PhD Position in Personalized Cancer Treatment using Theranostic Radioligands

Arbeidsplassen; Tromsø; On-site; NOK 800,000 - 1,000,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading research university in Tromsø is offering a PhD Fellow position focused on personalized cancer treatment using theranostic radioligands. The role involves conducting preclinical studies, ensuring compliance with ethical standards, and collaborating internationally. Candidates must have a Master's degree in relevant fields and strong communication skills in English. Excellent career advancement opportunities and a supportive academic environment are provided.

Benefits

Flexible working hours

State collective pay agreement

Pension scheme through the state pension fund

Career opportunities in an interesting research project

Qualifications

• Fulfilled Master degree in relevant disciplines before commencement.
• Demonstrated strong communication skills in English.
• Experience with preclinical cancer research is advantageous.

Responsibilities

• Conduct preclinical studies using cell culture assays and animal tumor models.
• Coordinate experimental timelines and ensure compliance with safety standards.
• Collaborate with national and international teams.

Skills

Strong written and oral communication skills in English

Capacity to work independently and collaboratively

Interest in experimental and interdisciplinary research

Education

Master's degree in molecular biology, biomedicine, or relevant field

Accredited training equivalent to FELASA Category B

Tools

Flow cytometry

Immunohistochemistry

Single-cell RNA sequencing

Job description

Overview

PhD Fellow in Personalized Cancer Treatment using Theranostic Radioligands

A PhD position is available at the Department of Clinical Medicine, Faculty of Health Sciences, UiT. The position is affiliated with the Molecular Inflammation Research Group (MIRG) and associated to the THERACAN project, funded by the Faculty of Health Sciences at UiT and the Trond Mohn Foundation (TMF).

The position is for four years. The nominal length of the PhD programme is three years; the fourth year is distributed as 25% teaching and other duties. The objective is to complete research training to doctoral level. Admission to the PhD programme is a prerequisite for employment, and the programme period starts upon commencement of the position. The workplace is UiT in Tromsø, and you must be able to start within a reasonable time after receiving the offer.

The project

The PhD project is a sub-project of the THERACAN research program, aimed at developing and testing strategies for delivering efficient and personalized targeted radionuclide therapies to patients (TRT). The PhD sub-project will focus on exploring the immunoregulatory potential of radiopharmaceuticals in preclinical cancer models.

The PhD candidate will conduct preclinical studies using cell culture assays and experimental animal tumor models, including planning and executing experiments involving 212Pb-labelled FAPI-2286 and PSMA-targeted radiopharmaceuticals, as well as external beam radiotherapy. Training will cover methods to measure immunological responses in tumors after radiation treatments, such as flow cytometry, immunohistochemistry and single-cell RNA sequencing, in close collaboration with experienced team members. Skills in in vivo PET/SPECT and MR/CT imaging experiments and data analysis will also be developed.

The candidate is expected to coordinate experimental timelines, ensure compliance with ethical and safety standards for animal research, and collaborate with national and international teams in radio-immunotherapy, radiopharmacy, molecular imaging, cancer biology, and computational analysis. Participation in interdisciplinary meetings, contributions to scientific publications, and engagement in the broader research community are expected.

Qualifications

The position

Compulsory requirements

• Fulfilled Master degree (or equivalent) in molecular biology, biomedicine, biophysics, pharmacy or other relevant disciplines compatible with the project is required before commencement in the position. Applicants near completion of their Master’s degree may still apply and submit a draft version of their thesis. Documentation of completed Master degree must be submitted before commencement.
• Demonstrated strong written and oral communication skills in English. Nordic applicants can document English capabilities by attaching their high school diploma.
• Capacity to work independently and collaboratively, with a keen interest in experimental and interdisciplinary research.
• Completed accredited training equivalent to FELASA Category B (EU Function A/D), required for conducting animal experiments in mice under Norwegian regulations, before starting the PhD. Documentation may be submitted after the deadline but before the project's starting date (1.1.2026).

