Research specialist in biochemistry and biotechnology

The Department of Biosciences and Nutrition performs research and education in several areas of medical sciences including cancer biology, aging, molecular endocrinology, functional genomics, systems biology, structural biology, protein biochemistry, immunology, and nutrition. It offers an excellent international research and working environment, including around 200 scientists, students, administrative and technical personnel. The Department resides in Neo at Campus Flemingsberg, a biomedical research building, aimed at being a creative and open environment that enables meetings, synergies, and exploration of areas of mutual interest across disciplines.

Do you want to join our team and spearhead the development of the next generation biomaterial? We are looking for an experienced researcher within the fields of fiber spinning and heterologous protein production at large scale.

Our group has developed the first biomimetic method to spin artificial spider silk fibers and succeeded in establishing a production and purification method of recombinant silk proteins that results in unprecedented protein yields (Andersson et al. Nat Chem Biol. 2017; Schmuck et al. Mater Today. 2021; Arndt et al. Adv Funct Mater. 2022). Our research group consists of two PhD students, two technicians, four post docs and a bioinformatician, and is funded by the European Research Council, Swedish Research Council, FORMAS and Center for Innovative Medicine. The research group is located at Karolinska Institutet, campus Flemingsberg, and at SLU in Uppsala.

Please visit our group web pages for more information:

https://ki.se/en/bionut/spider-silk-biology-for-biomedical-applications-anna-rising

The successful candidate is expected to have a profound interest in protein biochemistry, specifically in the study of fibrillating proteins, and enjoy practical lab work. You are expected to lead the up-scaling of our current prokaryotic expression system using our own lab but also in collaboration with Testa Center in Uppsala. Furthermore, you will be responsible for establishing a multifilament spinning method for the generation of spider silk yarns and use several different methods for characterizing the fibers’ properties. Supervision of students, writing scientific papers and reports, giving scientific presentations, and performing administrative duties are part of the job. We work in collaboration with other groups and in an interdisciplinary way, which demands the applicant to be independent, creative, have a positive attitude and be collaborative. The applicant will work primarily at KI campus Flemingsberg but is also expected to travel to and work in the lab at SLU in Uppsala.

To be eligible for employment as a Research Specialist, in addition to holding a Degree of Doctor, PhD, or having equivalent scientific expertise, the applicant must have demonstrated research expertise as well as have documented research experience after defending their doctoral dissertation.

The applicant must have documented research experience after defending their doctoral dissertation. The applicant is expected to have a solid publication list with numerous publications in respected international peer-reviewed journals, also reflecting work from PostDoc period(s). Well documented experience in protein biochemistry, specifically heterologous protein production, protein purification and characterization, is required. The applicant must have experience in using small scale and pilot scale bioreactors for protein expression, and in optimizing large-scale protein purification. Furthermore, the applicant must have documented knowledge of different fiber spinning techniques, in particular wet-spinning, and in techniques commonly used to characterize fiber properties (e.g. tensile testing). Experience of outreach and collaboration with industry is meritious. Excellent spoken and written English is required since we have frequent interactions with international stakeholders.

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.

A creative 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 benefits through our collective agreement.

Location: Flemingsberg

We prefer that Your application is written in English, but you can also apply in Swedish. An application must contain the following documents: Resumé, qualifications and description of planned research, presented in accordance with Karolinska Institutet's qualifications portfolio.

The application must be submitted through the Varbi recruitment system.

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