Postdoctoral Research Fellowship, Department of Health Sciences

11 Jan 2024
Job Information

Organisation/Company

NORWEGIAN UNIVERSITY OF SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY - NTNU

Research Field

Sociology
Ethics in health sciences
Sociology
Ethics in social sciences

Researcher Profile

Recognised Researcher (R2)
Established Researcher (R3)

Country

Norway

Application Deadline

8 Feb 2024 - 00:00 (UTC)

Type of Contract

Other

Job Status

Full-time

Is the job funded through the EU Research Framework Programme?

Not funded by an EU programme

Is the Job related to staff position within a Research Infrastructure?

No

Offer Description

About the job

We have a vacancy at the Department of Health Sciences in Ålesund (IHA) for a postdoctoral research fellow in the field of evidence synthesis to understand the impacts of digital tools, such as interactive telemedicine and simplified communication technologies, to support routine care for chronic conditions during health emergencies. The period of employment is for 2.5 years (100%).

The position is linked to the three-year interdisciplinary RAPIDE (Regular and unplanned care adaptive dashboard for cross-border emergencies) European project. Funded by the EU’s Horizon Europe programme, RAPIDE aims to develop, validate and demonstrate a portfolio of tools that support healthcare systems to make robust decisions, enhance the resilience of health care professionals and patients, and provide flexibility in the modalities of care delivery, thereby maintaining access to regular care during health emergencies. NTNU is a partner in this project and Prof. Simon Lewin and Assoc Prof. Mads Solberg represent the Department of Health Sciences in Ålesund in this project.

The COVID-19 pandemic sparked an unprecedented healthcare demand in all levels of the healthcare system in countries across the world, disrupting essential and regular health services. By April 2021, more than one year after the onset of the pandemic, 90% of countries reported one or more disruptions to essential health services. The disruptions occurred across all major health areas, from chronic diseases and cancers to mental health and critical and operative care. These disruptions were not caused only by the incoming flows of new patients with COVID-19 -related health problems, but also by countries’ decisions to scale back, suspend or modify provision of services. The RAPIDE project will examine how different countries managed (or failed to manage) to provide ongoing access to regular care, across a range of medical disciplines and conditions, and will explore the kinds of healthcare reconfigurations that were implemented. Making any reconfiguration of healthcare delivery a workable reality, however, requires extensive communication, buy-in and training, as well as digital and procedural tools. The RAPIDE project will review, select, adapt and optimise the most relevant and useful e-health and self-management tools and technologies, working in close collaboration with patients, carers and other stakeholders to maximise buy-in and to plan and deliver effective communications and training. More information on the project is available on request from Prof. Simon Lewin.

The candidate’s main place of work will be NTNU in Ålesund, Norway but she/he may also pay short visits to other RAPIDE partner institutions during the postdoctoral fellowship, such as Radboud University (Netherlands), The National University of Ireland Galway (Ireland), the Italian Academy of Primary Care (Italy), and the University of Malta (Malta) (full list of partners available upon request). The candidate should ideally begin by 1 June 2024.

Duties of the position

We are looking for a postdoctoral research fellow who will undertake research as part of the RAPIDE project. The research will involve the following tasks:

• Coordinating and undertaking a landscape analysis and inventory of challenges and possible solutions for implementing digital tools at scale during cross-border health emergencies. This will include key informant interviews and document analysis
• Leading systematic reviews of key digital interventions for maintaining regular care during health emergencies
• Working closely with other RAPIDE partners to feed the findings of this research into relevant RAPIDE workpackages and tools and to ensure the timely achievements of the project milestones associated with this position
• Leading other self-initiated research linked to the focus of the RAPIDE project and the field of evidence-informed decision making

Other tasks will include:

• Writing scientific publications about the research findings
• Attending project consortium meetings
• Representing the project at international conferences and other meetings, where relevant
• Support in project administration
• Teaching on Masters level courses relevant to the expertise of the candidate

The findings of this research will make important contributions to understanding how health systems can continue providing routine care in the context of health emergencies.

Applicants must develop a short project proposal according to this template . Applications that do not include a proposal will not be considered.

The candidate will be part of the Management and organization of social and health services (MARS) research group within IHA and will be supervised by scholars at NTNU in Ålesund. Collaboration with other researchers and collaborators is expected throughout the research process, and the candidate will contribute to RAPIDE-related dissemination activities.

Required selection criteria

A postdoctoral research fellowship is a qualification position in which the main objective is qualification for work in academic positions. More information on NTNU’s policy on the appointment and career development of postdoctoral fellows is available here .

