Postdoctoral scientists in psychiatric epidemiology and/or statistical genetics - National Centre for Register-based Research, Aarhus University

The National Centre for Register-based Research are seeking two talented and highly motivated epidemiologists and one geneticist or bioinformatician to work on research of mental disorders.

At least one position will be engaged in projects with a focus on psychiatric disorders and translational epidemiology. Another one will focus on genetic analyses and causal inference. Additionally,  one successful applicant will be expected to join a large and ambitious research project within the area of mental disorders and psychotropic medication treatment during pregnancy.

The starting date is June 1st 2024, but can be flexible subject to mutual agreement.
The duration of the employment will be 2-3 years full-time.

The employment will be based at the National Centre for Register-based Research, Aarhus University, a leading international research group investigating psychiatric epidemiology and statistical genetics. The Centre has a strong track record in collaboration with other Danish researchers and with the international research community.

About the job 

The postdoctoral scientists will join an interdisciplinary team of statisticians, epidemiologists, geneticists, and clinicians, based at the National Centre for Register-based Research, Aarhus, Denmark. The position is funded by various external grants for research projects on the interplay of epidemiological risk factors and genetic factors for causes and courses of psychiatric disorders.

Specific focus areas include psychiatric disorders as well as clinical and social outcomes, but specific tasks may depend on applicant. The positions will generally involve various data analyses using Danish register data and/or large genetic datasets. This may include genetic analyses, causal inference, epidemiological analyses, and clinical prediction modelling using machine learning approaches, and development of computational methods.

Specific essential academic and personal qualifications for each position

Position(s) focusing on psychiatric disorders and translational epidemiology:

• Background in data science, statistics, psychiatric epidemiology, or related fields, with a relevant PhD degree (required).
• Experience in psychiatric disorder research (preferred).
• Experience with the analytic methods applied in epidemiology

Position(s) focusing on genetic analyses and causal inference:

• Background in data science, bioinformatics, statistics, computer science, molecular genetics, psychiatric epidemiology, , or related fields, with a relevant PhD degree (required).
• Experience with analysing large genetic datasets and programs like PLINK, bigsnpr, regenie, BOLT-LMM, GCTA, LDSC, LDAK, LDpred1/2, PRS-CS, SBayesR, PRSice.

Experience with machine learning approaches, e.g., deep learning, autoencoders, XGboost, or penalized regression.

Position within Mental Disorders and Psychotropic Medication Treatment during Pregnancy:

• Background in biostatistics, psychiatric epidemiology, pharmaco-epidemiology, or related fields, with a relevant PhD degree (required).

• Experience with statistical analyses of multivariate longitudinal and survival data.
• Experience in applying advanced statistical models, such as mediation analysis, propensity score approaches, and machine learning approaches (preferred).

 
Academic and personal qualifications applicable to all positions

• Computational expertise in analysing large health datasets, electronic health records, UK Biobank, All-of-Us, or similar sources.
• Experience with programming in R, Python, C++, Stata, SAS, or other programming languages.
• Excellent collaborative, communication, and presentation skills
• Scientifically self-motivated and creative
• Ability to work both independently and in structured groups and take responsibility for the complete research process from the idea phase to publication and presentation of results.
• Fluent in spoken and written English (English is the working language).

We offer

• An exciting job in an inspiring research team.
• An informal research environment at a high international level.
• Experienced collaborators and colleagues from around the world, offering competent feedback and support.
• High influence on work tasks, study designs and choice of methods, and ideas from the candidate will be welcomed in all aspects of the work.  
• Training and supervision as needed.
• Possibility to participate in courses as well as national and international conferences.
• An inclusive work environment complemented by a variety of social events, including Friday cake gatherings and social dinners.

About us
NCRR

– the National Centre for Register-based Research – is a section at Aarhus BSS, financed mainly by external research funds. The Centre houses an internationally acknowledged group of researchers in psychiatric epidemiology, regularly publishing

scientific articles

. In addition to its research, the Centre also conducts guidance and counselling related to register-based research projects, validation, and data management of register data, as well as development of methods for analysis of register data.

