Assistant Professor in Data-Driven Precision Medicine and Diagnostics (DDLS Fellow)

Karolinska Institutet is recruiting researchers as part of the DDLS Fellows program. The successful candidates will join Karolinska Institutet and conduct research at the Science for Life Laboratory (SciLifeLab) as part of a vibrant community of researchers from all the SciLifeLab host universities at SciLifeLab Campus Solna.

The SciLifeLab and Wallenberg National Program for Data-Driven Life Sciences (DDLS) (https://www.scilifelab.se/data-driven/) is a 12-year initiative funded with a total of 3,1 billion SEK from the Knut and Alice Wallenberg Foundation. The purpose of the program is to recruit and train the next-generation of data-driven life scientists and to create globally leading computational and data science capabilities in life science in Sweden.

The program will recruit 39 eminent junior group leaders as DDLS Fellows, launch over 210 postdoctoral positions and establish a research school for 260 PhDs, within both academia and industry. The program is coordinated by SciLifeLab, a nationwide research infrastructure and a hub for cross disciplinary life sciences. The Fellows will be recruited to the 11 participating host universities/organizations, enabling them to link up with strong local research environments as well as with the national DDLS program. The DDLS program promotes collaborative interdisciplinary work and engagement with industry, healthcare, and other national and international partners, such as WASP (https://waspsweden.org/), with the aim of bridging the life science and data science communities.

The DDLS program will focus on four strategic areas of data-driven research: cell and molecular biology, evolution and biodiversity, precision medicine and diagnostics, epidemiology and biology of infection. We are now looking for the first 20 junior group leaders to join us as DDLS Fellows. Each DDLS Fellow will receive a recruitment package of 17 MSEK, which is meant to cover 5 years of his/her own salary, two PhD students and two postdoc positions, as well as running costs. The Fellow positions are tenure-track, and the universities/organizations will assume the long-term responsibility of their support as tenured faculty.

The future of life science is data-driven. Will you be leading that change with us? Then apply now!

At Karolinska Institutet, we are looking to recruit a DDLS Fellow in Data-Driven Precision Medicine and Diagnostics.

SciLifeLab

SciLifeLab is an academic collaboration between multiple Swedish universities and distributed national research infrastructure with a distinct focus on health and environmental research (www.scilifelab.se). At the core mission of SciLifeLab is to provide technologies facilitating the large-scale analysis of biological processes at the molecular level. SciLifeLab Campus Solna, founded in 2010 as a joint effort by Karolinska Institutet, KTH Royal Institute of Technology and Stockholm University, is the largest SciLifeLab site where multiple universities are co-localized under a single roof. SciLifeLab Campus Solna houses state-of-the-art resources and technological infrastructures, e.g., high throughput DNA sequencing, analysis of gene single cell and spatiotranscriptomics), protein profiling, cellular profiling, chemical and functional biology, advanced visualization, advanced bioinformatics, structural biology, biostatistics, and systems biology. By working together Karolinska Institutet, KTH Royal Institute of Technology and Stockholm University have been able to achieve a significant critical mass of researchers (> 100 research groups, about 1200 staff) including one of the largest groups of bioinformaticians and computational biologists in the EU. The research environment at SciLifeLab Campus Solna is one of the strongest life science centers in the world.

Data-Driven Precision Medicine and Diagnostics

The subject area concerns data-driven research on precision medicine, such as the use of computational tools to integrate molecular and clinical data for translational research and diagnostic development thereby facilitating individualized patient care. Data integration and analysis can be used for patient stratification, for discovery of diagnostic biomarkers and for longitudinal monitoring and follow-up. Precision medicine also depends on capabilities for data interpretation, visualization, and clinical decision support. The research is expected to use assets, such as electronic health care records, molecular data (e.g., imaging and omics), as well as longitudinal patient and population registries, biobanks, and digital monitoring data.

Description of the position

We are looking for a talented researcher who is expected to develop world-leading independent biomedical research in the field of Data-Driven Precision Medicine and Diagnostics. DDLS Fellows have a base both at SciLifeLab and at one of Karolinska Institutet’s 22 departments. The candidates chose themselves which department they want to join as the last step of the recruitment process. The positions include internationally competitive grant support enabling experimental research using advanced molecular life science methods, access to state-of-the-art research infrastructure and recruitment of postdocs and doctoral students.