Beneficial requirements

• Experience with preclinical cancer research, cell culture assays, wet laboratory work, animal experimentation, image analysis, or molecular biology techniques is advantageous.
• Experience with analytical methods such as flow cytometry, IHC or single-cell RNA sequencing is positively valued.
• Working knowledge of Norwegian or a Scandinavian language.

We emphasize motivation and personal suitability. Candidates should demonstrate collaboration skills, good communication with colleagues and students, and a willingness to contribute to a positive working environment. During assessment, potential for executing experimental research, motivation and personal suitability will be considered, along with relevant academic achievements.

Candidates who hold a PhD or equivalent are not considered for this position.

Admission to the PhD programme

For employment in the PhD position, you must be qualified for admission to the PhD programme at the Faculty of Health Sciences and participate in organized doctoral studies during the employment period. Normally required are:

• A bachelor’s degree (180 ECTS) and a master’s degree (120 ECTS), or an integrated master’s degree of 300 ECTS.
• A master’s thesis with a scope of at least 30 ECTS (for a 120 ECTS master) or at least 20 ECTS (for an integrated 300 ECTS master).

Applicants must have a grade of C or better on the master’s thesis and an overall GPA of C or better. A more detailed admission description can be found here. If employed, you will be provisionally admitted; final admission must be submitted within two months after taking up the position. Foreign education will be evaluated for equivalence according to Norwegian guidelines. Depending on the country, additional years of study may be required. UiT accepts higher education from countries in the Lisbon Recognition Convention.

Inclusion and diversity

UiT actively promotes equality, gender balance and diversity, and aims to create an inclusive and safe working environment. If you have a disability, a gap in your CV, or an immigrant background, please indicate this in your application. If qualified, we will invite at least one candidate from each group to interview. If hired, we will adapt working conditions as needed. Information provided may be used for anonymous statistics.

We offer

• Involvement in an interesting research project
• Good career opportunities
• A good academic environment with dedicated colleagues
• Flexible working hours and a state collective pay agreement
• Pension scheme through the state pension fund
• PhD fellows typically receive a salary according to the state wage regulation with annual increases

Norwegian health policy ensures access to health services for all. As an employee you will be a member of the National Insurance Scheme. More information about employee benefits is available at spk.no. See practical information about working and living in Norway at the university site.

Application

Your application must include:

• Cover letter with motivation and research interests
• CV with education, experience, and pedagogical qualifications
• Diplomas for bachelor’s and master’s degrees
• Official transcripts of grades for bachelor’s and master’s degrees
• Explanation of the grading system for foreign education
• Documentation of English proficiency
• Documentation of proficiency in Norwegian or a Scandinavian language (if available)
• 3 references with contact information
• Master’s thesis and other relevant publications
• Documentation of completed FELASA training (if available)

All documentation must be in a Scandinavian language or English. If applying with a foreign degree, include evaluation of equivalence. English proficiency must be documented if not already. Applications must be submitted via Jobbnorge within the deadline.

Qualification with a master’s degree is required before commencement, but applications may be submitted if the master’s thesis is pending. The thesis and grade transcripts must be submitted with the application.

All documentation should be in English or a Scandinavian language; diplomas and transcripts should be original language if not in English or Scandinavian. An English proficiency document is required if not already provided.

Assessment

Applicants will be assessed by an expert committee based on written materials. The best-qualified candidates will be invited to an interview. A skills test may be requested for the top candidates.

General information

The appointment follows UiT regulations. Remuneration follows the State salary scale. A compulsory 2% pension contribution to the Public Service Pension Fund will be deducted. You will be a member of the Pension Fund with associated benefits and terms. More about employee benefits is available at spk.no.

The university provides information about working and living in Norway at the staff mobility site. UiT is a multi-campus research university located in the High North with a focus on interdisciplinarity and innovation. Read more about us at uit.no/helsefak