Doctoral (PhD) position in Toxicology with focus on health risk assessment of PFAS - Hiring in process/Finished, not possible to apply

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To be a doctoral student means to devote oneself to a research project under supervision of experienced researchers and following an individual study plan. For a doctoral degree, the equivalent of four years of full-time doctoral education is required.

The research group

The successful candidate will perform research at the Unit of Integrative Toxicology under the supervision of Associate Professor Mattias Öberg. The research group explore and improve the process of chemical health risk assessment. It has a large network of contacts among international agencies and research organizations and consider the interaction between science and policy as an important aspect of research.

A doctoral position is an available doctoral education project to which a PhD student is to be recruited. After the selection process the process for admission to doctoral education will commence. An admission decision will not be taken until an individual study plan has been approved by the departmental admission board. For more information regarding doctoral (PhD) education, see: http://www.ki.se/doctoral.

The doctoral student project and the duties of the doctoral student

This PhD position is one out of 15 positions offered within the ITN (Innovative Training Network) PERFORCE3 (PER and polyfluorinated alkyl substances (PFASs) towards the Future Of Research and its Communication in Europe 3). The ITN PERFORCE3 is a Europe-wide multi-partner doctoral training programme in the field of PFASs contaminants funded by the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme under its Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions. The project aims at improving the understanding of these globally pervasive contaminants, find solutions for PFAS contamination problems and improve environmental and human health risk assessment frameworks and policies. Further information on ITN PERFORCE3 and on all available positions can be found at: www.perforce3-itn.eu

The specific objectives of this PhD position (Early Stage Research (ESR) Project 10) are to investigate the association between PFAS concentrations in human blood and corresponding biomonitoring data of relevance for health effects, such as cardiovascular disease. The PhD student will use computational dose response modelling to evaluate experimental and epidemiological data. The results will then be utilized for development of endpoint-specific relevant potency values and probabilistic risk assessment for complex mixtures of environmental contaminants.

In addition to short visits to partners and beneficiaries of the consortium, the position includes secondments of four weeks to the The Arctic University of Norway for human exposure assessment training and two weeks at the Department of Environmental Systems Science in Zürich, Switzerland, for policy training; as well as visits to the Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research in Germany. 

Qualification requirements

To be eligible for doctoral education at Karolinska Institutet the following requirements must be met:

General entry requirements

A person meets the general entry requirements for doctoral/third-cycle/PhD education (according to Higher Education Ordinance Chapt 7, section 39) if he/she:

1. has been awarded advanced/second-cycle/master qualification (i.e. master degree) or
2. has satisfied the requirements for courses comprising at least 240 credits of which at least 60 credits were awarded in the second-cycle/master level, or
3. has acquired substantially equivalent knowledge in some other way in Sweden or abroad.

Specific entry requirements

Proficiency in English equivalent to the course English B/English 6 at Swedish upper secondary school:

Proficiency in the English language can be documented by an internationally recognized test such as TOEFL or IELTS, see web-link below for more information.

Applicants who meet the general entry requirements (1 or 2 above) from a university in one of the Nordic countries fulfill the requirements in English.

 For more information regarding general and specific entry requirements: http://ki.se/en/education/entry-requirements-eligibility-for-doctoral-education 

Additional requirements

• Excellent English language and communication skills (speaking, listening, reading and writing)
• Motivation to pursue a PhD, independence and ability to collaborate and engage in a training network

Eligibilility criteria Marie Skłodowska-Curie programme

Please note that strict eligibility criteria apply to this position as Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions encourage researcher mobility.

• At the time of appointment, applicants must be in the first four years (full-time equivalent research experience) of their research careers. Full-time equivalent research experience is measured from the date when the applicant obtained the first degree entitling him/her to embark on a doctorate (either in the country in which the degree was obtained or in Sweden).
• At the time of appointment, applicants must not hold a doctoral degree or equivalent.
• Applicants can be of any nationality. However, applicants must not have resided or carried out their main activity (work, studies, etc.) in Sweden for more than 12 months in the 3 years immediately before the appointment. Short stays, such as holidays are not taken into account.

Selection

The selection among the eligible candidates will be based on their ability to successfully pursue the research education. Special emphasis is put on the applicant’s knowledge and skills within the subject area, ability to express her/himself verbally and in writing, analytical skills, creativity, initiative and independence, and a capacity for working together with others. The evaluation will be made based on the relevance of past education and experience, grades from previous university courses (in particular at the advanced level), the quality and ambition of the independent project work, references, a cover letter motivating the candidate’s interest, and interviews.

Applications are welcome from citizens of any nationality (subject to eligibility criteria above and relevant immigration formalities). Recruitment within the ITN PERFORCE3 aims to fulfil the equal opportunity objectives of the Marie Skłodowska-Curie programme and hence applications are welcomed from applicants regardless of gender, nationality, ethnic origin, and from individuals wishing to resume research careers after a break.

Terms and conditions

The doctoral student will be employed on a doctoral studentship maximum 4 years full-time.

Application process
Submit your application and supporting documents through the Varbi recruitment system. Use the button in the top right corner and follow the instructions.

Your application should contain the following documents:

- A personal letter and a curriculum vitae (Swedish or English)
- Degree projects and previous publications, if any (Swedish or English)
- Any other documentation showing the desirable skills and personal qualities described above (Swedish or English)
- Documents certifying your general eligibility (see A above)
- Documents certifying your specific eligibility (see B above)

Selection
A selection will be made among eligible applicants on the basis of the ability to benefit from doctoral education. The qualifications of the applicants will be evaluated on an overall basis.

Karolinska Institutet uses the following bases of assessment:

- Documented subject knowledge of relevance to the area of research
- Analytical skill
- Other documented knowledge or experience that may be relevant to doctoral studies in the subject.

 All applicants will be informed when the recruitment is completed.

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