Research Specialist position in chronic pain research

Do you want to investigate cellular mechanisms underlying persistent pain?

We invite applications for a research specialist position working in Prof. Camilla Svensson teams focused on uncovering cellular and molecular mechanisms in the peripheral nervous system in chronic pain conditions. The position is based at the Department of Physiology and Pharmacology at Karolinska Institutet, which offers a collegial, international, and dynamic research environment. We provide an exciting, open, and collaborative research setting where you can contribute to translational research with strong clinical relevance.

Your mission

The research specialist joining the team will investigate cellular and molecular mechanisms contributing to persistent pain in fibromyalgia, with a particular focus on experimental models of antibody-mediated and neuroimmune mechanisms.

A major part of the work will involve preclinical experimental studies, including animal handling, behavioral assessment of pain-related phenotypes, administration of experimental treatments, and microsurgical procedures. The position therefore requires strong practical skills in experimental animal work and the ability to independently plan and perform technically demanding in vivo studies.

The work will also include collection and processing of tissues for downstream analyses using immunohistochemistry, high-resolution imaging, and molecular approaches. These studies will be used to characterize changes in peripheral tissues and the nervous system and to define how autoantibodies, immune cells, and neuronal pathways contribute to persistent pain.

The research specialist will work closely with other experimental researchers, clinicians, computational biologists, and biostatisticians in an interdisciplinary environment aimed at identifying mechanisms underlying fibromyalgia and chronic pain.

Your  profile

You are a creative, hardworking, and enthusiastic team player with a PhD in neuroscience, physiology, immunology, biomedical science, or another relevant field.

You have a strong background in experimental neuroscience, pain research, neurobiology, neuroimmunology, or related areas. Documented hands-on experience with experimental animal work, including animal handling, behavioral testing and microsurgical procedures, is essential. Experience in independently planning and conducting technically demanding in vivo experiments is highly valued.

Practical experience with tissue collection and processing, immunohistochemistry/immunocytochemistry, microscopy and molecular analyses is also important. Experience with experimental models of pain, administration of experimental treatments, quantitative image analysis, or analysis of peripheral nervous system tissues is considered an advantage.

You are able to work independently and take responsibility for planning, performing and documenting experimental work, while also contributing effectively to a multidisciplinary team. You have excellent written and spoken English skills and communicate effectively in scientific discussions, presentations and writing. Strong recommendations from previous supervisors or mentors are expected.

What do we offer?

We offer a research specialist position for one year.

You will work in a creative, inspiring, and vibrant research environment and be part of a research team dedicated to translational pain research, with the ultimate goal of identifying cellular and molecular mechanisms underlying chronic pain and improving quality of life for individuals living with fibromyalgia.

The appointment will be at Karolinska Institutet. For more information, please visit: Karolinska Institutet – Molecular Pain Research. Karolinska Institutet is one of the world’s leading medical universities. Our vision is to advance knowledge about life and promote better health for all. At Karolinska Institutet, we conduct cutting-edge medical research and offer the broadest range of medical education in Sweden.

Location: Solna

Application

We prefer that Your application is written in English, but You can also apply in Swedish. An application must contain the following documents:

• A complete curriculum vitae, including date of thesis defense, thesis title, previous academic positions, academic distinctions, and committee work
• A complete publication list
• A summary of current work (maximum one page)
• A letter of motivation

In assessing candidates, we will place emphasis on personal trajectory, education, technical and scientific skills, previous research experience, and personal qualities.

The application must be submitted through the Varbi recruitment system.

KI applies individual and differentiated salary setting in accordance with our collective agreements RALS and RALS-T.