries. You will have access to two PI:s that you can meet and interact with to facilitate the research process and increase the synergetic effects. You will also have the opportunity to meet other KIRI postdocs, present your work at scientific events, and take part in KIRI activities. Read more about KIRI here: KI Research Incubator - KIRI

This position offers a unique opportunity to develop independent scientific thinking, contribute to methodological innovation, and work at the interface of immune memory, tumor biology, and next-generation lineage tracing, with strong relevance for both fundamental immunology and future therapeutic strategies.

Your profile

We invite applications from outstanding PhD, MD, or MD/PhD candidates with a background in immunology, combined with a strong interest in technology and method development. This position is aimed at candidates who want to work at the interface of NK cell biology and lineage-tracing technologies, and to develop new experimental and computational tools to study adaptive immune responses at single-cell resolution.

The successful candidate will be highly motivated, technically curious, and creative, with a solid experimental foundation and a clear ambition to grow as an independent researcher. The postdoctoral fellow is expected to contribute equally to biological discovery, focused on immune memory, and to technology development, including lineage tracing, single-cell workflows, and data-driven analysis. The overarching aim is to generate mechanistic insights with clear relevance for cancer immunotherapy and translational research.

The position is embedded in a highly collaborative environment spanning experimental immunology, quantitative biology, and translational cancer research, with access to world-class infrastructure for single-cell genomics, functional genomics, and computational analysis.

The preferred start date is spring 2026, but the timing and details of the position are open for discussion. The initial appointment is for two years, with the possibility of extension for up to an additional two years, in accordance with KI regulations.

Required skills

To be eligible for employment as a postdoctoral researcher, a PhD or a foreign degree deemed to be equivalent to a Swedish PhD is required. This eligibility requirement must be fulfilled at the latest at the time of the employment decision. Completion of your doctoral degree within the last three years is considered an advantage. If there are special reasons, your degree may have been completed earlier.

Applicants should have a solid experimental foundation and a strong interest in technology-driven research. Required experience includes mammalian cell culture (preferably primary cells), and a basic understanding of immunology with hands-on experience working with immune cells and/or immune phenotyping by flow cytometry. Familiarity with standard molecular biology techniques, such as PCR, is expected, as well as working proficiency in Python or R, ideally applied to sequencing-based data analysis.

Desired skills

Experience in one or more of the following areas will be considered an advantage, but candidates are not expected to have experience in all areas:

• Tumor–immune interaction models, such as immune–tumor co-cultures
• Single-cell experimental workflows, including sample preparation, quality control, and downstream analysis
• Molecular cloning and viral delivery, including plasmid design, assembly, or lentiviral transduction
• Lineage tracing or clonal tracking, including any form of cell barcoding technique

Strong candidates may compensate for limited experience in specific areas through demonstrated technical aptitude, curiosity, and motivation to develop new methods. Relevant training will be provided within the project.

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. At Karolinska Institutet, 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.

Application

An employment application must contain the following documents in English or Swedish:

• PhD certificate
• A complete resumé, including date of the thesis defence, title of the thesis, previous academic positions, academic title, current position, academic distinctions, and committee work
• A complete list of publications
• A summary of current work (no more than one page)

Welcome to apply!

The application is to be submitted through the Varbi recruitment system.

Karolinska Institutet strives to provide a workplace that has approximately the same number of women and men, is free of discrimination and offers equal opportunity to everyone. For temp agencies and recruiters, and to salespersons: We politely, yet firmly, decline direct contact with temp agencies and recruiters, as well as those selling additional job announcements.

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