• A completed doctoral degree in the last 5 years in a relevant health or social sciences area (for example: public health, health services, social anthropology, medical sociology) or in relevant research methods. In order to be considered for the position, the applicant must have successfully completed their doctoral defense by the application deadline
• Experience in conducting systematic reviews of the effects of health interventions
• Training and experience in social science methods, including primary qualitative research methods
• A high level of proficiency in oral and written English
• Experience with authoring and publishing peer-reviewed publications in the health or social sciences, or a related field
• Submission of a project proposal that is scientifically strong (relevant background, clear aim, appropriate methods, achievable results) and directly relevant to the main themes of the RAPIDE project

Candidates who come from outside Scandinavia and do not have English as their first language, need formal documentation of written and oral fluency in English. The following tests can be used as such documentation: TOEFL, IELTS or Cambridge Certificate in Advanced English (CAE) or Cambridge Certificate of Proficiency in English (CPE). Minimum scores are:

• CAE/CPE: grade B or A
• IELTS: 6.5, with no section lower than 5.5 (only Academic IELTS test accepted)
• TOEFL: 600 (paper-based test), 92 (Internet-based test)

In extraordinary circumstances, formal documentation of language skills can be relinquished. In such cases, the candidate’s language skills will be assessed in a personal interview.

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

• Experience in the area of evidence-informed decision making and / or health systems and policy research, either through your doctoral research or through other research or work experience
• There is a need for rapid entry into the position, and candidates that can start by June 2024 will be preferred

Personal characteristics

• An ability to engage productively and cooperatively in cross-disciplinary, international teams
• Creative, analytical and self-driven as a scholar 
• Good academic communication skills

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 575 400 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 period of employment is 2,5 years.

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.

The position is subject to external funding.

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 be attached to 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. 

The application must include: 

• CV,  certificates and diplomas
• 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
• your project proposal (maximum of 2 pages excluding references, using the proposal template provided – see above)
• name and current contact information of three referees
• a list of any relevant publications or other relevant research work

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. 

NTNU is committed to following evaluation criteria for research quality according to The San Francisco Declaration on Research Assessment - DORA. 

General information 

Working at NTNU 

NTNU believes that inclusion and diversity is a strength. We want our faculty and staff to reflect Norway’s culturally diverse population and we continuously seek to hire the best minds. This enables NTNU to increase productivity and innovation, improve decision making processes, raise employee satisfaction, compete academically with global top-ranking institutions and carry out our social responsibilities within education and research. NTNU emphasizes accessibility and encourages qualified candidates to apply regardless of gender identity, ability status, periods of unemployment or ethnic and cultural background.

NTNU is working actively to increase the number of women employed in scientific positions and has a number of resources to promote equality .

The city of Ålesund, with its population of 50 000, will provide you with plenty of opportunities to explore a region of Norway that is famous for its beautiful scenery with high mountains and blue fjords. Ålesund itself, with its Art Nouveau architecture, is by many considered to be the most beautiful city in Norway! The Norwegian welfare state, including healthcare, schools, kindergartens and overall equality, is probably the best of its kind in the world. 

As an employee at NTNU, you must at all times adhere to the changes that the development in the subject entails and the organizational changes that are adopted. 

A public list of applicants with name, age, job title and municipality of residence is prepared after the application deadline. If you want to reserve yourself from entry on the public applicant list, this must be justified. Assessment will be made in accordance with current legislation . You will be notified if the reservation is not accepted.

If you have any questions about the position, please contact Professor Simon Lewin, telephone +47 73 55 93 81, email: [email protected] . If you have any questions about the recruitment process, please contact HR advisor Unni Sletten, e-mail: [email protected] .

If you think this looks interesting and in line with your qualifications, please submit your application electronically via jobbnorge.no with your CV, diplomas and certificates attached. Applications submitted elsewhere will not be considered. Upon request, you must be able to obtain certified copies of your documentation. 

Application deadline: 08.02.2024

NTNU

NTNU - knowledge for a better world

The Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU) creates knowledge for a better world and solutions that can change everyday life.

The Department of Health Sciences in Ålesund (IHA) is one of eight departments in the Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences at NTNU.  IHA has 60 employees and some 600 students. The Department offers nursing, health and interdisciplinary education at different levels and of varying duration.

Our strategic research areas are clinical nursing, health services research and educational research, aimed at developing excellent nursing with a forward-looking focus. Collaboration and knowledge transfer between IHA and the public health service play a key role. We have a strategic commitment to service innovation together with municipalities and regional health authorities. For more information on IHA, see: www.ntnu.edu/iha .

Deadline 8th February 2024
EmployerNTNU - Norwegian University of Science and Technology
Municipality  Ålesund
Scope Fulltime
Duration Temporary
Place of service Larsgårdsvegen 2, 6009 Ålesund

Requirements
Additional Information
Work Location(s)

Number of offers available

1

Company/Institute

NORWEGIAN UNIVERSITY OF SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY - NTNU

Country

Norway

City

Ålesund

Geofield

Where to apply

Website

https://www.timeshighereducation.com/unijobs/listing/362798/postdoctoral-resear…

Contact

City

Ålesund

STATUS: EXPIRED