Laboratory engineer

Laboratory engineer in cancer research

A two-year full-time laboratory engineer position (Norwegian title: Ingeniør) in cancer research with possibility of extension is available at the Department of Pathology, Oslo University Hospital and Faculty of Medicine, University of Oslo. The position is available from June 1st 2026, but a later start date is possible.

Oslo University Hospital is Norway’s largest hospital with over 20 000 employees. It is the local hospital for most of Oslo’s population and has highly specialized care at a national level. The Department of Pathology is one out of seven departments within the Division of Laboratory medicine. It is the largest pathology department in Norway, with over 300 employees. The Department has a strong research section that is organized in seven research groups. Current research topics address cancer, immunopathology, inflammation and neurodegenerative diseases.

Oslo University Hospital is a workplace with great diversity. We believe this is crucial for solving our tasks in the best possible way. We want this diversity to be reflected among the applicants for our positions, and we encourage all qualified candidates, regardless of background, to apply!

About the position

Dr. Håvard Lindholm is principal investigator of the study. The position will be located in the laboratory of Professor Frode Jahnsen (jahnsenlab.org) at in the Department of Pathology at Oslo University Hospital, Rikshospitalet.

We research how antiviral defense pathways can be harnessed to kill cancer cells. Antiviral defense pathways can be activated if double stranded RNA (dsRNA) is expressed from our own genome. Normally, dsRNA is only present in a human cell infected with viruses and human cells have innate immune receptors that can recognize dsRNA. However, pathways dysregulated in cancer can lead to expression of repeated elements forming dsRNA. This would lead to the activation of antiviral defenses which can kill the cancer cell.

This position will be connected to two projects, one researching breast cancer and another researching colorectal cancer. The engineer will be a central part of the laboratory work of these projects. This includes cell culture work, growing intestinal organoids, processing tissue material, doing experiments and sequence material using Oxford Nanopore sequencing. Managing the large amount of data generated is also an important task. The work will be performed in a modern molecular biology lab with access to specialized equipment such as a P2 solo instrument which will be used to perform Oxford Nanopore Sequencing on site.

The engineer will:

• Maintain and do experiments with cell lines and human intestinal organoids.
• Process tissue biopsies and extract RNA and DNA.
• Do library prep and perform Oxford Nanopore sequencing.
• Be responsible for data management of standard data produced in the lab.

Extensive experience with wet lab techniques is a requirement. It is an advantage if the candidate has knowledge of cell culture, growing intestinal organoids and Oxford Nanopore sequencing. However, we will train the engineer in specific tasks and direct knowledge of these techniques prior to starting is not a requirement.

The ideal candidate should meet the following criteria:

• Applicants must hold a BSc degree in biology, immunology, medicine or a related field.
• Experience with culturing cells. Having worked with intestinal organoids is a plus.
• Experience with standard molecular biology techniques. Knowledge of library preparation and Oxford nanopore sequencing is a plus.
• Fluent oral and written communication skills in English.

We are looking for a highly motivated candidate who wants to work in research. We emphasize professional and personal qualities, as well as the ability to work well with others on our team. The ideal candidate will demonstrate initiative, accountability, and a systematic approach to their work.

The application must include:

• Application letter describing the applicant’s qualifications and motivation for the position.
• CV (summarizing education, positions, and academic work).
• Copies of educational certificates and transcript of records.
• Letters of recommendation or names and contact details of 2-3 references (name, relation to candidate, e-mail and telephone number).

Foreign applicants are advised to attach an explanation of their University's grading system. Please note that all documents should be in English (or a Scandinavian language). Applicants invited for an interview are asked to provide educational certificates, diploma or transcript of records.

The application with attachments must be delivered in our electronic recruiting system, please follow the link “apply for this job”.