Large research projects anchored at NCRR

• EpiPsych: EpiPsych will build a mental health research structure across Denmark for continued and long-term development of translational epidemiology informing and improving clinical psychiatry. This includes developing and evaluating risk models in a clinical setting.
• iPSYCH: iPSYCH is a central project in the research at NCRR focusing on the environmental and genetic architecture of mental disorders. iPSYCH is the world’s largest study of its kind and presently includes approx. 146,500 persons.
• CIRRAU: The National Center for Register-based Research also houses CIRRAU – Center for Integrated Register-Based Research – funded by Aarhus University for the purpose of promoting interdisciplinary register-based research. CIRRAU provides the necessary and basic data infrastructure for the implementation of several registry-based research projects.

Collaborating institutions

The National Centre for Register-based Research has a wide range of collaborating partners including Oxford University, Oxford, UK; Karolinska Institute, Stockholm, Sweden; Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, MA, USA; University of Queensland, Queensland Centre for Mental Health Research; University of California Los Angeles, CA, USA; Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, the USA: and worldwide collaborators in Psychiatric Genetic Consordium. The National Centre for Register-based Research has a wide range of national collaborating clinical partners including Mental Health Centre Copenhagen, Denmark; Department of Clinical Medicine, Aarhus, Denmark.

Place of work

Fuglesangs Allé 26, 8210 Aarhus V. 

Further information

Contact persons: Liselotte Vogdrup Petersen, senior researcher, email: [email protected] ,
Bjarni Jóhann Vilhjálmsson, professor, email: [email protected] ,
Xiaoqin Liu, senior researcher, Email: [email protected] .

If you need help uploading your application or have any questions about the recruitment process, please contact HR supporter, Line Møller Kristiansen, Tel.: +45 93522904, Email: [email protected]  

International applicant?

Aarhus University offers a broad variety of services for international researchers and accompanying families, including relocation service and career counselling to expat partners. Please find more information here:
https://internationalstaff.au.dk/relocationservice/

Please find more information about research opportunities at Aarhus University here: http://international.au.dk/research/

Aarhus University also offers a Junior Researcher Development Programme targeted at career development for postdocs at AU. You can read more about it here:

http://talent.au.dk/junior-researcher-development-programme/

Terms of employment

The appointment is made in accordance with the

Memorandum on Job Structure for Academic Staff at Danish Universities

as well as the circular on the

Collective Agreement for Academics Employed by the State

(in Danish).

The job content and qualification requirements are described in further detail in the

Ministerial Order on the Appointment of Academic Staff at Universities

.

Application procedure

When you apply for this position it is mandatory to attach the following:

• Application
• Curriculum Vitae. You are encouraged to declare any periods of leave without research activity, including, for example, maternity leave, since your research activities are assessed in relation to your actual research time
• Education (diploma for master's, PhD and possibly higher doctoral degree)
• List of publications (the enclosed publications must be clearly marked on the list of publications)
• Publications. Up to three publications can be included in the application. In the event of several authors the publications must be accompanied by a co-author statement concerning the applicant's share of the collaborative work with the consent of the co-authors. Please use this template
• Teaching portfolio. The specific requirements regarding the documentation can be found here

The applicant should state which position(s) they are applying for.

Materials which cannot be uploaded together with the application may be submitted in three copies to Aarhus BSS HR & PhD, Aarhus University, Tåsingegade 1, 2nd floor, DK-8000 Aarhus C.

Read more about how to apply for an academic post at Aarhus BSS here

The evaluation process

After the application deadline, an assessment committee is appointed. Please note that the assessment of applicants is based solely on the material received prior to the application deadline. For further information, see

Guidelines for Assessment Committee, Aarhus BSS

.

Aarhus University’s ambition is to be an attractive and inspiring workplace for all and to foster a culture in which each individual has opportunities to thrive, achieve and develop. We view equality and diversity as assets, and we welcome all applicants.

The application must be submitted via Aarhus University’s recruitment system, which can be accessed under the job advertisement on Aarhus University's website.