Are you a bold, creative researcher ready to shape the future of medical science? Karolinska Institutet (KI), one of the world’s foremost medical universities, is launching a major recruitment initiative in 2026. KI is looking for up to 21 outstanding early- career researchers to join us as Assistant Professors in a wide range of subject areas.
At KI, we foster a vibrant and international academic environment that values curiosity, collaboration, innovation, and high quality research. We are looking for inspiring scientists who are motivated to contribute to and further develop strong research and education environment, and who demonstrate high quality science and potential for academic leadership.
The Department of Cell and Molecular Biology CMB at Karolinska Institutet in Stockholm is a leading academic research department that supports and advances long-term projects with the potential to yield groundbreaking discoveries within the broadly defined field of cell- and molecular biology. Situated in Biomedicum, a vibrant interdisciplinary milieu that hosts much of Karolinska Institutet’s experimental work, the department benefits from excellent core facilities and a direct link to SciLifeLab, a national research infrastructure center. CMB offers an exceptional environment for an ambitious early-career scientist seeking to build a top-quality research team focused on addressing fundamental, unresolved biomedical questions.
If you meet our requirements and propose a groundbreaking research project, we are prepared to employ you as an Assistant Professor for six years and support you with a generous funding package of 12 MSEK to cover your salary and other research costs. KI offers the opportunity to be promoted from a time-limited (six-year) position as Assistant Professor to permanent employment as Senior Lecturer. You can read more about it here.
At KI, you will be part of an interdisciplinary research community. Our researchers work across a wide range of fields and methodologies within medicine and health, creating rich opportunities for knowledge exchange and cross-disciplinary collaboration. You will also benefit from close connections with healthcare providers, ensuring your research remains closely aligned with real-world clinical practice.
As a governmental authority, KI offers a comprehensive benefits package governed by collective agreements. These include annual salary reviews, supplementary insurance, and opportunities to participate in institutional decision-making.
A successful research career is supported by a strong personal foundation. Sweden is known for being a family-friendly country, offering a high quality of life, generous parental leave, and excellent childcare and education systems — creating a welcoming environment for both researchers and their families.
At KI, we value differences in backgrounds and perspectives, and diversity, equity and inclusion are parts of our core values. KI is dedicated to our work for equal opportunities and rejects all forms of discrimination.
Learn more about what KI and Sweden can offer, and the different calls!
Location: Stockholm
We welcome applications from researchers tackling fundamental, unresolved problems in biomedicine across cell, molecular, developmental, and tissue biology. This call is intentionally inclusive: applicants working on diverse biological systems, processes, and scales are encouraged to apply. We are especially interested in work that develops novel technologies or conceptual frameworks (such as AI modelling, synthetic biology, cellular engineering, or human model systems), with the potential to enable transformative discoveries or create entirely new research directions. Our goal is to strengthen the department by recruiting outstanding researchers and supporting pioneering investigations that expand the boundaries of biomedical science.
This Assistant Professor position offers excellent opportunities to build a strong academic profile—primarily by developing your independence as a researcher, while also gaining valuable teaching and pedagogical experience.
As an assistant professor at CMB you will lead your own research team, enjoying full academic freedom and bearing the responsibility to design and carry out your independent research. You will have primary responsibility for recruiting and supervising group members, including researchers and students, and are expected to participate in departmental activities, including teaching at various levels. There will be numerous opportunities to establish local, national and international collaborations to broaden and develop your investigations. You are also expected to disseminate your findings through peer reviewed publications and international meetings at a level that secures external funds to finance group expansion and long-term sustainability.
In this call, there will be an opportunity at CMB for employment of up to two positions as Assistant Professor.
To be eligible for an appointment as Assistant Professor, you must demonstrate good scientific skills according to KI’s eligibility criteria as follows:
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A PhD (or equivalent degree) in a relevant subject area
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At least two peer-reviewed original scientific publications as first or last author, in addition to the doctoral thesis
Priority is given to those who were awarded a PhD (or attained equivalent competence) no more than seven years prior to the expiry of the deadline for the application.
Those who have been awarded a doctoral degree or attained equivalent research competence earlier will also be considered if there are special circumstances for absence from research (deductible time), such as: parental leave, long-term illness, positions of trust in trade union organizations or mandatory service in total defence.
The circumstances, dates and extent must be clearly specified in the application and verified by relevant documentation.
For this call, exceptions are made from all pedagogical requirements specified in the instructions regarding the Appointment procedure for teachers at KI. However, you must complete three weeks of higher education pedagogical courses in accordance with the Association of Swedish Higher Education Institutions’ recommendations, no later than two years after starting your employment as an Assistant Professor (unless you can certify that you have completed equivalent training before starting the position).
Candidates will be evaluated based on both scientific and pedagogical qualifications, with greater emphasis placed on scientific excellence. The full set of assessment criteria is outlined in the instructions regarding the Appointment Procedure for Teachers at KI.
Particularly meritorious is:
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clearly visible excellent scientific quality, originality, and feasibility in your research plan within a relevant subject area
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documented experience in research environments outside KI, with special consideration given to international research experience
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proven potential to initiate and develop an independent line of research
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demonstrated ability to secure national and international research funding in competition
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to have established national and international collaborations
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shown capacity to effectively communicate your research through publications, invited talks, and public outreach
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strong collaborative and academic leadership skills
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experience from supervising researchers and students
These criteria reflect our commitment to fostering a university with diverse and globally recognised researchers who contribute to high quality science and excellent academic citizenship.
The criteria listed will form part of the overall assessment of the applicant. All criteria will be assessed but they should not individually be seen as requirements.
Offers will be extended to the best candidate based on an overall assessment of the applicant’s expertise and merits in relation to the subject area.
All applicants are expected to follow the application instructions carefully. Failure to comply with the guidelines or misrepresentation of qualifications may negatively impact on the evaluation of your application.
The application shall consist of the following documents, written in English:
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A personal letter (maximum 1 page)
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Application form, including your research project (Application form)
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Up to ten published papers and optionally one manuscript, in PDF format
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PhD certificate
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If you have a PhD that is older than seven years and want to claim deductible time, you must attach a certificate of deductible time in Swedish or English.
Welcome to apply no later than August 31, 2026 (time 23.59 CEST).
KI applies individual and differentiated salary setting in accordance with our collective agreements RALS and RALS-T.
The application must be submitted through the Varbi recruitment system.
Read more regarding the calls, conditions regarding funding and employment!
