Postdoctoral Researcher in infectious diseases with focus on virological analyses

Do you want to contribute to better health for all?

Would you like to help generate laboratory results that directly contribute to future vaccination strategies in Europe and globally? We are seeking a postdoctoral researcher to evaluate immune responses in a multinational Phase 3 clinical trial investigating different vaccination strategies to optimize protection against the infectious disease mpox. The role offers a unique opportunity to work with viruses in a BSL-3 environment while also contributing to the analysis, writing, and publication of scientific data.

Your mission

You will have the opportunity to work at the interface between advanced laboratory research and clinical studies. Your work will be carried out in close collaboration with colleagues at the Public Health Agency of Sweden and leading researchers in Belgium, France, and Ireland.

The study aims to evaluate differences in immune responses among individuals who have received primary vaccination either intradermally (ID) or subcutaneously (SC), and who, within the study, receive a booster dose (often a third dose).

The study is crucial for guiding future vaccination recommendations for protection against mpox in Sweden, within the EU/EEA, and globally. The project is funded by the EU (HaDEA/HERA). The results will be of great interest to both high-income countries and low- and middle-income countries. Mpox is spreading globally, and vaccine availability remains limited.

Your main responsibilities will include:

• Cultivating virus in an accredited BSL3 laboratory
• Performing analyses on samples from vaccinated individuals
• Analyzing and compiling results for reports to funding bodies and for scientific publication
• Supporting the management and storage of incoming samples from the clinical trial in collaboration with colleagues at the Public Health Agency of Sweden and international partners

The work will primarily be carried out at the premises of the Public Health Agency of Sweden, but the employment will be with Karolinska Institutet. The position requires security clearance for work in BSL-3. When recruiting for a security-classified environment, a security clearance is carried out.

The position is a full-time position for 2 years. Expected start date: May 15, 2026 or by mutual agreement.

Your profile

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.

Requirements:

• Experience in cell cultivation
• Experience in virus propagation
• Experience with virus neutralization assays in serum/plasma
• Basic understanding of research project management (timelines, milestones)
• Documented experience in scientific writing linked to peer-reviewed publications
• Ability to conduct literature reviews and synthesize large amounts of information
• Ability to clearly formulate research objectives, significance, and methodology
• Experience in statistical analysis (working in R or equivalent), including graphical presentation of results
• Fluent knowledge, in written and spoken English

Meritorious:

• Experience working in a biosafety level 3 (BSL-3) laboratory 
• Experience participating in clinical studies.
• Experience working with large sample volumes
• Good knowledge of spoken and written Swedish

As a person, we want you to have good collaboration skills, be responsible and flexible. Furthermore, we see that you have good communication skills, as well as a strong desire to learn and absorb the methodology used in our laboratory setting. Accuracy and the ability to handle several tasks in parallel are highly valued, as well as a proactive way of working, with the ability to both follow instructions and take own initiatives.

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.

Location: Solna

Read more about the Department of Global Public Health (GPH)
Read more about the Public Health Agency of Sweden
Read more about GloSH research group
Read more about the project you will be working on  

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)

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

Welcome to apply at the latest March 12, 2026.

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