Doctoral researcher in Radiopharmaceutical Chemistry

About the role

The Department of Chemistry at the University of Helsinki is seeking a motivated doctoral researcher to join the TRIM research group. The project, funded by the Research Council of Finland, focuses on developing new alpha‑emitting radioligands for treating multiorgan cancer metastasis.

Key responsibilities

• Design, synthesize, purify and characterize organic precursors for radiolabeling.
• Develop radiolabeling procedures and characterize radiolabeled compounds.
• Perform in‑vitro evaluation in cell models and in‑vivo studies in mouse tumor models using PET and SPECT imaging.
• Conduct biodistribution studies and analyze imaging data.
• Present results to collaborators, prepare travel‑grant applications, and lead manuscript writing.
• Share responsibility for managing the group’s research facilities.
• Teach laboratory courses in radiochemistry and supervise undergraduate laboratory work (~5% of time).

Required profile

• Master’s degree (M.Sc.) or equivalent in Chemistry, Radiochemistry, Pharmacy, Biochemistry or a related field.
• Strong background in laboratory work, especially organic synthesis and compound characterization.
• Experience with relevant experimental methods; familiarity with handling radioactive materials and research animals is advantageous.

Required skills

• Organic synthesis
• Purification techniques (e.g., chromatography)
• Compound characterization (NMR, MS, etc.)
• Radiolabeling and radiochemistry
• PET and SPECT imaging
• Biodistribution studies
• Cell culture techniques
• Animal handling (mouse models)

What we offer

• Fixed‑term contract of approximately 3.5 years.
• Enrollment in a doctoral programme at the University of Helsinki.
• Funding from the Research Council of Finland.
• Opportunities to publish, present at conferences, and obtain travel grants.
• Teaching experience and supervision of undergraduate students.