Assistant Professor in Immunotechnology with focus on Cancer Immunotherapy

The Department of Immunotechnology at Lund University, Faculty of Engineering (LTH), is looking for an up-and-coming researcher, who wants to conduct pioneering research, to take up a position as assistant professor in Immunotechnology with focus on Cancer Immunotherapy.

What we offer the successful candidate
Do you want to become a future research leader through groundbreaking projects and research ideas? If so, you have the opportunity to start as an Assistant Professor within the framework of the Lund University Programme for Global Excellence.

The past two decades have witnessed a profound transformation in medical research 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.

As an Assistant Professor you will develop your qualifications over a period of 6 years, after which you may be promoted to a tenured position as a senior lecturer, with opportunities for further career advancement.

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 all 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.

Ready to shape the future of research? Learn more about why Lund University might be the right choice for you here , and more about working in Sweden here.  These films will also give you more information about Working in Lund, Moving to Lund and Living in Lund.

Read more about the University joint announcement:https://www.lunduniversity.lu.se/lund-university-programme-global-excellence

Duties
We want you to thrive and get the most out of your time at the Department of Immunotechnology. As an Assistant Professor, you will therefore have the opportunity to focus long-term on the research you are passionate about. The holder of this position will be able to dedicate the majority of their time to their own research, in collaboration with strong research environments, research infrastructures and international platforms.

In addition to conducting research, during your time as an Assistant Professor you will also develop your pedagogical skills, your capacity for collaboration and external communication, as well as your proficiency in the Swedish language. Throughout your employment, you will be an active member of your department and participate in its varied activities.

One of your first tasks, we hope, will be to lead an innovative research project funded by the Swedish Research Council.

As described above, the field of cancer immunotherapy is rapidly advancing. The opportunities to develop conceptually new cancer therapies are endless with the help of antibody technology, such as bispecific or multispecific antibody formats, antibody-drug conjugates, and cell-based therapies, including CAR T-cell therapy, NK-cell therapy, and other forms of adoptive cell therapy, as well as related strategies for mobilising the immune system against cancer. The field holds great potential for improving the treatment of many cancer patients.

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. Here, researchers, clinicians and technologists come together around a shared vision: to advance cancer research using cutting-edge technical, biological, biomedical, and analytical tools, and to ensure that new findings reach clinical reality. The centre's work is conducted primarily within the framework of L2CancerBridge, a five-year research programme funded by the single largest donation in the modern history of Lund University. L2CancerBridge aims to bridge the gap between biological discoveries and clinical implementation, with a focus on next-generation antibody modalities and cellular therapies.

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.

You can find more information about the department, https://www.immun.lth.se, CREATE Health and the L2CancerBridge programme, https://www.createhealth.lth.se, as well as the national antibody network, https://www.scilifelab.se/units/display-and-selection-technologies/, and LUCC https://www.lucc.lu.se on their respective websites.

Responsibilities:

• Research in immunotechnology with a focus on cancer immunotherapy
• Teaching at undergraduate, masters, and doctoral level
• Supervision of degree projects and doctoral students
• Actively seeking external research funding
• Collaboration with industry and the wider community
• Administrative tasks related to the responsibilities listed above

Qualification requirements for employment as Assistant Professor
You must hold a doctoral degree or have equivalent scientific expertise in areas relevant to the subject, which is Immunotechnology with a focus on cancer immunotherapy. We will primarily prioritise those applicants who have been obtained a doctoral degree within the last 7 years from the closing date for applications for the position. If you have official documentation proving that there are special circumstances— such as parental leave, military service or illness, after graduating - that have prevented you from working as a researcher, the doctoral degree in the subject can in such cases have been awarded earlier. In this case, you must include this documentation with your application.

