Postdoc within epidemiology and register based research about fractures and osteoporosis among older adults

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.

The research focuses on the health of the ageing population. Questions such as “how has health among older people developed as life has lengthened”, “how can independence and quality of life be maintained through the aging process”, and “how can we improve older care in the future” are central.

We are now seeking a postdoctoral researcher for projects focusing on prognosis after a fall injury and fractures as well as osteoporosis screening among older adults. The position is based at the Institute of Environmental Medicine, Karolinska Institutet. The position is a two-year fixed-term employment.

Your mission

The postdoctoral researcher is expected to conduct research within an interdisciplinary project on fall injuries and osteoporosis in older adults. The postdoc will work on epidemiological projects in collaboration with epidemiologists and clinicians. The projects aim to 1) map and describe longitudinal prognostic patterns after a fall injury, and 2) evaluate the feasibility of an osteoporosis screening pilot and investigate the interaction between risk factors and bone mineral density measures. The general goals are to enhance the prognosis after a fall injury or fracture and to decrease number of fractures with targeted prevention.

Under supervision, the postdoctoral researcher will be responsible for planning and conducting register- and cohort based epidemiological studies, managing and analyzing large datasets, performing statistical analyses, and authoring scientific articles for publication in international peer-reviewed journals. The postdoctoral researcher will analyze large and complex datasets and should therefore have documented skills in computational statistics and programming. In addition, the postdoctoral researcher is expected to participate in the supervision of master’s students and in teaching.

Your profile

To be eligible for employment as a postdoctoral researcher, a PhD or a foreign degree deemed to be equivalent to a Swedish PhD is required. This eligibility requirement must be fulfilled at the latest at the time of the employment decision. Completion of your doctoral degree within the last three years is considered an advantage. If there are special reasons, your degree may have been completed earlier.

Assessment criteria

We are looking for a highly motivated candidate to join an interdisciplinary and productive research group. Particular emphasis will be placed on scientific competence, experience in epidemiological methods, statistical programming, and the use of register-based data.

The following qualifications will be assessed:

• A PhD in medicine or health sciences (e.g. public health, epidemiology, biostatistics) or an equivalent relevant background
• Knowledge of geriatrics and fracture care
• Experience in handling large datasets, including health care and population-based registers
• Well-documented scientific writing skills
• Statistical expertise and experience in analyzing large and complex datasets
• Proficiency in statistical software such as R and/or SAS/Stata
• Excellent proficiency in English is required

The applicant should demonstrate the ability to work well in a collaborative research environment, while also being able to work independently, take responsibility for their own research, and develop new research questions.

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

Ageing and Health – Karin Modig's research group

Application

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

• PhD certificate
• 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.

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