KI makes important recruitment of 20 junior researchers

“KI is offering its new junior researchers a six-year start package of nine or twelve million kronor, depending on scientific field as identified by the department, and colleagues who are also world-leading researchers,” says Sten Linnarsson, dean of KI Solna and member of the Faculty Board, which initiated this major strategically important recruitment of researchers with the university management, deans and heads of department. “KI Is also supporting the researchers’ families on arrival to Stockholm.” 

The initiative to recruit junior researchers to the post of Assistant Professor has garnered widespread engagement. 

Departmentally formulated subject fields  

Professor Sten Linnarsson explains that the Department of Medical Biochemistry and Biophysics (MBB), to which he belongs, has prepared its recruitment in accordance with a model that us now being adopted on a wide scale.  

”It’s a decentralised recruitment model in which the departments themselves formulate distinct research subjects in consultation with their research group leaders. The departments also make the selection, and the shortlisted candidates are invited to KI to lecture and to meet their prospective colleagues. The departments are extremely engaged and experience shows that this model of personal recruitment works very well for all involved.” 

Broad-based initiative in line with the research bill 

The recruitment initiative is in line with the 2024 research and innovation bill, in which the government expresses its desire to see investment in young scientists with an “excellent” profile. To realise this vision, the Swedish Research Council has been given a budget to support such lectureships.  

“The investment on excellent young scientists is clear government policy,” says Professor Linnarsson. “The recruitments that KI is now making are, however, financed internally, but if we’re to apply for grants from the Swedish Research Council further down the line, we need to have talented named candidates in place. KI’s planned investment also adds a bonus to the appropriation from the Swedish Research Council, which is also consistent with the bill.” 

There are several reasons why KI is recruiting in such a way this year. One is the geopolitical situation that is impacting universities in many countries around the world. 

“The instability in the USA and Israel, to name but two, is prompting researchers from all over the globe to find new paths for their future careers,” says Professor Linnarsson. 

The researcher’s best decision 

However, it takes more than financing and formalities to attract young elite scientists, and Professor Linnarsson is proud of what KI has to offer.  

“KI is one of Europe’s topmost medical universities conducting research of international renown – be it clinical, preclinical and in public health science – that is integrated with the healthcare sector, blessed with some fantastic infrastructure and based in a country that places a high value on democracy, the life-work balance and family life.”  

If a young researcher is to take the decisive step to move to another country, he or she needs the superb professional opportunities that KI can offer and the knowledge that at KI,  life is about much more than work; many have spouses and children that must also be made to feel at home.  

“It’s a big decision to move to another country at a time when you might have just started to have children,” says Professor Linnarsson. “It often means that you stay for the rest of your life, in which case everything has to work from day one. As our approach in this process is a holistic one, we have everything in place to make sure that a researcher’s decision to come to KI and Sweden is the best they’ve ever made.”