Postdoctoral Researcher in Structural Biology of Mitochondrial Gene Expression

Do you want to contribute to top quality medical research?

Applications are invited for a postdoctoral position in structural biology in the group of Prof Joanna Rorbach at the Department of Medical Biochemistry and Biophysics, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden.

We are seeking an enthusiastic and highly motivated researcher to join an interdisciplinary project focused on the molecular mechanisms of mitochondrial gene expression, including mitochondrial translation, in health and disease.

Your mission

The project combines expertise in structural biology, mitochondrial biology, molecular biology, and disease modelling to understand how mitochondrial proteins regulate gene expression and contribute to mitochondrial disease. The successful candidate will use detailed molecular and structural approaches to uncover new insights into mitochondrial protein function and disease pathophysiology.

About the research group

The Rorbach laboratory investigates the regulation of gene expression in mitochondria using genetic, structural, biochemical, and molecular approaches. Our work often focuses on disease-relevant mechanisms and aims to identify new opportunities for therapeutic intervention.

Recent and relevant publications include Richter et al., Nature Reviews Molecular Cell Biology 2026; Nguyen et al., Nature Communications 2026; Shao et al., Nature Communications 2025; Cipullo et al., Nature Communications 2024; Kruger et al., Nature Communications 2023; and Itoh et al., Nature 2022.

The successful candidate will join an international and collaborative team of researchers at Karolinska Institutet. The working language of the group is English.

Your profile

We are looking for applicants with a strong background in structural biology. Experience with cryo-EM and molecular biology is essential. Previous experience in mitochondrial biology is desirable.

The successful candidate should have:

• A PhD in structural biology, molecular biology, biochemistry, biophysics, or a related field
• Strong practical experience with cryo-EM
• Excellent knowledge of modern biological and structural approaches
• A promising publication record
• A rigorous, independent, and creative scientific mindset
• Good documentation and organizational skills
• Excellent spoken and written English
• The ability to work both independently and as part of a highly collaborative research environment

The candidate should be motivated to develop their own research ideas while contributing to the broader goals of the group.

To be eligible for employment as a postdoctoral researcher, a PhD or a foreign degree deemed to be equivalent to a Swedish PhD is required. This eligibility requirement must be fulfilled at the latest at the time of the employment decision. Completion of your doctoral degree within the last three years is considered an advantage. If there are special reasons, your degree may have been completed earlier.

If the candidate is eligible, the position could be also be offered as a Postdoctoral scholarship.  Postdoctoral scholarships may be established for foreign researchers who pursue their postdoctoral research in Sweden. 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.

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.

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. At Karolinska Institutet, we conduct successful medical research and hold the largest range of medical 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. Karolinska Institutet is also a state university, which entitles you to several benefits through our collective agreement.

The Department of Medical Biochemistry and Biophysics provides access to state-of-the-art infrastructure, including facilities for cryo-EM, advanced microscopy, flow cytometry, next-generation sequencing, and transgenic technologies.

Location: Biomedicum, Solna

Application

An employment application must contain the following documents in English or Swedish:

• PhD certificate
• A complete resumé, including date of the thesis defence, title of the thesis, previous academic positions, academic title, current position, academic distinctions, and committee work
•  A complete list of publications
• A cover letter describing research experience, motivation, and future interests
• Contact details for two referees 

KI applies individual and differentiated salary setting in accordance with our collective agreements RALS and RALS-T

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

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

1. Joanna Rorbach, [email protected]

1. Anurupa Nagchowdhury, OFR, [email protected]
2. Helin Norberg, SACO, [email protected]