Staff scientist in the Human Immune Organoid facility

The Novo Nordisk Foundation Center for Vaccines and Immunity (NIVI Research) seeks a staff scientist to join the Human Immune Organoids facility team. The position will be available on 1 June 2025 or as soon as possible thereafter.

NIVI Research is embedded at the Department of Immunology and Microbiology, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen.



Background

The Novo Nordisk Foundation Initiative for Vaccines and Immunity (NIVI), launched in December 2023, has a unique mission to harness airway immunity through innovative vaccine research and development to prevent airborne epidemics. NIVI has two parts:

• NIVI Research (NIVI-R): A state-of-the-art research center anchored to the University of Copenhagen, Department of Immunology and Microbiology (www.isim.ku.dk).
• NIVI Development (NIVI-D): A company that focuses on translational sciences and advancing vaccine development.

NIVI-R conducts scientific research, while NIVI-D works to quickly turn that research into new vaccine candidates. NIVI-D accelerates clinical trials (phases 1 and 2) and ensures a smooth transition to partners for later stages of development.

By connecting science, innovation, clinical trials, regulatory processes, and product development, NIVI aims to streamline the journey from research to real-world vaccines.



Who are we?

The Human Immune Organoid team is a newly established research team within NIVI-R. The team will conduct independent research projects and run a Human Immune Organoid facility as a core resource for the research center. We primarily work with the human tonsil organoids, which closely replicate human immune responses to pathogens and vaccines (Wagar, L. et al. Nature Medicine, 2021; Chen, X. & Ghanizada, M. et al. Nature Immunology, 2025). The team's research focus is aligned with the overall goal of NIVI-R, which is to enhance our understanding of human immune response and airway immunity. On top of that, we will function as a human organoid facility that collaborates closely with the other groups at NIVI-R while continuing development of other human organoid systems.

The Human Immune Organoid team is part of the Airway Immunity research group, which consists of approximately twelve members, including Principal Investigators, Postdoctoral Researchers, Ph.D. candidates, and laboratory technicians. The Human Immune Organoid team is under the leadership of Mustafa Ghanizada, MD and Associate Professor Henrik Kløverpris, PhD.



Work assignments:

The work assignments in the facility are:

• To organize the organoid facility (e.g., Overview of human sampling cohort, tissue processing, and experiment planning)
• Organizing day-to-day lab operations to ensure a well-organized and efficient environment
• Contribute to predefined research projects
• To maintain automated liquid handling station
• To optimize exciting protocols and experiment with new organoid models
• To train people in the organoid culture work
• To supervise lab-tech/lab-tech students in tissue processing and basic assays
• To assist in planning and performing experiments in collaboration with the other NIVI-R groups

Much of the daily work is done independently, including performing the assignments, planning the tasks with the team if necessary, and solving problems that suddenly emerge.



We are looking for a highly motivated and enthusiastic staff scientist with the following competencies and experience:

• A person with solid knowledge of human immunology
• Experience with basic immunological assays (e.g., flow cytometry, ELISA, and similar methods)
• A person with at least 3 years of documented lab experience with cell culture work, preferably human cell tissue culture
• Experience with organoid cultures would be beneficial but not necessary
• A person with some experience in working with high-dimensional data
• A person who is service-minded so that the facility can provide the best possible help for the other research group
• Team player with good interpersonal skills and an independent and collaborative mindset to join the mission
• Ability to plan and execute administrative and organizational tasks independently
• An interest in human organoid models and human immunology

Qualifications:

Education should be a Master of ScienceEducation should be a Master of Science or equivalent within Immunology or related fields. Education should be a Master of Science or equivalent within Immunology or related fields. or equivalent within Immunology or related fields. You must have documented experience in advanced cell culture techniques. Your approach to the position should integrate independent research and the facility's services to foster collaboration with other NIVI-R research groups and their experiments. Therefore, you should be comfortable working with different people, service-oriented, and capable of working both independently and meticulously.



We offer:

• Unique opportunities to become part of a solid new research program
• International and stimulating workplace in constant development, working with the newest human organoid models under strong international leading collaborations
• A versatile and exciting job with many challenges and a big influence on how the job is organized
• A job with opportunities for participation in meetings/courses where relevant
• A job where we constantly develop the facility with new protocols (e.g., optimize current immune organoid models and develop new)
• A job that offers flexibility
• A job in a coherent group with an informal and relaxed work environment
• Great infrastructure facilities located in central Copenhagen, Denmark

Terms of salary and employment:

The employment as an academic research officer is a full-time position (37 hours per week) for a period of 3 years with a possibility of extension, and the starting date is 1 June 2025 or after agreement. Employment will be in accordance with the provisions of the collective agreement between the Danish Ministry of Finance and AC (the Danish Confederation of Professional Associations). The monthly salary will be based on the number of years of work experience (seniority) with the possibility to negotiate a salary supplement based on prior experiences and qualifications. The employer will pay an additional 18,07 % to your pension fund.



Questions:

For further information regarding the position, please contact Mustafa Ghanizada, MD, on mail m.ghanizada@sund.ku.dk



Homepage:

www.isim.ku.dk and https://nivi.ku.dk/



Application:

Your application should be in English and include:

• Letter of motivation addressing the requirements (max. one page)
• Curriculum Vitae (including references)
• Publications list
• A certified/signed copy of the certificate(s) of education

Please submit your application by clicking on “Apply Now” below. Only online applications will be accepted.



Application deadline: 2 April 2025



We reserve the right not to consider material received after the deadline, and not to consider applications that do not live up to the above-mentioned requirements.



University of Copenhagen wish to reflect the diversity of society and welcome applications from all qualified candidates regardless of age, disability, gender, nationality, race, religion or sexual orientation. Appointment will be based on merit alone.