Postdoctoral Fellow in immunology

University of Oslo; Oslo; On-site; NOK 595,000 - 679,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Good welfare schemes

Exercise during working hours

Public pension scheme

Career development opportunities

Job summary

The University of Oslo invites applications for a 3-year fixed-term postdoctoral position in immunology within the K.G. Jebsen Center. The successful candidate will monitor B-cell populations and contribute to translational autoimmune research at OUH/Diakonhjemmet, collaborating with a multidisciplinary team and clinicians.

Requirements include a doctoral degree and proven experience in flow cytometry, molecular biology, and scientific communication. English fluency is essential.

Qualifications

• A doctoral degree is required in medicine, molecular biology, basic immunology or a related area.
• Background in basic immunological research.
• Experience with flow cytometry, cell culture, ELISA, PCR, cloning of genes and transfection.
• Demonstrated experience in project management, scientific writing and scientific presentations.
• Fluent in spoken and written English.

Responsibilities

• Take active part in the research cooperation within the group and grow qualifications.
• Organize the clinical part of the project and help recruit/obtain biological samples.
• Isolate immune cells from patient samples.
• Identify and characterize antigen-specific cells by flow cytometry and cell culture assays.
• Write and present scientific papers at international conferences.

Skills

Fluent English

Education

Doctoral degree in medicine, molecular biology, basic immunology or related area

Tools

Flow cytometry

Cell culture

ELISA

PCR

Cloning of genes

Transfection

Job description

About The Position

A 3-year fixed-term postdoctoral position (SKO 1352) within the field of immunology is available at the Department of Diakonhjemmet Research and Teaching, Division of Orthopaedic Surgery, Institute of Clinical Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, University of Oslo. The position will be available from November 2026.

This position is part of a new translational research center (KG Jebsen Center for Specific Autoimmune Therapy) aiming to develop antigen‑specific B‑cell depletion strategies for treatment of autoimmune diseases. Professor Ludvig M. Sollid leads the center. The postdoc will be supervised by Dr Guro Løvik Goll, senior researcher and consultant at Dept Rheumatology/REMEDY research center, Diakonhjemmet Hospital together with Professor Sollid and Professor Øyvind Molberg, Dept Rheumatology, Oslo University Hospital (OUH). The work will be carried out in close collaboration with other researchers and clinicians at Diakonhjemmet Hospital.

The work of this research project will be carried out in close partnership with a diverse team that spans multiple disciplines, from both basic and clinical research environments, emphasizing the need for strong communication and interpersonal abilities. The successful applicant will primarily do lab work at the Sollid lab at OUH, but will also be strongly embedded in the REMEDY research center at Diakonhjemmet Hospital. The post doc will be expected to take part in discussions, meetings and project presentations both at Dept Immunology OUH and at REMEDY‑senter, Diakonhjemmet Hospital.

Project Description

The K.G. Jebsen Center for Specific Autoimmune Therapy centers on the investigation of novel B‑cell depleting therapies in autoimmune diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis (RA). The successful applicant for this post doc position will monitor PAD2/PAD4‑specific and ACPA‑specific B cells in patients treated with B‑cell depleting agents. The aim of the project is to develop tools that allow monitoring of disease‑relevant B‑cell populations through B‑cell depletion therapy and to assess correlations between presence of antigen‑specific B cells and defined disease states.

The duration of appointment is 3 years.

Duties of the position

The postdoctor is expected to take active part in the research cooperation within the group, and will be supported in acquiring qualifications, promoting current and future work in higher academic positions within the relevant disciplines.

The Objective Of The Project Is Research Activity Associated With The Defined Objectives Of The Center, The Major Work Assignments Being

• Help organize the clinical part of the project, help recruit and obtain biological samples from relevant patients
• Isolation of immune cells from patient samples
• Identification and characterisation of antigen‑specific cells by flow cytometry and cell‑culture assays
• Cloning and recombinant expression of rearranged B‑cell receptor genes from antigen‑specific B cells and plasma cells
• Writing of scientific papers and presentation of results at international conferences

In addition, the researcher will be encouraged to present their research regularly both at the Department of Immunology OUH, at REMEDY research center, Diakonhjemmet Hospital and at international scientific conferences.

Qualifications

Qualification requirements

• To be appointed as a postdoctoral fellow, a doctoral degree is required in medicine, molecular biology, basic immunology or a related area
• Background in basic immunological research
• Experience with relevant techniques: flow cytometry, cell culture, ELISA, molecular biology including PCR, cloning of genes and generation of transfectans.
• Demonstrated experience in project management, scientific writing and scientific presentations
• Fluent in spoken and written English

Desired Qualifications

• Previous experience with clinical studies and patients is an advantage, but not a requirement

Personal qualities

We Are Looking For a Highly Motivated, Hard‑working And Organized Candidate. A Successful Candidate Should Have a Genuine Interest In Pursuing An Academic Career And Possess The Following Strengths

• Strong scientific capacity and analytical skills as well as the ability to handle large, shared projects in multidisciplinary teams
• Capability to work both independently and as a team player
• Willingness to learn new skills as the laboratory grows and techniques evolve
• An interest in working with clinicians as well as researchers in basic immunology
• Interest in conveying their own research as well as other relevant scientific knowledge to clinicians
• Personal suitability for the position, as well as genuine motivation for the project

Employment in the position is based on a comprehensive assessment of all qualification requirements applicable to the position, including personal qualifications.

We need different perspectives in our work

UiO is an open and internationally oriented comprehensive university that strides to be an inclusive and diverse workplace and academic environment. You can read more about UiO’s work on equality, inclusion, and diversity at uio.no.

We fulfill our mission most effectively when we draw upon our variety of experiences, backgrounds, and perspectives.

We will provide appropriate accommodations should you need them. Relevant adjustments may include modifications to working hours, task adaptations, digital, technical, or physical adjustments, or other practical measures.

If you have an immigrant background, a disability, or CV gaps, we encourage you to indicate this in the job application portal. We always invite at least one qualified candidate from each group for an interview. In this context, disability is defined as an applicant who identifies as having a disability that requires workplace or employment-related accommodations. For more details about the requirements, please refer to the Employer portal (Norwegian).

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More information about gender equality initiatives at UiO can be found here.

We offer

• Exciting and meaningful tasks in an organization with an important societal mission, contributing to knowledge development, education, and enlightenment that promote sustainable, fair, and knowledge‑based societal development.
• Committed colleagues in a great working environment and the opportunity to do research that bridge basic science with clinical studies.
• Good welfare schemes.
• Opportunity of up to 1.5 hours a week of exercise during working hours.
• A workplace with good development and career opportunities.
• Membership in the Statens Pensjonskasse, which is one of Norway's best pension schemes with beneficial mortgages and good insurance schemes.
• Salary in position as Postdoctoral Fellow, position code 1352 in salary range NOK from 595 000 to 679 000, depending on competence and experience. From the salary, 2 percent is deducted in statutory contributions to the State Pension Fund.

Read more about the benefits of working in the public sector at Employer Portal.