Vacant job

We are looking for an experienced and driven manager who wants to help build and lead a new unit responsible for the ethical review of clinical trials of medicines and medical devices. The unit consists of experienced case handlers and researchers with doctoral degrees. Together, you will contribute to providing our decision-making divisions with complete decision support and qualified assistance in their work.

This is a unique opportunity for you who want to help shape a business of great significance for Swedish research and life science – and at the same time contribute to the agency's important mission to protect humans in research.

If you are a humble leader who promotes collaboration, shares your expertise, and creates conditions for the team to succeed together, then you should apply for this position!

About the role

As the unit manager, you are responsible for:

• Establishing and developing the unit and ensuring efficient, legally secure, and high-quality case handling.
• Creating structures and ways of working for the new business, including routines, processes, and quality assurance work.
• Planning and leading the unit's work both in the long term and in everyday life.
• Monitoring the unit's goals and contributing to the agency's overall development.
• Being a support for employees and creating a culture characterized by collaboration, responsibility, engagement, and a pioneer spirit.

Approximately 10 people will work in the unit. The case handlers have long experience of case handling at the agency, but the investigators are a new staff category recruited in parallel with this recruitment specifically for this unit. The agency also employs a subject matter expert within these trials.

You collaborate closely with the agency's subject matter experts and two other unit managers; you report to the Administrative Director.

Who are you?

You have:

• Several years of management experience with responsibility for personnel and a business.
• Work experience from public sector operations and a very good understanding of regulatory authority operations.
• A relevant academic degree, for example in medicine, pharmacy, biomedicine, or similar.
• Very good knowledge of Swedish and English, both in speech and writing.

The following are meritorious

• Experience in building new businesses or developing processes.
• Research experience or work close to research environments.
• Knowledge of regulatory processes in the pharmaceutical sector.
• Knowledge of ethical review of research.

As a person, you have the ability to

• Lead with trust in your employees' competence.
• Create engagement and joy in work.
• Build trust and good relationships both internally and externally.
• Prioritize, combining structure and flexibility.
• Drive development and change in an inclusive way.
• Communicate clearly and pedagogically with people from different professional backgrounds in both Swedish and English.

We offer

In the role, you have a qualified and very socially important assignment that plays a major role in the development of Swedish life science and for researchers in Sweden. You have the opportunity to be involved from the beginning and shape a new business and influence working methods and culture. With us, you will meet great engagement and humility where development and improvement are part of everyday life. You work closely with the management and have a large mandate to influence.

Welcome to apply with your application by August 10, 2026!

Good to know!

You apply via our recruitment system and the application should include a cover letter and CV.

• Location: Uppsala. You have the opportunity to make an agreement with your nearest manager to perform the work remotely for a number of days per week. You also have the opportunity to work part of the time at one of the agency's other offices in the country.
• The employment is full-time and permanent (probationary employment may apply).
• Opportunity for part-time work to conduct own research can be discussed.
• Start date: By agreement.
• Individual salary setting applies.

About the Ethical Review Authority

The Ethical Review Authority is a national agency with the task of reviewing research involving humans, biological material, or sensitive personal data. The agency was established in 2019 and is located in Uppsala with offices in 5 other locations in the country. The review is conducted by 500 external members, both scientific members and representatives of the public, led by 42 judges in a total of 21 divisions, where science, ethics, and law are combined to promote a responsible research environment in Sweden. The agency's secretariat supports the divisions with case handling and more, and is responsible for the agency's other administration. Approximately 30 people are employed at the secretariat. Most are case handlers, but there is also a scientific coordinator, chief legal counsel, subject matter expert, financial manager, case handler managers, and statistician.

The Ethical Review Authority values the qualities that equal gender distribution and diversity bring to the business. We therefore welcome applicants of all genders and with different backgrounds, life experiences, and abilities.