Postdoc in Adolescent Brain Development, Jens Hjerling-Leffler group (scholarship)

Do you want to contribute to top quality medical research?

The position is located within The Division of Molecular Neurobiology in the lab of

Professor Jens Hjerling-Leffler

at the Department of Medical Biochemistry and Biophysics (MBB), Karolinska Institutet.

The Hjerling-Leffler lab aims at understanding how adolescent development of the nervous system, on a cell type-specific level, influences the etiology of psychiatric disorders. We work with several different approaches including analysis of postmortem samples and mouse models of genetic risk to understand biological convergence. We also combine transcriptomic data with large scale human genetics to investigate the cellular consequences of polygenic heritability in Schizophrenia (SCZ).

Our lab fosters a creative, friendly, and inclusive work environment with the goal for all lab members to answer exciting scientific questions while fulfilling personal career ambition.

Duties

We seek a skilled biologist with experience in working with molecular neurobiology and mouse models. The ideal candidate is passionate about answering biological questions related to synaptic pruning and connections during adolescence. The successful candidate will lead projects involving virus based advanced neural circuits mapping techniques as molecular and pharmacological tools to manipulate neural circuits. The candidate will work closely with computational researchers and technical personnel in the team and lead collaborations in international consortia. He/she will be responsible for data generation, analysis and visualisation of the data.

Qualifications

PhD degree in relevant fields (biology, biochemistry, genetics, neuroscience).
Practical experience working with mouse models.
Practical experience in virus based neural circuit mapping techniques
Demonstrated ability to present and analyze results orally and in writing
Documented scientific publications in relevant fields
Curiosity to solve fundamental biological questions and enthusiasm to lead new independent projects.
Proficiency in written and spoken English

It is meritorious that the applicant has

Prior involvement in interdisciplinary projects combining computational and biological sciences.
Practical experience working with synaptic tracing methods
Experience producing next generation sequencing and other high-throughput/dimensionality methods

Entry requirements

Postdoctoral scholarships may be established for foreign researchers who pursue their merit in Sweden. A foreign researcher is a person living in another country who comes to Sweden with the intention of only staying in Sweden for all or part of their postdoctoral education at KI. Persons who are resident in Sweden and/or have carried out all or part of their academic education at KI or some other educational institution in Sweden cannot be considered for scholarships.

The purpose of scholarships for postdoctoral qualification is to promote internationalization and contribute to research qualification after a doctorate or equivalent.

A scholarship for carrying out postdoctoral research can be granted for a maximum of two years within a four-year period following the receipt of a doctoral degree or equivalent.

To be eligible for a postdoctoral scholarship, the person must have obtained a doctorate, or a foreign degree deemed to be equivalent to a doctorate. Applicants who have not completed a doctorate at the end of the application period may also apply, provided that all requirements for a completed degree are met before the (intended) start date of the post-doctoral education.

What do we offer?

A creative and inspiring environment with wide-ranging expertise and interests. Karolinska Institutet is one of the world's leading medical universities. Here, we conduct innovative medical research and provide the largest range of biomedical education in Sweden. At KI, you get to meet researchers working with a wide range of specialisms and methods, giving you ample opportunity to exchange knowledge and experience with the various scientific fields within medicine and health. It is the crossover collaborations, which have pushed KI to where it is today, at the forefront of global research. Several of the people you meet in healthcare are educated at KI. A close relationship with the health care providers is important for creating groundbreaking top quality education and research. Students and employees have free access to our modern gym facilities with trained staff on site.

Location: Solna

Type of scholarship

The amount is tax free and it is set for twelve months at a time, paid out on a six months basis. In exceptional cases, shorter periods may be acceptable.

Application process

An application must contain the following documents in English:

Proof of doctoral degree
Curriculum vitae and qualifications
A complete list of publications
Summary of current work and statement of future research interests

The application is to be submitted on the Varbi recruitment system.

Want to make a difference? Join us and contribute to better health for all

First day of employment: Upon agreement

Salary: scholarship

Reference number: ST D 2-4357/2026

Contact:

Jens Hjerling Leffler, Professor, jens.hjerling-leffler@ki.se
Fatima Memic, fatima.memic@ki.se

Union representative:

Helin Norberg, helin.norberg@ki.se

Published: 2026-10-22

Last application date: 2026-11-12