Senior Research Infrastructure Specialist in vaccine immunology

Do you want to contribute to top quality medical research?

One position is now open in Professor Karin Loré’s group as a Senior Research Infrastructure Specialist to support and further develop the necessary infrastructure for translational vaccine research. The overall focus of the research group is to investigate immune functions by which different vaccine formulations regulate immunity. The successful candidate will join an enthusiastic team at the Department of Medicine, Solna at Karolinska Institutet and be coordinating and supporting vaccine studies addressing timely questions in close collaboration with the vaccine industry and national as well as international collaborators.

Description of the subject area

The group’s scientific focus is to investigate the immune mechanisms by which different vaccine platforms and formulations shape and regulate protective immunity. This includes detailed immunological profiling, advanced cellular assays, and the integration of diverse technologies to understand vaccine-induced immune responses.

Your mission

Karolinska Institutet is seeking a highly skilled and motivated Senior Research Infrastructure Specialist to support and further develop the research environment required for translational vaccine research. The successful candidate will be responsible for strengthening the full research pipeline – from preclinical studies to clinical trial implementation – by ensuring access to robust, well-functioning, and regulatory-compliant research infrastructure. The candidate will provide high-level support and guidance to researchers across multiple laboratories, including those initiating or expanding translational and clinical research activities, ensuring they have the expertise and infrastructure needed to advance their projects effectively. This role requires deep expertise in immunological methods, including assays assessing innate immune activation and antigen-specific B- and T-cell responses, as well as the ability to contribute to data analysis, interpretation, and continuous methodological optimization.

The Senior Research Infrastructure Specialist is expected to oversee and coordinate key regulatory processes, including preparation of ethical applications, adherence to Good Clinical Practice (GCP), and the management of safety reporting and other mandatory clinical documentation. The candidate will be expected to maintain high standards of quality, safety, and regulatory compliance while supporting complex translational research activities.

The position will be based at Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden. We work in collaboration with academic partners, vaccine companies as well as funding agencies such as the Bill and Melinda Gates foundation.

Eligibility requirements

For employment as Research Infrastructure 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.

The successful candidate must hold a PhD degree in biomedicine, immunology, or a related discipline, and possess at least five years of postdoctoral experience in immunology, along with a minimum of three years of experience as a research specialist in vaccine immunology. Proven expertise in advanced experimental methodologies, including multicolor flow cytometry, antigen-specific immune cell assays, fluorescence microscopy, and preclinical animal studies involving both rodent and non-human primate models, is essential. The position further requires demonstrated experience in planning and executing clinical trials, including obtaining all necessary regulatory approvals, as well as strong communication skills for effective interaction with vaccine industry partners and funding agencies. The candidate must also have experience in scientific manuscript writing as well as grant-related activities, such as contributing to the preparation of grant applications, budget planning, and financial and scientific reporting. Relevant certifications, including FELASA and Good Clinical Practice (GCP), are required.

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.

Emphasis will be placed on personal suitability and compatibility with lab members. Applicants must have good communication skills in English, and proficiency in Swedish is a plus. The successful candidate must have the ability to collaborate and work productively in a team.

Assessment criteria

The assessment criteria form part of the overall assessment of the applicant’s eligibility. All criteria will be assessed but they should not individually be seen as requirements. It is up to the recruiting manager to decide whether to apply assessment criteria or not in the recruitment.

It is particularly meritorious that the applicant has shown

• Advanced immunology expertise and knowledge in vaccine immunology (PhD-level with ≥5 years postdoc and ≥3 years as a research specialist in vaccine immunology).
• Proficiency in complex experimental methodologies (such as multicolor flow cytometry, antigen-specific immune cell assays, fluorescence microscopy).
• Preclinical in vivo research experience with rodent and non-human primate models, including planning and execution as well as relevant certifications (e.g., FELASA).
• Experience in clinical trials operations and regulatory leadership (planning/execution, securing regulatory approvals, GCP-compliant processes).
• Proven strong communication skills with industry partners and funding agencies.

It is meritorious that the applicant has shown

• Scientific writing and dissemination skills (scientific manuscript preparation, data presentation).
• Experience with grant development and research administration (grant applications, budget planning, financial and scientific reporting).
• Team collaboration and interpersonal fit (personal suitability, ability to work productively in a team).
• Language skills (English is required; Swedish proficiency as a plus).

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, international 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 good benefits through our collective agreement.

Location

The position is located within the Department of Medicine, Solna. The department consists of ten divisions and each division consists of several research groups. The position is located within of Karin Loré at the Division of Immunology and Respiratory Medicine. A range of preclinical as well as clinical studies in allergy, infections and immune modulation are being conducted within the division. The successful candidate will join an international team. Stockholm is a vibrant international megapolis with high quality of living standard. English is the working language of the group. The Karolinska Institutet is one of the centers of excellence for biomedical research in the world (ranked as 8th in the world in Life Sciences and Medicine by QS World University Ranking). It possesses cutting edge infrastructure.

https://ki.se/en/meds/research-group-karin-lore.

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.

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