Qualifications

To qualify, the applicant must hold a doctoral degree, or a qualification deemed equivalent to a doctorate, in the life sciences or a similar field. Applicants must have completed their doctoral degree no more than five (5) years before the last date for application to a position as Assistant Professor according to the Higher Education Ordinance (Högskoleförordningen). More than five years may have passed if there have been particular circumstances such as parental leave, leave due to positions of trust in trade union organizations, mandatory service in the total defense forces, long-term sickness absence, full-time clinical service (e.g. general medical internship or specialist medical residency, maximum 24 months). Proof or certificates of absence must be submitted with the application.

Assessment criteria

Applications will be assessed based on the following criteria: Applicant’s competence, Scientific quality and feasibility of the research plan, and Relevance to the call. A completed doctoral degree and at least two years post-doctoral research experience is highly desirable.

Form of employment

Temporary fixed-term employment as Assistant Professor (Biträdande lektor) for six years with a possibility of promotion to a permanent position as Senior Lecturer after the end of this term. An Assistant Professor employed in accordance with the Higher Education Ordinance Chapter 4 Section 12a shall be promoted to a permanent position as Senior Lecturer if they are eligible and assessed to be suitable for promotion. Eligibility and suitability is assessed in accordance with the criteria listed in the Instructions Regarding the Appointment Procedure for Teachers at Karolinska Institutet. The assessment criteria that were valid at the time of appointment as Assistant Professor will be applied when applying for promotion to Senior Lecturer.

Location: Solna

Data-Driven Life Science

SciLifeLab & Wallenberg National Program for Data-Driven Life Science

Application

We prefer that your application is written in English. Applications must contain the following documents:

• Cover letter with statement of interest (2 pages).
• Curriculum Vitae (3 pages).
• PhD certificate.
• Complete publication list.
• Contact details for three referees.
• Research plan (4 pages, 11 pt. font).
• The applicant’s most important published article (1 article only).
• Proof or certificates of absence from research (if the doctoral degree was completed more than five (5) years before the last date for application).

Please submit your application no later than 12 September 2022. No applications, revisions or additions to applications are allowed after this date.

Applications will be reviewed in two stages before candidates are selected for interview. Applicants may be asked to give a research seminar as part of the interview process. Interviews are planned to be held in the period 23rd-27th January 2023 (in person or remotely TBD).

The assessment process for this call will be coordinated with the call for DDLS Fellow in Epidemiology and Biology of Infection, Assistant Professor in Data-Driven Epidemiology and Biology of Infection (DDLS Fellow) (varbi.com) and with the call for up to two SciLifeLab Fellows, Assistant Professor in Molecular Life Science (SciLifeLab Fellow) (varbi.com).

Particular assessment for promotion to Senior Lecturer

An Assistant Professor employed in accordance with the Higher Education Ordinance Chapter 4 Section 12a shall be promoted to Senior Lecturer if he or she is eligible for an employment as Senior Lecturer in accordance with the Instructions regarding the Appointment Procedure for Teachers at Karolinska Institutet and is assessed to be suitable for such employment in accordance with the assessment criteria that KI has decided should be applied when being promoted to Senior Lecturer. The assessment criteria stated in the Instructions regarding the Appointment Procedure for Teachers at Karolinska Institutet that was valid at the time of appointment as Assistant Professor will be applied when applying for promotion to Senior Lecturer. Current assessment criteria is found here. Such promotion results in a permanent position as Senior Lecturer.

What do we offer?

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 better health for all. Karolinska Institutet and Karolinska University Hospital have a shared ambition to lead the development in precision medicine. We can therefore offer you an environment with high ambitions to make clinical data available for research. Karolinska Institutet and the Stockholm County Council conduct a comprehensive cross-border work that strengthens the opportunities to use data and validated biomarkers for multimodal stratification of patient populations. Our goal is to recruit the strongest scientist in the field, irrespective of the line of research.

Karolinska Institutet is a state university, which entitles employees to several benefits such as extended holiday and a generous occupational pension. Employees also receive reimbursements for medical care.

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

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