Postdoctoral Researcher in epidemiology with a focus on aging and health

Do you want to contribute to top quality medical research?

Research at the Unit of Epidemiology, Institute of Environmental Medicine, Karolinska Institutet, is focused on increasing knowledge of disease aetiology and prognosis with an emphasis on environmental and lifestyle factors and on methodological development and rigour. The research is based on large register-based cohorts with data from inpatient, outpatient and primary care as well as cohorts and case-control studies with extensive information from questionnaires and biological samples. The unit is divided into four research groups, one of which is ‘Ageing and Health’ led by Associate Professor Karin Modig. Karin works closely with Katharina Schmidt-Mende, a general practitioner and researcher at the NVS, Department of Primary Care. The research focus is the health of the ageing population. Questions such as ‘what drives the increase in life expectancy’, ‘how has the health of the old aged population evolved as life has lengthened’, ‘what can be expected in the future’, ‘how can the care of the ageing population be improved’, and ‘how can we prevent emergency care in frail old people’ are central. 

Your mission

The postdoctoral fellow is expected to conduct research on ageing at the intersection of epidemiology, demography, and health and social care. The particular focus of the current position is on how we can improve the care of frail older people and prevent acute hospitalisation where possible. The research also focuses on the impact of the pandemic on the health and care of older people. You will be analysing large and complex data and should therefore have proven skills in computational statistics and programming. The postdoc is also expected to participate in the supervision of master students and in teaching. The employment is temporary for two years with the possibility of extension.

Your profile

To be eligible for employment as a postdoctor a doctoral degree or a foreign degree deemed to be equivalent to a Swedish doctoral degree is required. Applicants who have not obtained a doctoral degree by the end of the application period may also apply, provided that all requirements for a doctoral degree are fulfilled before the (planned) date of employment. It is considered as an advantage if you have completed your doctoral degree within the last three years, if there are special reasons, your degree may have been completed earlier.

We are looking for a motivated person to join a small but productive research group. We emphasise scientific expertise, experience in epidemiological methods, statistical programming and research in epidemiology of ageing when assessing applicants.

We look for the applicant to have the following qualifications: 

• PhD in medicine/health sciences in public health or epidemiology, demography, sociology or equivalent relevant background.
• Experience in writing and publishing scientific articles.
• Experience in epidemiology of ageing
• Knowledge of, or experience in, research on the health of older people, age-related diseases and/or care of older people
• Experience in managing large databases, including health data and population registers.
• Good writing skills.
• Statistical skills and experience in analysing large data sets are an advantage.
• Fluency in English, both written and oral.
• Good knowledge of the statistical programmes R and/or SAS/Stata.

The candidate must be comfortable working in a team and demonstrate good interpersonal skills, but also be sufficiently independent to formulate new hypotheses. 

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. At Karolinska Institutet, 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 benefits through our collective agreement.

Location: Solna

Choose to work at KI – Ten reasons why

Application

An employment application must contain the following documents in English or Swedish:

• A complete resumé, including date of the thesis defence, title of the thesis, previous academic positions, academic title, current position, academic distinctions, and committee work
• A complete list of publications
• A summary of current work (no more than one page)

The application is to be submitted through the Varbi recruitment system.

Want to make a difference? Join us and contribute to better health for all