BioMedRTC opens leadership post for cancer or rare disease research in Sofia
BioMedRTC, the Biomedical Research and Technology Centre at the Institute of Molecular Biology of the Bulgarian Academy of Sciences, is recruiting an established research group leader to build an independent program in cancer or rare disease biology. The position is based in Sofia, Bulgaria, and is framed as a senior research appointment for an internationally recognized scientist with a strong publication record, proven leadership, and a program that can stand on its own scientific footing.
The job posting makes clear that this is not a routine faculty vacancy. The centre is a newly established initiative designed to combine molecular and cell biology with advanced technologies and quantitative approaches, with a scientific mission centered on the fundamental mechanisms of cancer and rare diseases. In practical terms, the hire is expected to help shape the identity of a young research institution as it builds capacity, collaborations, and long-term scientific output.
A leader in this role will be expected to do more than supervise a lab. The successful candidate will develop and direct an independent research programme, recruit and mentor a team, and contribute to the centre’s scientific development and sustainability. That combination places the appointment at the intersection of discovery science, institutional building, and international collaboration.
A research post built around scale, independence, and translational relevance
BioMedRTC is offering support for a group of up to six researchers, along with access to advanced research infrastructure and technology platforms. The listed capabilities include advanced fluorescent microscopy, single-cell proteomics, and single-cell transcriptomics. Those tools matter because both cancer and rare disease research increasingly depend on resolving cellular heterogeneity, mapping gene expression at single-cell resolution, and identifying the signaling states that conventional bulk assays can miss.
In oncology, that kind of platform can help expose how a tumor evolves under selective pressure, how resistant subclones emerge, and how cell-to-cell variation shapes treatment response. In rare disease research, the same technologies can help pinpoint pathogenic mechanisms that are diluted in mixed tissue samples or obscured by small patient numbers. The scientific logic behind the appointment is therefore straightforward: if the centre wants to interrogate disease at the level where mechanisms actually operate, it needs investigators who can exploit those methods and design questions that are biologically sharp.
The centre also emphasizes interdisciplinary collaboration, especially through its links with the Max Planck Institute of Molecular Cell Biology and Genetics in Dresden and Institut Curie in Paris. Those affiliations position the new group within an international environment rather than an isolated local unit. For a senior scientist, that may be as important as the equipment itself. High-level biomedical research now advances through networked expertise, shared platforms, and reciprocal access to ideas that cut across molecular biology, computation, and quantitative analysis.
The post is described as an R4 role for a leading researcher, which signals an appointment intended for a scientist well beyond the early-career stage. Applicants are expected to hold a PhD in a relevant discipline and demonstrate an internationally recognized record of scientific excellence in cancer or rare disease research, sustained high-impact publication output, and a documented ability to lead an independent and productive group.
One sentence in the advertisement captures the expectation plainly: the institution wants a researcher with an ambitious programme addressing fundamental questions relevant to cancer or rare diseases. That requirement narrows the field to scientists whose work can move beyond incremental data collection and into mechanistic discovery.
What the centre expects from the next group leader
The candidate profile goes beyond scientific output alone. Leadership, strategic planning, and the ability to recruit and supervise researchers are central to the role. Applicants are also asked to show significant contributions to advancing knowledge, technology, or clinical translation in oncology or rare diseases. That broad remit leaves room for different scientific styles, but not for an unfocused program.
The application package reflects that expectation. Candidates must submit a curriculum vitae, a one-page motivation letter, a PhD certificate or doctoral diploma, a three- to four-page research vision and strategic plan, selected publications, funding and project history, a leadership and mentorship statement, and a statement on open science and/or equality, diversity, and inclusion contributions. Two referees are also required.
BioMedRTC says selection will follow an open, transparent, and merit-based international recruitment procedure. Shortlisted candidates will present their research and interview with an international selection committee. Evaluation criteria include scientific excellence, originality, independent leadership, quality of the proposed programme, and compatibility with the centre’s scientific mission.
The institutional framing is revealing. Rather than asking for a scientist who can simply join an existing structure, the centre is looking for someone who can help define a research trajectory and contribute to long-term sustainability. For a growing biomedical centre, that means the appointment will likely influence hiring, collaboration patterns, and future research priorities well beyond the initial lab set-up.
Recruitment details and compliance requirements
The position is listed as full time and fixed term, with a competitive salary and start-up conditions to be specified in the final offer. The application deadline is 22 November 2026, and the expected starting date falls between 1 January 2027 and 1 March 2027. Applications are being accepted via email at [email protected].
A signed consent form for personal data processing is also required for participation in the selection procedure. The posting states that applications will not be considered without that document, which makes compliance with the application instructions a hard requirement rather than a formality.
For a senior investigator weighing an international move, the appeal is obvious: a new centre with dedicated support, access to high-end technologies, and a clear mandate to develop research in cancer or rare disease biology. The harder question is whether the candidate’s science can capitalize on that infrastructure quickly enough to justify the institutional investment. BioMedRTC is betting that the right group leader can do exactly that.
The immediate scientific test will be whether the selected researcher can convert institutional ambition into a program with durable output, competitive grants, and a research identity strong enough to anchor the centre’s next phase of growth.