Assistant Professor position in Experimental Cancer Immunotherapy

We are looking for an up-and-coming researcher who wants to conduct pioneering research to take up a position as Assistant professor (Associate Senior Lecturer) in Experimental Cancer Immunotherapy at Lund University, Faculty of Medicine.

What we offer the successful candidate

Do you want to become a research leader of tomorrow through pioneering projects and research ideas? If so, you have the opportunity to start as an assistant professor (associate senior lecturer) as part of Lund University Programme for Global Excellence.

The past two decades have witnessed a profound transformation in medicine driven by advances in our understanding of the immune system, particularly in oncology and the treatment of autoimmune and inflammatory disorders. Despite this progress, major challenges remain in improving the efficacy and precision of immunotherapies. Overcoming these challenges will require a deeper mechanistic insight to enable the development of rational, next-generation therapeutic strategies. To remain at the forefront of immunotherapy research, Lund University, its Medical and Technical Faculties, and Skåne University Hospital are undertaking a major strategic investment in this area. We invite applications from emerging research leaders with an exceptional track record to conduct ground-breaking research within the field of experimental cancer immunotherapy.

As an Assistant Professor you will develop your qualifications over a period of 5 years after which you may be promoted to a tenured position as a senior lecturer, with opportunities for further career advancement.

A start-up package to support the initial hiring of staff and running costs will be provided.

You will receive five weeks of training in teaching and learning in higher education and get the opportunity to learn Swedish through the University’s Swedish language courses for new international staff.  As you prepare to move to Sweden, we offer you support through our relocation service, and if you’re bringing your family, they’ll receive support and make new connections through Lund’s International Citizen Hub who provides a gateway to Swedish society and your new community.

At the turn of the year 2026/2027, Sweden's largest scientific funder, the Swedish Research Council, will announce attractive funding for Assistant Professors with an international background. Our ambition is that appointments within the framework of the Lund University Programme for Global Excellence will be nominated for this funding. Read more about the Swedish Research Council here.

Are  you ready to shape the research of the future?

Learn more about why Lund University might be the right fit for you here, and more about working in Sweden here. These films provide information about Working in Lund, Moving to Lund and Living in Lund.

Read more about the University joint announcement here. 

Duties – what we expect from you

We want you to thrive and make the most of your time at Lund University and the Faculty of Medicine. As an assistant professor, you will therefore have the opportunity to engage whole- heartedly in the research you are passionate about. As the holder of this position, most of your time will be allocated for your own research in collaboration with strong research environments, research infrastructures and international platforms.

In addition to conducting research, during your time as Assistant Professor you will also develop your teaching expertise, outreach and collaboration skills, as well as your proficiency in the Swedish language. Throughout your employment, you will be an active member of the Faculty of Medicine and participate in its diverse work.

It is our hope that one of your first tasks will be to conduct an innovative research project funded by the Swedish Research Council.

At the Faculty of Medicine, you will have the opportunity to establish a transformative and internationally competitive research program dedicated to the development of innovative therapies targeting the tumour microenvironment. The position has an emphasis on validation of immunotherapies using advanced mouse models of cancer. Specifically, the position will be part of the L2CancerBridge programme, coordinated by CREATE Health. CREATE Health is a strategic centre for translational cancer research at Lund University. The centre's work is conducted primarily within the framework of L2CancerBridge, a five-year research programme that aims to bridge the gap between biological discoveries and clinical implementation, with a focus on next-generation antibody modalities and cellular therapies for cancer. The programme offers a genuinely unique research environment, where scientific freedom meets translational focus and clinical grounding, for researchers who want their science to make a real difference. The position supports scientific risk-taking and the development of innovative research directions in immuno-oncology, leveraging available strategic centres, platforms, and advanced core facilities, including Lund University Cancer Centre, the national antibody network within SciLifeLab, the LU-ATMP Centre, spatial biology, and flow cytometry.

You are expected to develop a research program in Experimental cancer immunotherapy by leveraging antibody-based therapeutic modalities.

The research may include, but is not limited to:

• Development of antibody-based immunotherapies for cancer
• Therapeutic targeting of paracrine communication within the tumour microenvironment, with relevance for immunotherapy
• Pre-clinical validation of experimental therapies in advanced mouse models of cancer
• Translational efforts to prepare pre-clinical programs for clinical entry

You are expected to collaborate with experimental and computational research groups within Lund University. Applicants are encouraged to integrate high-dimensional profiling approaches, including single-cell and spatial omics, and to bridge mechanistic insights with translational applications in Experimental cancer immunotherapy.