Requirements – what you must bring to be considered for the position
To be able to be appointed as an Assistant Professor within the framework of Lund University Programme for Global Excellence, the applicant must have:

• Has a strong ability to initiate, develop and conduct high-quality research within the defined subject
• Has strong pedagogical skills
• Relevant experience from doctoral training and/or postdoctoral research at a university or institute outside Sweden, or relevant experience from industry or the public sector
• Has not received a salary or grant from Sweden since December 31st, 2022
• Has relevant experience to be able to define and develop a plan that describes an innovative project within the research field of Immunotechnology with a focus on cancer immunotherapy. The plan should describe how the applicant's research can complement and strengthen the research at the Department of Immunotechnology and the strategic research environment CREATE Health. Furthermore, the research plan should outline tentative relevant and realistic potential collaborations with existing research groups at LU, and the existing antibody development activities at the department. 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. The research plan should be 1,000–1,500 words.
• Has strong communication skills
• Has excellent proficiency inf English, both spoken and written
• Demonstrates motivation and ability to learn Swedish
• 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

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 department, and for that reason we consider it preferable if you can demonstrate that you:would like you to demonstrate that you can:

• Documented research experience in the design of antibody modalities
• Documented experience from cancer-related research
• Documented research experience in AI/machine learning/deep learning
• Documented experience in the development of therapies for oncology applications
• A current international position within the research field
• Experience of applying for and securing competitive funding from funders outside Sweden
• Contribute positively to the working environment

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 department 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
The position is full-time, fixed-term for 6 years. The fixed-term appointment is made in accordance with Chapter 4, Section 12a of the Higher Education Ordinance. The purpose of the position is to give the teacher the opportunity to develop their independence as a researcher and build qualifications both scientifically and pedagogically, in order to meet the eligibility requirements for appointment as Associate Professor.

Instructions on how to apply
Applications shall be written in English. Please draw up the application in accordance with LTH’s Academic qualifications portfolio – see link below. Upload the application as PDF-files in the recruitment system. Read more at: http://www.lth.se/english/working-at-lth/to-apply-for-academic-positions-at-lth/

Brief information about the Department of Immunotechnology
The Department of Immunotechnology at Lund University is a dynamic, internationally grounded research environment where advanced technology development meets translational biological and immunological research. With approximately 45 researchers and staff, the department combines expertise in immuno-oncology, broad omics technologies, and antibody development. It is an environment where scientific ambition is matched by a strong culture of collaboration and outstanding infrastructure. The department hosts, among other things, a node focused on antibody development within the national infrastructure SciLifeLab, and coordinates the research environment CREATE Health. The department is well connected to important local research environments such as the Lund University Cancer Centre (LUCC) and the newly inaugurated ATMP centre.

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Promotion - what is required for you to be promoted to Senior Lecturer in Immunotechnology with focus on Cancer ImmunotherapyWhen you are an assistant professor (associate senior lecturer), 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 once for promotion and that you must apply for promotion at least six months before your employment as an assistant professor (associate senior lecturer) ends.

Qualification requirements
Appointment to senior lecturer requires that the applicant has:

• A PhD or corresponding research competence or professional expertise considered important with regard to the subject matter of the post and the work duties the position will involve.
• Demonstrated teaching expertise, which includes completed higher education pedagogical training, or equivalent knowledge acquired by other means, of at least five weeks, unless there are special grounds for exemption.

Assessment criteria
The assessment criteria specify what is to be considered and what level must be achieved for the eligibility requirements to be regarded as met. The following assessment criteria must be fulfilled for appointment as an Associate Professor:

• A good national and international standing as a researcher. The requirement for international experience shall be assessed with consideration to the character and traditions of the subject.
• Good teaching ability, including a good ability to conduct, develop and lead teaching and other educational activities on different levels and using a variety of teaching methods.
• An ability to supervise doctoral students to achieve a PhD.
• An ability to collaborate with wider society and communicate his or her activities.
• A general ability to lead and develop activities.

Additional requirements

• Good ability to collaborate, independence and drive.
• Sufficient knowledge of Swedish to carry out administrative and educational tasks that require an understanding of Swedish.
• Progression in research and teaching expertise.
• Demonstrated ability to attract external research funding in competition.