Associate Senior Lecturer (DDLS Fellow) in data-driven precision medicine and diagnostics

Lund University was founded in 1666 and is repeatedly ranked among the world’s top universities. The University has around 47 000 students and more than 8 800 staff based in Lund, Helsingborg and Malmö. We are united in our efforts to understand, explain and improve our world and the human condition.

Lund University welcomes applicants with diverse backgrounds and experiences. We regard gender equality and diversity as a strength and an asset.

Lund is strategically positioned close to the continent, hosting major national and European research infrastructures, such as MAX.IV Laboratory and the European Spallation Source (ESS). In the field of Precision Medicine and Diagnostics research we offer attractive environments at the Faculty of Medicine in collaboration with the Faculty of Engineering, the Faculty of Science and the regional university healthcare, within a broad range of medical topics and disease areas, as well as cutting-edge infrastructures, high-capacity computational resources, extensive biobanks and career support programs.

In this tenure track position as Associate Senior Lecturer (DDLS Fellow) we are addressing outstanding junior scientists with international research experience. The position is located within the Faculty of Medicine, and the appointed candidate will be enrolled in the Wallenberg Center for Molecular Medicine (WCMM) at Lund University. Departmental placement will be determined at the time of appointment. The position is time-limited to five years with the possibility for promotion to Senior Lecturer.

Background

Data-driven life science (DDLS) uses data, computational methods and artificial intelligence to study biological systems and processes at all levels, from molecular structures and cellular processes to human health and global ecosystems. The SciLifeLab and Wallenberg National Program for Data-Driven Life Science (DDLS), coordinated by SciLifeLab, aims to recruit and train the next-generation of data-driven life scientists and to create globally leading computational and data science capabilities in Sweden. The program is funded with a total of 3.3 billion SEK (about 350 MUSD) over 12 years from the Knut and Alice Wallenberg (KAW) Foundation.

The DDLS program funds 50 high-profile junior group leaders (“Fellows”), over 210 postdoctoral positions and has established a research school for 260 PhDs, including industry PhDs and postdocs. Fellows are recruited to the 11 participating host universities/organizations, but brought together under the DDLS program, which has four strategic areas: cell and molecular biology, evolution and biodiversity, precision medicine and diagnostics, epidemiology and biology of infection. For more information, please see www.scilifelab.se/data-driven.

During 2022-2024, the first and second round of 39 Fellows joined and now we are looking to recruit an additional group of 11 Fellows. Each DDLS Fellow will receive a recruitment package of 17 MSEK (about 1.6 MUSD) for a 5-year period, covering their own salary and other resources, such as salaries for PhD students and postdoc positions. The Fellowships are tenure-track positions with the host organizations, which assume the responsibility for the long-term faculty appointments following a tenure evaluation.

The future of life science is data-driven. Will you be leading the change with us? Then join us in this unique program!

At Lund University, we are looking to fill the position as Associate Senior Lecturer in data-driven precision medicine and diagnostics.Data-driven precision medicine and diagnostics cover data integration, analysis, visualization, and data interpretation for patient stratification, discovery of biomarkers for disease risks, diagnosis, drug response and monitoring of health. Precision medicine research is expected to make use of existing strong assets in Sweden and abroad, such as molecular data (e.g. omics), imaging, electronic health care records, longitudinal patient and population registries and biobanks. The applicant is expected to have a strong computational focus on innovative development and application of novel data-driven methods relying on machine learning, artificial intelligence, or other computational techniques.

Work duties

The ideal candidate is expected to initiate and maintain a strong data-driven research program in synergy with on-going preclinical and clinical research at the faculty within the field of precision medicine and diagnostics.

The successful candidates will primarily be conducting research and research supervision. Up to 20% of the employment can be devoted to teaching at the faculty on graduate as well as postgraduate level so that the criteria for promotion to a tenure position as Senior Lecturer can be fulfilled within five years.

The candidate is also expected to take active part in interactions and exchange programs within local and national DDLS fellow programs, Science for Life Laboratories, as well as the WCMM program at Lund University. Other duties may be added.

