Senior Scientist

Introduction

UNIL is a leading international teaching and research institution, with over 5,000 employees and 17,000 students split between its Dorigny campus, CHUV and Epalinges. As an employer, UNIL encourages excellence, individual recognition and responsibility.

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Presentation

The laboratory of Prof. Johanna Joyce (Ludwig Institute for Cancer Research, University of Lausanne) invites applications for the position of Senior Scientist (Chargé/e de recherche senior). We study cancer ecosystems and tumor-associated immunity, with a focus on brain tumors (glioblastoma and brain metastasis) and translational discovery using clinical samples. This is a senior, hands-on role for an experienced postdoctoral-level scientist who enjoys combining deep experimental expertise with project coordination to help deliver high-quality outputs across the team in close collaboration with the PI. You will work at the interface of mechanistic tumor microenvironment biology and translational discovery, with access to state-of-the-art core platforms at the Agora Cancer Research Centre. The role offers a high level of scientific engagement and visibility, contributing directly to high-impact publications and grant deliverables in a collaborative research environment.

Job information

Expected start date in position : 01.09.2026 (or earlier)

Contract length : CDD 1 year initially, renewable

Employment rate : 100%

Workplace : Agora Cancer Research Centre, Lausanne

Your responsibilities

In your functions, you will have to :

• Ensure high-level scientific execution and delivery of priority research projects, in line with PI-defined scientific direction and priorities.


• Coordinate and drive progress across multiple projects in parallel, including timelines, milestones, and interfaces with core platforms and collaborators.


• Maintain scientific rigor, reproducibility, and data quality (experimental design, controls, documentation, sample traceability, QC and SOPs), and provide day-to-day scientific support and troubleshooting to lab members.


• Coordinate production of scientific deliverables (datasets, figures, methods packages as needed) and support manuscript preparation and revision, grant applications, lab member presentations, and progress reports in close collaboration with the PI and lab members.


• Coordinate the laboratory’s clinical sample analysis pipeline in collaboration with hospital-based partners (pathology, biobanking, research nursing, data managers, core facilities), including documentation and workflow interfaces.


• Manage external requests arising from publications (materials and data access), including coordination of institutional agreements (MTAs/DTAs) where required.

Your qualifications

In order to complete our team, we are looking for someone with the following skills :

• PhD in immunology, cancer biology, neuroscience, or a related discipline, with subsequent postdoc experience (minimum 5 years postdoctoral research experience required).


• Demonstrated ability to coordinate complex projects involving multiple contributors and interfaces with platforms.


• Clear experience in advanced experimental workflows relevant to tumor microenvironment and tumor immunology research, ideally including mouse experimentation.


• Proven track record of rigor, reproducibility, and high-quality scientific documentation.


• Strong interpersonal skills with demonstrated experience providing training, scientific guidance, and troubleshooting support to trainees and technical staff (functional supervision within projects).


• Excellent written and oral communication skills.


• Fluency in English (essential); working proficiency in French is an advantage.

What the position offers you

We offer a stimulating position in a multicultural, dynamic academic environment at the Agora Cancer Research Centre, with access to state-of-the-art core facilities and strong clinical–scientific collaborations. You will join an internationally recognized research program with strong clinical–scientific collaborations, and play a key role in delivering publication-quality datasets and translational insights. We provide an outstanding research environment at the Agora Cancer Research Centre, close interaction with the PI and project teams, and access to cutting-edge technologies and expertise across platforms.

Contact for further information

Ms. Myriam Piccard (email E-Mail schreiben)

Your application

Application deadline : 01.06.2026

Please include your full application (CV, certificates if applicable, and list of references that can be contacted – no ‘open’ letters please).
Only applications through this website will be taken into account.

We thank you for your understanding.

Job description

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Additional information

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UNIL is committed to:
•    equality, diversity and inclusion within its community;
•    ensuring an open and respectful environment that is conducive to personal development;
•    offering working conditions that facilitate work-life balance.

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