Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU) is a broad-based university with a technical-scientific profile and a focus in professional education. The university is located in three cities with headquarters in Trondheim. At NTNU, 9,000 employees and 43,000 students work to create knowledge for a better world.

The postdoctoral fellowship position is a temporary position where the main goal is to qualify for work in senior academic positions. 

The postdoctoral fellow will be connected to CHAIN’s (Centre for Global Health Inequalities Research) research activities. CHAIN’s main objectives are to

• monitor variations in health inequalities between and within countries.
• identify the causal drivers of health inequalities throughout the life course.
• evaluate interventions that could reduce health inequalities.
• reduce the gap between research, policy and practice.
• develop the next generation of health inequality researchers.

Your immediate leader is Head of the Department.

Duties of the position

CHAIN is currently leading a number of global systematic reviews in collaboration with the Institute for Health Metrix and Evaluation (IHME) based at the university of Washington. The aim of this work is to include socioeconomic factors, such as education, as risk factors into the Global Burden of Disease Study (GBD Study): Global Burden of Disease (GBD 2019) | Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation (healthdata.org)

The candidate will assist the coordination of these reviews and lead specific articles on the links between socioeconomic factors and cause-specific mortality, applying meta-analyses. An example study of the work can be found here: Parental education and inequalities in child mortality: a global systematic review and meta-analysis – The Lancet

The candidate will also take part of CHAIN’s ongoing work to assess the contribution of inequality on covid-19 deaths globally, also through the application of meta-analyses. A further description of CHAIN’s research agenda in this area can be found here: Bulletin of the World Health Organization (who.int) The work is supported by The Technical Advisory Group on COVID-19 Mortality Assessment at the World Health Organization and the United Nations (UN) Department of Economic and Social Affairs.

Finally, the candidate will take part of CHAIN’s efforts to measure the development of socioeconomic inequalities in cause-specific mortality, applying comparative register-based data from European countries. An example study of the data that will be applied can be downloaded here: Trends in health inequalities in 27 European countries | PNAS. CHAIN and Erasmus Medical Centre in Rotterdam have updated the data until 2020/21, which the post doctoral researcher will analyze.

The position is a temporary position for a period of three years, included one year of duty work.

Required selection criteria

• You must have completed a Norwegian doctoral degree or corresponding foreign doctoral degree recognized as equivalent to a Norwegian PhD in a relevant field for the above-described tasks within the social sciences, statistics or public health.
• Candidates who are in the final stages of their PhD project will be assessed but must attach a document that confirms that their doctoral thesis has been submitted or documentation from the institution that confirms when the defense is scheduled to take place. If you are offered the position, you need to provide documentation for completion of the PhD degree before starting the position
• Strong quantitative skills. Experience with applying register-based data and/or meta-analyses is an advantage.
• You will become part of and assist the coordination of a large research consortium. Strong organizational skills are therefore an advantage.

The appointment is to be made in accordance with Regulations on terms of employment for positions such as postdoctoral fellow, Ph.D Candidate, research assistant and specialist candidate.

Preferred selection criteria

• Excellent oral and written communication skills.
• Relevant experience in research, such as dissemination and/or participation in a research project, or work experience (for example from IHME, WHO, or UN) on the topic of health inequalities.
• Interest and experience in quantitative methods, including systematic reviews with meta-analyses.
• Relevant publications

Personal characteristics

• Personal qualifications such as well organized, initiative, cooperative spirit, and motivation to contribute to an inclusive work milieu will be ascribed high importance.
• Ability to contribute to the research group.
• Motivation for the position, experience, personal suitability.

Emphasis will be placed on personal and interpersonal qualities.

We offer 

• exciting and stimulating tasks in a strong international academic environment 
• an open and inclusive work environment with dedicated colleagues 
• favourable terms in the Norwegian Public Service Pension Fund 
• employee benefits 

Salary and conditions

As a Postdoctoral Fellow (code 1352) you are normally paid from gross NOK 563 500 per annum before tax, depending on qualifications and seniority. From the salary, 2% is deducted as a contribution to the Norwegian Public Service Pension Fund

The position is a temporary position for a period of three years, included one year of duty work.

The engagement is to be made in accordance with the regulations in force concerning State Employees and Civil Servants, and the acts relating to Control of the Export of Strategic Goods, Services and Technology. Candidates who by assessment of the application and attachment are seen to conflict with the criteria in the latter law will be prohibited from recruitment to NTNU.  

After the appointment you must assume that there may be changes in the area of work.

It is a prerequisite you can be present at and accessible to the institution on a daily basis.

About the application 

The application and supporting documentation to be used as the basis for the assessment must be in English.

Publications and other scientific work must follow the application. Please note that applications are only evaluated based on the information available on the application deadline. You should ensure that your application shows clearly how your skills and experience meet the criteria which are set out above.  

If, for any reason, you have taken a career break or have had an atypical career and wish to disclose this in your application, the selection committee will take this into account, recognizing that the quantity of your research may be reduced as a result. 

If you have not yet completed your PhD, you must provide confirmation on your estimated date for the doctoral dissertation, or that your PhD thesis has been submitted. Documentation of a completed doctoral degree must be presented before taking up the position.

The application must include: 

• CV and certificates
• transcripts and diplomas for bachelor’s-, master’s- and PhD degrees. If you have not yet completed your Ph.D, you must provide confirmation on your estimated date for the doctoral dissertation, or that your PhD thesis has been submitted
• A copy of the doctoral thesis. If you are close to submitting, or have recently submitted your thesis, you can attach a draft of the thesis. Documentation of a completed doctoral degree must be presented before taking up the position.
• Academic works – published or unpublished – that you would like to be considered in the assessment (up to 5 items)
• Motivation letter (max 3 pages)
• Name and contact information of three referees

If all, or parts, of your education has been taken abroad, we also ask you to attach documentation of the scope and quality of your entire education. Description of the documentation required can be found here. If you already have a statement from NOKUT, please attach this as well. 
 
Joint works will be considered. If it is difficult to identify your contribution to joint works, you must attach a brief description of your participation. 

In the evaluation of which candidate is best qualified, emphasis will be placed on education, experience and personal and interpersonal qualities. Motivation, ambitions, and potential will also count in the assessment of the candidates.