Qualifications

According to Chapter 4, Section 4a of the Higher Education Ordinance a person is qualified for appointment if the applicant holds a PhD or has corresponding research expertise. Priority should be given candidates who have completed their degree or achieved the corresponding competence no more than 7 years before the last date for applications. However, a person who has been awarded a PhD or achieved the equivalent expertise at an earlier date may also be considered if there are exceptional circumstances. Exceptional circumstances are sick leave, parental leave or other similar circumstances.

Basis for assessment

We expect the successful candidate to become one of the future research leaders at the Medical Faculty in the field of data-driven Precision Medicine and Diagnostics. We are seeking highly motivated individuals with documented international research experience, a demonstrated potential for creativity and a high degree of excellence in the field, for example in computational biology, mathematical modelling and simulations, bioinformatics of large-scale datasets. The candidate will be evaluated with regard to: 1) Scientific excellence 2) Teaching credentials and 3) Leadership skills.

Particular weight will be given to scientific excellence in an international context. Emphasis will, in addition, be placed on the candidates' personal suitability and the candidates' potential to become eligible for a senior lecturer position within the time frame of the Associate Senior Lecturer position. Specific assessment criteria are given below:

1) Scientific excellence Independently performed experimental research within the area, including publications at a high scientific level and grants achieved in strong competition. Novelty of the scientific approach, giving added value to the existing research at the faculty within the field. Several years of research in an international environment, outside Sweden, is a very strong merit.

2) Teaching credentials A further merit is pedagogical skills in planning, execution, and evaluation of teaching as well as supervision and examination.

3) Leadership skills Evaluation is also made on the basis of documented administrative skills, including leadership, research supervision, ability to plan, develop and maintain research group organization, and the ability to internet with the surrounding society.

Promotion to Senior Lecturer

According to Chapter 4, Section 12a § of the Higher Education Ordinance an Associate Senior Lecturer is to be appointed on application to a permanent position as Senior Lecturer if he or she has 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.

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 Associate Senior Lecturer 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 Associate Senior Lecturer. 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, see Guidelines for applications to be appointed as a Docent at the Faculty of Medicine, Lund University.

In addition to the Higher Education Ordinance, the following apply to the appointments of teaching staff: Lund University Appointment Rules and at promotion to Senior Lecturer, the Faculty of Medicine's general requirements profile and assessment criteria for the appointment of a Senior Lecturer, see www.med.lu.se/recruitment_process. The appointment will be made after preparation in the Academic Appointments Board.

Further information

For further information about the position please contact: Pro Dean Jonas Larsson, phone: +46 46 222 05 80, e-mail: Jonas.Larsson@med.lu.se or Dean Maria Björkqvist, phone +46 46-222 80 84, e-mail: Maria.Bjorkqvist@med.lu.se. Information on application formalities may be obtained from Recruitment Officer Robert Norrman, phone: +46 46-2224410, e-mail: Robert.Norrman@med.lu.se.

Application

Applications are to be made electronically via Lund University's applications portal by the 15th of November 2025. Applications are to be submitted in accordance with the Faculty of Medicine's guidelines for academic appointments (see www.med.Iu.se/recruitment_process under the headings List of qualifications for lecturers and and Create a CV). The Faculty of Medicine is a part of Lund University, and is responsible for education and research within medicine and healthcare. Our academic programs are closely linked with the healthcare system and are firmly anchored in the faculty’s strong research tradition. Our research spans a broad field within experimental preclinical research, near-patient clinical research and health sciences research. The Faculty of Medicine, with its 1,800 employees and 2,700 students in Lund and Malmö, is a knowledge-intensive meeting place for students, teachers and researchers from all over the world. We kindly decline all sales and marketing contacts.

Type of employment: Permanent position Contract type: Full time First day of employment: As soon as possible Salary: Monthly payment Number of positions: 1 Full-time equivalent: 100 City: Lund County: Skåne län Country: Sweden Reference number: PA2025/2169 Contact: 1. Dean Maria Björkqvist, +46462228084 2. Pro Dean Jonas Larsson, +46462220580 3. Recruitment officer Robert Norrman, +46462224410 Union representative: 1. OFR/ST:Fackförbundet ST:s kansli, 046-2229362 2. SACO:Saco-s-rådet vid Lunds universitet, kansli@saco-s.lu.se 3. SEKO: Seko Civil, 046-2229366 Published: 2025-09-15 Last application date: 2025-11-15