Industrial PhD Student position in single molecule analysis

Role:Industrial PhD Student position in single molecule analysis
Location: Gothenburg, Sweden
Type of employment: Temporary contract (4 years)
Pay: According to local agreement
Working hours: 100%
Start date: July 2026, or otherwise agreed

Are you a student with a keen interest in single molecule technology and a passion for applying your skills to characterize molecular interactions to support innovation and drug discovery? Do you want to leverage your experience to advance the use of optical microscopy to gain fundamental understanding of molecular interactions at the smallest possible level, while developing your career within a company that values scientific innovation and transforms ideas into life-changing treatments? 

We at AstraZeneca together with Chalmers University of Technology have an exciting opportunity for a PhD Student to join our team! This is your chance to work in a strong research environment with an interdisciplinary research topic that spans both academia and industry.

We are seeking a motivated and driven PhD student to join the Biophysics team within the Protein Science, Structural Biology and Biophysics department at AstraZeneca and the Applied Chemistry department at Chalmers University. We are looking for a student with passion and experience to develop next generation of biophysical technologies.

AstraZeneca is committed to the development of next generation of innovative medicines. The team at AstraZeneca is based at our vibrant R&D site in Gothenburg, Sweden and applies biophysical technologies across a range of different modalities to support drug discovery from target validation to drug candidate. The group at Chalmers University of Technology are pioneers in development of methods for molecular biology and biophysics, in particular chemically modified nanostructures.

This is a unique opportunity to contribute to the development of next generation’s biophysical technologies with the potential to impact on the early phases of drug discovery.

What you will do: 
Your role as Industrial PhD student is to enroll in doctoral studies at Chalmers University of Technology, Department of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, in a project financed by the Swedish Foundation for Strategic Research. The project is about developing new methods to probe biomolecular interactions, with focus on evaluating new concepts for confinement and optical label-free readout. This will involve utilizing the peculiar optical properties of nanostructures and state of the art instrumentation for optical imaging. The methodology will be explored within the context of drug-target interactions of importance to early drug discovery at AstraZeneca. The work is mainly experimental, and the main topic is biophysics. 

As an industrial PhD student, you will follow the same plan for doctoral studies as purely academic PhD students and the requirements for getting the degree are identical, but you will have access to “two worlds”. Although we expect most of the work to be conducted at the University, you will also have access to the Biophysics division at AstraZeneca with associated instrumentation. You will have your main supervisor at Chalmers, but also a co-supervisor and a manager at AstraZeneca.

The goal of the PhD education is for you to become an independent researcher with a good understanding of the research field, the challenges, and the methods used by yourself and others. You will be trained to present your work in writing and at conferences. 

Essential requirements for the role:
•    MSc degree (completed or about to be completed in spring 2026) in Physics or related topics
•    Familiarity with basic optics and microscopy techniques
•    Flawless oral and written English communication skills

Desirable requirements for the role:
•    A genuine and strong interest in science and technology
•    Capability to obtain information independently and implement new concepts in the daily work without detailed assistance
•    Hands-on experience with experimental work in optical setups, e.g. spectroscopy and imaging
•    A creative mindset which comes up with and explores new ideas (even if not all are successful in the end)
•    Independent and critical scientific thinking

Why AstraZeneca?
When we see an opportunity for change, we seize it and make it happen, because any opportunity can be the start of something big. Delivering life-changing medicines is about being entrepreneurial - finding those moments and recognizing their potential. Join us on our journey in finding new ways to work, pioneering cutting-edge methods and bringing unexpected teams together!

How to apply?
The application, written in English, is submitted through the application portal of AstraZeneca. Please submit your application as soon as possible, but no later than April 24, 2026. Applications will be reviewed continuously.  

If you would like to know more about the position and the team, please reach out to: 
•    Professor Andreas Dahlin, Applied Chemistry, Chalmers at andreas.dahlin@chalmers.se
•    Anders Gunnarsson, Principal Scientist Biophysics, AstraZeneca R&D at anders.gunnarsson@astrazeneca.com

Date Posted

20-mars-2026

Closing Date

24-apr.-2026

Our mission is to build an inclusive and equitable environment. We want people to feel they belong at AstraZeneca and Alexion, starting with our recruitment process. We welcome and consider applications from all qualified candidates, regardless of characteristics. We offer reasonable adjustments/accommodations to help all candidates to perform at their best. If you have a need for any adjustments/accommodations, please complete the section in the application form.

AstraZeneca embraces diversity and equality of opportunity. We are committed to building an inclusive and diverse team representing all backgrounds, with as wide a range of perspectives as possible, and harnessing industry-leading skills. We believe that the more inclusive we are, the better our work will be. We welcome and consider applications to join our team from all qualified candidates, regardless of their characteristics. We comply with all applicable laws and regulations on non-discrimination in employment (and recruitment), as well as work authorisation and employment eligibility verification requirements.