Principal Researcher - Hiring in process/Finished, not possible to apply

Do you want to contribute to top quality medical research?

The Department of Global Public Health is an interdisciplinary institution that aims to advance knowledge on how to improve population health at local, national and global level. Research at the department aims to identify the determinants of health, develop and evaluate individual and structural interventions, and provide evidence for guidelines and policy documents. Many of the department's researchers are scientific advisors to authorities and other decision-makers at regional, national and international level. The department has 9 research groups, about 85 research students and about 140 employees.

Description of the subject area

Mental Health and Physical Activity (MENPA) is a specialized field of research that intersects psychiatry, psychology, exercise science, and public health. The field was established in the 1980s and has grown exponentially to include trials of exercise interventions for mental health conditions (depression/anxiety, psychosis, substance dependence), large-scale epidemiological studies, and biological investigations of underlying mechanisms. Sedentary behavior (too much sitting) is an important focus of this research. Holistic movement practices (including yoga-based exercise) are increasingly examined and recognized as effective preventive and treatment strategies. Physical activity interventions are increasingly recognized as efficacious treatments for mental health conditions and symptoms. This is largely attributable to MENPA research conducted over the past decade which has been disseminated within the education system and clinical practice.

Your mission

The main responsibilities of this position are:

• Generate project funding to support MENPA projects with clinical and/or public health relevance
• Establish and lead a small team of researchers involved in the investigation of MENPA projects
• Use your existing national and international networks with leading MENPA researchers to develop innovative research projects
• Active involvement in teaching and/or supervision of post-graduate students in Public Health Sciences
• Disseminate research findings to relevant healthcare clinics and within the KI education system

Eligibility requirements

To be eligible for employment as a Principal Researcher, in addition to holding a Degree of Doctor, PhD, or having equivalent scientific expertise, the applicant must have demonstrated research expertise. The applicant must also be a Research Leader and have established their own line of research. The applicant should furthermore have shown documented, high-quality scientific production, particularly in the last six years and have the potential to energetically drive their research forward as well as be recognized nationally and internationally. The applicant should also have obtained good, long-term and preferably external funding and have the potential to obtain further external funding.  The applicant should have shown teaching and supervision experience and demonstrated good leadership qualities.

Requirements:

• PhD in public health sciences (or equivalent, e.g., sport/exercise science, health psychology)
• At least 10 years of post-doctoral research experience
• Track record of leading high-quality research in the MENPA field
• Peer recognition as a MENPA research leader (e.g., key editorial positions, etc.)
• Demonstrated ability to generate research funding (as the principal investigator)
• Supervision of post-graduate students, including PhDs
• Fluency in Swedish and English in speech and in writing

The applicant must demonstrate that they are recognized leaders in the MENPA field with a track record of competitive grants, publications, editorial positions, etc.

Assessment criteria

It is particularly meritorious that the applicant has:

• Designed and led to completion randomized controlled trials in the MENPA field
• Conducted trials involving yoga-based interventions
• Received invitations to publish their research findings in leading MENPA journals
• Grant funding commencing in 2023 for a major MENPA related project

After an overall assessment of the expertise and merits of the applicants in relation to the subject area, Karolinska Institutet will determine which of them has the best potential to contribute to a positive development of the activities at KI.

What do we offer?

A creative and inspiring environment with wide-ranging expertise and interests. Karolinska Institutet is one of the world's leading medical universities. Here, we conduct successful medical research and hold the largest range of medical education in Sweden. At KI, you get to meet researchers working with a wide range of specialisms and methods, giving you ample opportunity to exchange knowledge and experience with the various scientific fields within medicine and health. It is the crossover collaborations, which have pushed KI to where it is today, at the forefront of global research. Several of the people you meet in healthcare are educated at KI. A close relationship with the health care providers is important for creating groundbreaking top quality education and research. Karolinska Institutet is also a state university, which entitles you to several 

Location: Solna

Read more about the EPiCSS research group here

Application

We prefer that Your application is written in English, but You can also apply in Swedish. An application must contain the following documents: Resumé, qualifications and description of planned research, presented in accordance with Karolinska Institutet's qualifications portfolio.

Welcome to apply at the latest 9 March 2023.

The applications will be reviewed by external reviewers.

The application must be submitted through the Varbi recruitment system.

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