Research assistant position in molecular imaging and pharmacological research

Do you want to contribute to top-quality medical research?

The Autoradiography Core Facility (ARG) is now seeking a competent and committed research assistant with an interest in a future academic career and a strong drive in medical biotechnology and pharmacological research using radiometric-based methods. ARG is part of the Imaging Core Facilities Division at the Department of Clinical Neuroscience and the Centre for Imaging Research (CIR) and has a close collaboration with Andrea Varrone’s research group at the Centre for Psychiatry Research. We offer support in the implementation of in vitro and ex vivo autoradiography as well as radioligand binding assays based on cultured cells or tissue homogenates. 

Your role

In the core facility ARG we work with various β-emitting, low-energy γ radionuclides with long half-lives (e.g. 3H, 125I) as well as with short-lived alpha-emitting radionuclides, such as actinium-225, or positron-emitting radionuclides, e.g. 11C, 18F, 68Ga and 89Zr radiotracers. The work we do is suitable for a variety of projects, such as studies of target specificity, binding affinity and drug screening.

In the role of research assistant you will:

• Plan, prepare and independently perform radioligand binding and autoradiographic analyses.
• Work with histological methods, including cryosectioning of tissues.
• Perform morphological staining and immunofluorescence analyses and generate high-resolution digital microscopy images.
• Perform basic quantitative analysis of raw data in the form of microscopy images and radiometric data.
• Manage and prioritize multiple parallel projects and ensure that timelines and project goals are met.
• Responsible for basic radiochemical laboratory routines, such as instrument calibration, phosphor plate maintenance, and surface contamination control.

Who are you?

We are looking for someone who has a strong interest in research and can see a doctoral degree (PhD) as a natural next step in their academic development. We see that you want to develop your laboratory skills and become more independent in both method development, analysis and interpretation of data. You understand the important role that radioligands and radioactive tracers play in pharmacology and medical research and are motivated to contribute to the field with modern and advanced methods.

We are looking for someone who has:

• Master’s degree in pharmacy, biology, biomedicine, biotechnology or a related field.
• Documented experience with radiometric-based methods in pharmacology or tracer research, e.g. liquid scintillation counting or storage-phosphor autoradiography.
• Ability to work independently in a laboratory environment, including basic analysis of radiometric data.
• Experience in interpreting radiometric results and identifying basic steps for method optimization.
• Experience with histological methods, including cryosectioning, as well as practical experience with morphological staining, immunofluorescence and microscopy.
• Strong motivation for interdisciplinary method development and a creative approach to problem solving in the laboratory.
• Very good oral and written communication and presentation skills in English.

It is advantageous to have:

• Experience with basic molecular biology methods.
• General understanding of neuroanatomy and experience working with anatomical reference atlases.

What do we offer?

A creative, international and inspiring environment filled with competence and curiosity. Karolinska Institutet is one of the world’s leading medical universities. Our vision is to drive the development of knowledge about life and work for better health for all. Here we conduct successful medical research and have the largest range of medical education in Sweden. As a university, Karolinska Institutet is a government agency. This means that you receive good benefits through our collective agreement. Employees at KI are also offered the opportunity for a flexible working method. This means that if the business you work in allows, you can work part of your working hours remotely. You are also allowed to exercise freely in our modern wellness facilities where trained staff are on site.

Location: Solna

Application

The application must be made via the recruitment system Varbi. In this recruitment you apply with your CV without a cover letter. In the application form you will instead be asked to answer a few questions about why you are applying for the job.