Dear ETPN members, dear colleagues, please find below a job offer of 3-4 new open positions for research scientists in nanomedicine at SINTEF.

Research Scientists in advanced therapeutics and analytical chemistry

The Department of Biotechnology and Nanomedicine, Research Group Mass Spectrometry, at SINTEF Industry is growing and is looking for 3 – 4 skilled and motivated Research Scientists to join our team and jointly cover the following core areas; i) mRNA-based and other advanced therapies, including vaccines and nanomedicines; ii) analytical biotechnology and life science; and iii) inorganic analytical chemistry.

The Department of Biotechnology and Nanomedicine consists of the three Research groups Mass Spectrometry, Biotechnology, and Polymer Particles and Surface Chemistry and hosts national leading infrastructures for analytical chemistry, high throughput screening and bioprocess technology, along with state-of-the-art molecular biology and chemical synthesis labs. With currently more than 70 staff, we perform each year more than 100 projects for industry and public funders in the frame of national and European research programmes.

Research in our Department is carried out at our excellent and modern facilities at SINTEF Industry in Trondheim, Norway, closely integrated with other SINTEF groups and the Norwegian University of Science and Technology NTNU with which we closely collaborate in numerous research projects at the national and international level.

Job description

To better exploit and expand our existing competences, infrastructure, and capacities in the broad spectrum of life science and analytical chemistry, we want to expand our team with 3–4 researchers who will bring additional, complementary competence and skills.

These researchers are expected to work closely together with other researchers in our team but should also be capable of independently developing and implementing her/his own ideas and strategy on how to contribute to SINTEF’s ambitious goals of developing Technology for a better society and further ensuring SINTEF as a leading R&D partner for life science, and advanced organic and inorganic chemical analyses in Europe.

The main part of the work in the open positions will be concerned with, respectively, i) characterization and development of advanced therapeutic medicinal products, ii) advanced chemical analyses of biological and biotechnological samples; and iii) advanced inorganic chemical analyses applied to a wide range of materials and sample types. Yet, the candidates will be encouraged and expected to generate and lead additional research activity, ensuring sustainability and growth of our group; this could imply all research fields where the unique analytical infrastructure and collective competence of the Department can be used to enable science that will benefit society.

Candidate profile

The eligible candidate should:

• Have a PhD in a suitable field, relevant for one, or more of these three Core Research Areas:
  1: RNA-based and other advanced therapies, including vaccines, nanomedicines and other advanced therapeutic medicinal products, e.g. gene therapy and (nano)medical devices
  2: Analytical biotechnology / life science, e.g. lipidomics, metabolomics, process analytical technology, organic mass spectrometry, imaging mass spectrometry
  3: Inorganic analytical chemistry, e.g. ICP-MS, surface- and solid-state analyses
• Preferably have documented expertise and a broad overview across relevant disciplines and topics within the Core Research Areas above
• Have good written and oral communication skills in English
• Have skills and experience in efficiently publishing research results
• Have skills to acquire new R&D projects and industrial customers

Personally, the candidate should:

• Be highly committed to applied science
• Be able to work in a team and lead scientific and technical staff in a clear, inclusive and inspiring way
• Be quality conscious and strive for excellence
• Be able to develop own smart ideas and think independently, be creative
• Be able to build and maintain personal networks with scientists and industry partners, nationally and internationally
• Be motivated by and able to focus on solving tough scientific challenges

Interest in and skills in (one or) several of the following fields is highly desirable:

Core Research Area 1; RNA-based and other advanced therapies, including vaccines, and nanobiomaterials

• Therapeutic mRNA and other RNA, including chemistry, design, synthesis, and analysis
• Gene therapies, including CRIPSR/Cas, AAV therapy, other advanced therapeutic medicinal products
• Vaccine development, virology, synthetic vaccines
• Nanomedicine, lipid nanoparticles regulatory science
• Nanomedical devices
• Microfluidics

Core Research Area 2; Analytical biotechnology and life science

• Lipidomics, lipid profiling
• Metabolomics, metabolic fingerprinting, targeted metabolite analyses
• Food and environmental analyses, including water, air, soil
• Microbiome analyses
• Process analytical technology; in-line/at-line analyses
•  High-resolution mass spectrometry

Core Research Area 3; Inorganic analytical chemistry:

• ICP-MS, including coupling to laser ablation (LA), trace element quantification and speciation
• Surface- and solid-state analytical techniques applied to biological systems and interfaces, e.g. bone structure, implants
• Electron microscopy, including SEM, (cryo-)TEM, SPED
• Chromatography, e.g. HPLC, ion chromatography
• Field flow fractionation
• X-ray / neutron-based scattering and spectroscopy

General competences desirable for all Core Research Areas:

• Molecular mass spectrometry, chromatography, MALDI, MS imaging, LCMS/ MS, GC-MS
• Chemometrics, large-scale and high content data analysis, design-of-experiments
• Computer programming, machine learning
• Automated / robotic liquid handling and sample preparation

SINTEF offers:

• High-end laboratory infrastructure and friendly colleagues
• Extensive collaboration with national and international research and industry partners
• Opportunity to work in a flexible research environment and to bring in own ideas
• Competitive salary according to SINTEF’s salary system and a framework for professional and personal development within SINTEF

Contact & application process

The application should include the following:
Cover letter, CV, a description of your research interests, a list of publications and names and contact details of references. All materials should be provided in English. The application materials will not be returned.

• More information can be found here on SINTEF’s website
• You may apply by clicking here
• Main contact: Sven Even Borgos form SINTEF