New initiative to recruit assistant professors in 2026
The Faculty Board at Karolinska Institutet has decided to launch a new call for Assistant Professor positions in 2026, with the possibility of co‑funding up to 20 posts.
The decision was taken on 1 April and means that KI will continue its strategic investment in the recruitment of early‑career researchers. The call will be carried out in close collaboration with the departments, which will define the research areas, and will largely follow the same joint recruitment process as in the previous year.
“The previous recruitment round produced excellent results and brought new energy to Karolinska Institutet. This is an important reason why we have chosen to continue the initiative,” says Sten Linnarsson, Dean of KI Solna and a member of the Faculty Board at Karolinska Institutet.
Favourable conditions
The recruitment period is planned for 1 June–31 August 2026, with the newly appointed assistant professors expected to take up their posts in 2027. The initiative forms part of KI’s long‑term efforts to strengthen its research environment and create favourable conditions for the next generation of research leaders.
“We want to promote a vibrant, international research environment at KI where curiosity, innovation and excellence are at the core. By repeating this initiative, KI can continue to attract ambitious early‑career researchers who can further develop and strengthen our research environments,” says Sten Linnarsson.
Assistant professor recruitment timeline
- 1 June: Call opens
- 31 August: Call closes
- 2027: Planned start date
Success story 2025
Photo: Getty ImagesMore than 2,700 applications for 20 Assistant Professor positions
Karolinska Institutet's record-breaking international recruitment of 20 assistant professors focused on excellence has been a great success. With over 2,700 applications from 1,560 researchers in 89 countries, the initiative has had an impact that strengthens KI's position as one of Europe's most attractive medical universities.
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