Qualifications for employment as an assistant professor

You must hold a doctoral degree or have equivalent research expertise in Experimental cancer immunotherapy, or a closely related field. We will give priority to applicants who have been awarded their doctoral degree within the last 7 years, counted from the application deadline for the position. If you hold documents approved in Sweden that demonstrate special circumstances, such as parental leave, military service or illness following your degree, which have prevented you from working as a researcher, the degree in the subject may have been awarded earlier. In this case, you must include this documentation with your application.

Requirements – what you must have

To be eligible for appointment as an Assistant Professor within the framework of the Lund University Programme for Global Excellence, we are looking for someone who:

• Has a strong research potential, with the ability to initiate, develop and conduct high-quality, independent research
• Has an excellent publication track record in immuno-oncology, immunotherapy, experimental cancer therapy, tumour microenvironment, advanced mouse models of cancer, or related fields. We emphasize qualitative assessment of academic accomplishments.
• Has relevant experience from doctoral training and/or postdoctoral research within Experimental cancer immunotherapy, or a related field, at a university or institute outside Sweden. Relevant extraordinary achievements from industry or the public sector will also be considered. Has not received a salary or grant from Sweden since December 31st, 2022
• Has documented good teaching competence and pedagogical ability.
• Has strong communication skills and excellent proficiency in English, both written and spoken.
• Demonstrates motivation and ability to learn Swedish
• Is able to define an innovative research focus and develop a research plan within of Experimental cancer immunotherapy, or a closely related field. The plan should:

1. Present a clear, innovative, and feasible project within immuno-oncology that goes beyond the postdoctoral work with a well-defined independent scope.
2. Demonstrate how the proposed research will complement and strengthen ongoing activities in the field of immuno-oncology and/or tumour microenvironment research at Lund University.
3. Outline relevant and realistic strategic collaborations with research groups at Lund University.
4. Describe how the project will benefit from and interact with the L2CancerBridge program, as well as other relevant infrastructures and strategic initiatives.

The research plan will carry significant weight in the assessment of the application and should be able to serve as a basis for applying for external research funding in national and international competition. The research plan should be 1,000–1,500 words.

• Has documented strong leadership qualities, for example through positions of trust, leadership training and assessed leadership ability.
• Has strong collaborative skills, initiative, and the ability to work independently.
• Will contribute positively to the work environment.

Additional qualifications – other credentials that we consider desirable

We want you to thrive at Lund University and be able to make the best of your time at the Faculty of Medicine, for that reason we are looking for someone who has:

• Documented research experience in the design of therapeutic antibody modalities
• Documented research experience in AI/machine learning/deep learning
• Documented experience in the development of therapies for oncological applications
• A current international position within the research field
• Experience in applying and obtaining research funding from funding bodies outside Sweden

The extent to which the applicant, through their experience and skills, may complement and strengthen ongoing research, undergraduate education, departmental innovation, and how they can contribute to the future development of the Faculty of Medicine will also be taken into consideration.

Lund University welcomes applicants with diverse backgrounds and experiences. Equality, equal opportunities and diversity are fundamental principles across all areas of our operations.

Form of employment

Fixed-term position, 5 years, in accordance with Chapter 4, Section 12a of the Higher Education Ordinance, with the opportunity for promotion to permanent employment as a senior lecturer.

Promotion – what is required to be promoted to senior lecturer (to be included)

As an Assistant Professor, you can apply for promotion to permanent employment as a senior lecturer. You will undergo a special assessment to determine if you fulfil the faculty’s requirements for employment as a senior lecturer. It is important for you to know that you can only apply only once for promotion and that you must apply for promotion at least six months before your employment as an Assistant Professor ends.

When you apply for promotion, you will be assessed based on whether you have:

Completed at least 5 weeks of qualifying higher education pedagogical training and had teaching assignments according to the faculty’s requirement for an associate professor. Independently been the senior author of several peer-reviewed original articles in reputable international journals – the benchmark is three original articles of which at least two must have been published during the employment as Assistant Professor. Received external research grants in national or international competition as the main applicant, at a level that makes it possible for the applicant to continue to lead and finance your own research. Have supervised at least one doctoral student from admission to mid-term review as principal supervisor (consideration will be given to any absence of the doctoral student due to illness, parental leave or similar). Qualified as associate professor according to the guidelines of the Faculty of Medicine.

An Assistant Professor is to be appointed on application to a permanent position as senior lecturer if they have the required qualifications and is deemed to be suitable with reference to the qualifications and assessment criteria for promotion and appointment as senior lecturer at the Faculty of Medicine. See:  Senior Lecturer- General requirements profile and assessments criteria.

The appointment will be made after preparation in the Academic Appointments Board.