Postdoctoral Fellow in Airway-Targeted Tuberculosis Vaccine Development

The TB Vaccine Research Group in the Novo Nordisk Foundation Initiative for Vaccines and Immunity, Statens Serum Institut, is seeking a postdoctoral scientist with a translational mindset and a drive to make a difference. This is an opportunity to contribute to turning scientific discoveries into vaccine candidates with the potential to improve global health. The position combines in-depth experimental immunology with translational vaccine development, focusing on understanding and harnessing protective immunity in the airways with the goal of maturing projects from scientific concept towards clinical evaluation.

You will take scientific ownership of a major workstream, integrating mechanistic studies, preclinical vaccine evaluation, and biomarker development to guide candidate prioritization and development. We are looking for someone who enjoys excellent experimental science, but also wants to understand how the pieces fit together and help determine where the project should go next.

We welcome applicants with a strong background in immunology, vaccinology, infectious disease biology, or a related area. Previous experience with tuberculosis, airway immunology, animal models, or every technique described below is not required. Specific methods can be learned; scientific judgement, curiosity, initiative, and motivation to take ownership are central to the position.

The position is offered for three years, with a preferred starting date of January or February 2027. Some flexibility in start date may be possible. We are committed to nurturing talent and supporting career development, helping researchers build the skills and independence to thrive in translational research and vaccine development beyond the postdoctoral position.

The department and research group

The Department of Infectious Disease Immunology develops next-generation vaccines and diagnostic tools, primarily within tuberculosis (TB), chlamydia, Strep A, and vaccine adjuvants. The Department conducts both basic and translational research and is highly rated internationally. As part of the SSI Center for Vaccine Research, we can efficiently move products from research into clinical trials and collaborate closely with leading national and international institutions.

The TB Vaccine Research Group is part of the Novo Nordisk Foundation Initiative for Vaccines and Immunity (NIVI). Within NIVI, the TB program aims to define biomarkers and mechanisms of airway immunity and use these insights to develop next-generation TB vaccine strategies. A key focus is to move beyond classical systemic Th1 immunity and develop vaccine approaches that engage broader and locally positioned immune responses.

You will join a dynamic international team of scientists, postdoctoral fellows, technicians, PhD students, and translational collaborators. The position is embedded in NIVI, providing access to a broader network of complementary expertise, technologies and research capabilities across SSI and the University of Copenhagen, as well as opportunities for collaboration across vaccine platforms and disease areas. Within NIVI, the position forms part of a coordinated TB vaccine work package involving two closely interacting projects. The companion project focuses on antibody-mediated immunity and functional B-cell epitopes with the University of Copenhagen; this position leads the in vivo and translational vaccine-evaluation workstream. Together, the projects will develop vaccine strategies integrating antibody, CD4 T-cell, and CD8 T-cell immunity.

The project

Tuberculosis remains a global health emergency, and the limited efficacy of BCG against pulmonary TB in adolescents and adults highlights the need for improved vaccine strategies. Many vaccine approaches have focused primarily on systemic Th1 immunity, whereas protection against pulmonary TB is likely to require more diverse and locally positioned immune responses in the airways.

This is a position for someone who would enjoy both in-depth science and the process of turning science into a vaccine-development strategy. We want to understand why a vaccine works - or does not - and use mechanistic studies to define biomarkers and guide the next experiments. At the same time, the science has the clear purpose of generating the evidence needed to decide which vaccine concepts should progress towards advanced preclinical and ultimately clinical development.

The project will test whether airway-targeted vaccination can improve local immune memory and protection against pulmonary TB, and whether systemic priming before pulmonary boosting provides immunological or protective advantages. Initial studies will use an established TB vaccine antigen to compare delivery platforms, routes, and immunization regimens. Promising strategies will subsequently be combined with novel antigen constructs developed in the companion postdoctoral project. The long-term goal is to down-select a next-generation TB vaccine strategy for validation in advanced animal models, including potential prevention-of-infection and prevention-of-disease studies.

