Bioinformatician with expertise in precision medicine (2 positions) - Hiring in process/Finished, not possible to apply

Do you want to contribute to top quality medical research?

As a national hub for molecular biosciences in Sweden, SciLifeLab develops and maintains unique research infrastructure, services and data resources for life science. The overall aim of SciLifeLab is to facilitate cutting-edge, multi-disciplinary life science research and promote its translation to the benefit of society. About 200 research groups, 1500 researchers and 40 national infrastructure units are associated with SciLifeLab, with two main centres located in Stockholm and Uppsala, but with national SciLifeLab units at all major Swedish universities.

The SciLifeLab and Wallenberg National Program for Data-Driven Life Science (DDLS) is a 12-year initiative that focuses on data-driven research, within fields essential for improving people’s lives, detecting and treating diseases, protecting biodiversity and creating sustainability. The program will train and recruit the next generation of data-driven life scientists and create strong and globally competitive computational and data science capabilities in Swedish life science.

The DDLS program is now establishing a national data science node in Precision Medicine and Diagnostics, with a national responsibility to develop data services and to provide bioinformatics support. The node staff will be employed at Karolinska Institutet (KI) and placed at the Compliance & Data Office (CDO), part of the central Research Support Office, at the KI campus in northern Stockholm where SciLifeLab’s Stockholm site also is located. The CDO offers broad support on data management, health data, clinical studies, ethics and compliance to researchers and is now, through the DDLS program, developing more specific support for precision medicine and diagnostics. KI also offers close interactions with regional and local initiatives related to precision medicine, e.g. the collaborative Precision Medicine Centre Karolinska (PMCK) together with the Karolinska University hospital and the university-wide initiative Data-Driven research at KI (DDKI). The bioinformaticians will be integrated with the SciLifeLab bioinformatics platform (NBIS), a unique national infrastructure with over 100 employees, providing support, infrastructure and training to the Swedish life science research community. We are now looking for outstanding candidates with competence in data-driven precision medicine and related data analyses, to provide advanced bioinformatics support to scientifically excellent data-driven Swedish research projects in Precision Medicine and Diagnostics. These positions offer a unique possibility to be part of a translational team effort contributing towards improved treatments and quality of life, ultimately saving lifes in the future.

Main responsibilities

The main responsibilities are to:

• Perform advanced data analyses within nationally prioritised data-driven projects.
• Potentially develop tools and workflows to aid such analyses, and for wider use by the scientific community
• Educate other scientists in bioinformatics through collaboration within supported projects, teaching at advanced national courses and consultations.
• Engage in the continuous development and improvement of the DDLS program and the SciLifeLab Bioinformatics platform at a national level.

Data analysis tasks could for example include classifying patients based on molecular profiles and health records to inform treatment decisions. The bioinformaticians will also support preclinical research, e.g. studies using model systems to increase the understanding of disease mechanisms through analysis of multi-omics data, images and/or drug-response profiles.

Qualification requirements

We are looking for a highly motivated scientist with a strong background in large-scale data analysis within medical research. The successful candidate should have:

• A PhD in bioinformatics, biomedicine, computer science or other related areas that the employer considers relevant for the position.
• Extensive (3+ years) experience with advanced bioinformatics analysis of large-scale molecular data (e.g. genetic variation, transcriptomics, proteomics or metabolomics) in relation to health outcomes, such as disease risk, survival times and drug responses, in humans or model systems.
• Experience with biostatistics or machine learning approaches, and an understanding of the applicability and limitations of such methods.
• Proficiency with one or more programming languages, as well as ability to work efficiently in a Linux command-line environment and on high-performance computer clusters.
• Fluent oral and written communication skills in English.
• Strong skills in cooperation and communication, as well as ability to independently drive projects forward.

Merits

Postdoctoral studies are a strong merit but not a requirement. Knowledge of precision medicine clinical trials, translational medicine research, biomarker discovery and health informatics are strong merits. Skills in integrative multi-omics analyses, advanced data visualisation and medical image analysis are also strongly meriting. Great importance will be given to personal suitability and communication skills when working with multi-professional teams.

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. Our vision is to pursue the development of knowledge about life and to promote a better health for all. At Karolinska Institutet, we conduct successful medical research and hold the largest range of medical education in Sweden. Karolinska Institutet is also a state university, which entitles you to several good benefits through our collective agreement. And you get to practice freely in our modern wellness facilities, where trained staff are on site.

Location: Solna

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