DDLS research school director

Background

The SciLifeLab and Wallenberg National Program for Data-Driven Life Science (DDLS) is a 12-year initiative focusing on data-driven research, within the research areas of Cell and Molecular Biology, Precision Medicine and Diagnostics, Evolution and Biodiversity and Epidemiology and Biology of infection. SciLifeLab (Science for Life Laboratory), as a national infrastructure for life science, coordinates this program in collaboration with ten partner universities (Chalmers, GU, KI, KTH, LiU, LU, SLU, SU, UmU and UU) and the Swedish Museum of Natural History. Over the 12-year period, DDLS program will recruit 39 eminent young group leaders as DDLS Fellows, establish a research school for PhDs and postdocs within both academia and industry and carry out other tasks to support data science and DDLS research. For detailed information on DDLS, please see: www.scilifelab.se/DDLS

Assignment

We seek an experienced researcher (associate or full professor level or senior researcher with equivalent experience) interested in directing the launch of the DDLS research school together with the 11 DDLS partner organizations. The DDLS research school aims to train the future data-driven researchers to meet the future needs of experts within data-driven life sciences in academia, industry, health care, as well as society at large. The DDLS research school will unite students and mentors across the country and across the four different research areas of DDLS.

The focus of the research school is to engage the students with a national network. The DDLS Research School will complement already existing graduate school and other training activities at universities, and it does not represent a full standalone national PhD training program. Specific national DDLS Research School courses will be provided at a national level to assure that the students will at the end of their education have proficiency in data handling and analysis applications in life science, as well as associated ethical, legal and social challenges.

The national DDLS research school plans were set up in 2023 and the first calls to select DDLS RS supervisors are underway. The research school will formally start in 2024. Over a 10-year period, about 250 PhD students and more than 200 postdocs are planned to be enrolled in the research school.

 The first of the annual calls, to be launched in 2024 will recruit 20 academic and 7 industrial PhD students. In addition, the PhD students and postdocs of the DDLS fellows will take part in the DDLS Research School.

The director will be supported by the DDLS support team, and will chair the Research School Management Group that is composed of experts around the country. A national training reference group with representation from all partners will provide additional input and expertise. The director’s assignment entails directing the launch of the research school, including the annual calls for supervisors and PhD students and postdocs.  The Director will foster the national DDLS network within and between the four strategic DDLS research areas. The director will direct and supervise the research school, be part of the day-to-day operations, and maintain and continually develop the research school.

The planned assignment is expected to be about 40 % effort during the first two years, but we are open to a gradual start in 2024. The director can be assigned to any of the participating universities or the Swedish Museum of Natural History as the school is at a national level. However, the administrative support from the DDLS support team at Operations Office is based in Stockholm and Uppsala, so some travelling is expected. SciLifeLab and DDLS will compensate the host department of the selected candidate with a fixed sum as compensation for the assignment. This 2-year assignment will start as soon as possible. The position can be extended as the DDLS program is expected to remain active over the next 10 years or so.

The call is launched in December 2023 and the deadline for applications is January 16. The position will be filled as soon as possible thereafter.

We expect the ideal candidate to:

• Have an interest and ability to devote around 40% effort to supervise the launch of the DDLS research school including calls, recruitments, training, and networking
• Have an existing position at one of the DDLS partner organizations (Chalmers, GU, KI, KTH, LiU, LU, NRM, SLU, SU, UmU or UU).
• Be experienced in running or coordinating post graduate education, or post graduate schools, and supervision of doctoral students.
• Have research experience in a field that is related to the DDLS program.
• Have a clear vision of the national aspect and scope of the DDLS research school.
• Have good organizational skills and knowledge about relevant regulations and decision processes, such as the Swedish system for research and higher education.

We also value:

• Experience in community building in a national context.
• A relevant, established network within Swedish academia and ideally also experience from academic-industrial collaborations.
• Good communicational skills in Swedish and English
• Previous experience with management in academia or industry
• Knowledge of budgeting and financial practices and processes in Swedish universities

We offer:

• An exciting key role in one of the largest strategic research and training programs ever in life science in Sweden
• Be part of building and accelerating how life science is practised in the data- and AI-driven future
• Educating and training the next-generation of students, and preparing Sweden for the future with data-driven skills and capabilities.
• An exciting environment, working with the entire DDLS organization and major national stakeholders, such as universities, health care, industry, and funding agencies
• An important national function with high visibility
• Opportunity to interact across the nation, across four research areas, and in close collaboration with other major Swedish research programs, such as WCMM, WASP and WASP-HS.

Application

Please apply via email to ddls@scilifelab.se. The call is open from December 6 until January 16 2024. Questions about the assignment can also be sent to the above email address.

Your application should include:

• Cover letter (0,5-1 page) summarizing your personal motivations for this assignment, as well as education and experience that make you a strong candidate for this position. Indicate your present role and position in your organization and how that would be compatible with the director role of the DDLS Research School.
• Short description (max 1 page) of your vision for the research school including how to ensure the national focus of the research school across a distributed (11 partners) national network.
• CV of a maximum of 2 pages (including a publication list of Top 10 selected papers, as well as previous experience from teaching and education at the post-graduate level

Application deadline

January 16 2024, 15:00 CET

For questions, please contact ddls@scilifelab.se