Main responsibilities

Your main tasks will include:

• Shaping and driving a preclinical workstream comparing mucosal and systemic vaccine delivery strategies, platforms, and immunization regimens
• Designing, performing, and coordinating vaccination studies and relevant translational animal models
• Characterizing immune responses in the lung, airways, blood, and lymphoid tissues using flow cytometry, antibody assays, and complementary immunological methods
• Developing mechanistic questions and biomarkers that help explain why vaccine approaches succeed or fail
• Integrating findings across experiments and NIVI work packages to identify decision-critical next steps and support candidate down-selection
• Working closely with the lead of the antibody-focused project and multidisciplinary collaborators to align antigen design, immune readouts, and in vivo performance
• Communicating results clearly and contributing to manuscripts, grant applications, internal reports, figures, and strategic project summaries

As the project develops, you will be encouraged to take increasing responsibility for scientific priorities, coordination, and direction within the workstream.

Qualifications

You should have a PhD in immunology, vaccinology, infectious disease biology, or a related discipline, together with a strong scientific foundation in experimental immunology or vaccine research. We expect hands-on research experience and the ability to design experiments, interpret complex data, and think critically about biological mechanisms.

Relevant experience may include one or more of the following:

• Cellular immunology, immune phenotyping, or advanced flow cytometry
• Vaccine or infection models, including animal or other translational models
• Pulmonary, mucosal, or tissue-based immunology
• T-cell, antibody, or other functional immune assays
• Analysis and communication of complex experimental datasets

We do not expect you to have experience in all, or even most, of these areas. Experience with M. tuberculosis, BSL-3 work, animal experimentation, or lung and bronchoalveolar-lavage samples is an advantage, but not required. These skills can be developed within the group and through our collaborators. If the scientific profile and ambition of the position appeal to you, we strongly encourage you to apply.

Personal and professional profile

We are particularly interested in someone who:

• Enjoys in-depth mechanistic science and connecting detailed findings to a larger translational goal
• Takes ownership of projects and has the initiative to identify what needs to happen next
• Can prioritize between interesting questions and the questions most important for moving a project forward
• Enjoys working across disciplines and bringing together people with complementary expertise
• Communicates clearly and constructively in written and spoken English
• Is motivated to grow towards increasing scientific independence and responsibility

We offer

We offer an exciting postdoctoral position in an internationally leading vaccine research environment with a strong translational profile. You will become part of a strategically important TB vaccine program embedded in NIVI and SSI's Center for Vaccine Research.

The position offers the opportunity to develop both as an experimental immunologist and as a translational scientist. In addition to generating high-quality mechanistic science, you will gain experience in candidate prioritization, preclinical development, and the scientific decision-making required to move vaccines towards clinical testing.

The position offers opportunities to:

• Shape a major scientific workstream with clear translational ambitions
• Develop expertise in airway immunity, vaccine delivery, animal models, and translational immunology
• Work closely with leading national and international research, clinical, and development partners
• Build a strong scientific profile through publications, presentations, and collaborative project leadership

Conditions of employment

The employment is for a period of three years with 37 hours pr. week starting as soon as possible.

Employment will be in accordance with the collective agreement between the Ministry of Finance and the Danish Federation of Professional Associations (AC-overenskomsten) and the circular concerning the job structure for scientific staff working with research at sector research institutions.

Your research qualifications will be assessed by a scientific assessment committee in accordance with the current Danish rules for employment of scientific staff working with research at sector research institutions. To enable this assessment, applicants must submit a list of publications and 2-3 selected scientific works.

Further information

For further details and informal enquiries, please contact Group PI Rasmus Mortensen, phone +45 3268 8309, email rjm@ssi.dk.

Application

Please submit your application electronically by clicking “Apply”.

Your application should include:

• Motivation letter
• Curriculum vitae
• Copies of relevant academic diplomas
• List of publications, including 2-3 selected scientific works
• Contact information for references

SSI encourages all qualified candidates to apply regardless of age, gender, religion