Postdoctoral position in medical epidemiology - Hiring in process/Finished, not possible to apply

The Department of Surgical Sciences (IKV) is part of the Disciplinary Domain of Medicine and Pharmacy. IKV has about 160 employees and 230 registered doctoral (third cycle) students, the majority of which are clinically active doctors and nurses. The yearly turnover is SEK 152 million. Research is conducted at the department, as well as teaching in the first, second and third cycles. Teaching is, among other areas, conducted within the education programmes for doctors, nurses and specialty nurses. Research is conducted in research groups organised according to surgical specialties and closely aligned subject areas, such as anaesthesia and intensive care and radiology. A great deal of research is conducted in cooperation between separate research groups within IKV and other departments at Uppsala University, as well as other universities in Sweden and the rest of the world. Many of the department's employees have combined positions at the University Hospital.

Project description
This postdoc position will be at Epihubben in the medical epidemiology group (read more about the group here). The project will focus on improving understanding of the aetiology, mechanisms, and pathways linking physical inactivity, obesity, and type 2 diabetes with different health outcomes (e.g., cognitive impairment, cancer).

The project will combine –omics data from high-quality cohorts, such as the Swedish Infrastructure for Medical Population-Based Life-Course and Environmental Research (SIMPLER), EpiHealth, and UK Biobank, with causal inference methods and Mendelian randomization.

The aims of the project are to examine (1) examine the association of metabolites and proteins with different health outcomes (e.g., cognitive impairment, cancer); (2) determine causality using Mendelian randomization; (3) identify causal pathways linking health behaviours and clinical symptoms to the health outcomes; and (4) evaluate the contribution of the metabolites and proteins to the causal pathways identified.

Read more about our benefits and what it is like to work at Uppsala University

The work tasks will be to

1) work with an interdisciplinary approach to a broad project area
2) plan ahead in a realistic manner and prioritize your own tasks
3) work well as part of a team, as well as independently
4) perform efficient and proficient data-management of large-scale data, with strong attention to detail
5) draft and develop statistical analysis plans including cutting-edge methodologies in epidemiology
6) conduct statistical analyses in accordance with a statistical analysis plan
7) place new results in the context of the existing knowledge base; and
8) communicate clearly and professionally in oral and written English in different situations, for example, within interdisciplinary meetings and collaborations, when drafting and revising articles to be published in peer-reviewed journals, and when presenting new insights at (inter)national conferences.

The project will take place at Epihubben- a collaborative research environment within the Disciplinary domain of Medicine and Pharmacy at Uppsala University - which aims to facilitate the development and exchange of epidemiological knowledge, expertise, and ideas.

Requirements

• A highly motivated candidate with a PhD in a relevant subject (e.g., Biostatistics, Epidemiology, Bioinformatics).
• PhD degree must be obtained in time of the decision of employment and should be awarded in the last 3 years. Those who have obtained a PhD degree 3 years prior to the application deadline are primarily considered for the employment. The starting point for the employment is the application deadline. Due to special circumstances, the degree may have been obtained earlier. The 3-year period can be extended due to circumstances such as sick leave, parental leave, duties in labour unions, etc.
• Advanced understanding of observational epidemiology study designs
• Stringent in their analysis and have high research ethics
• Well-motivated, proactive, flexible, have a responsible attitude, a logical mind-set, and be able to work independently
• Show ability to document their work properly
• Can share their knowledge with colleagues orally and in text
• Can independently conduct analysis in Stata or R

We are looking for a cooperative person that works well with others as well as independently. You have strong organisational skills and the ability to prioritize your tasks. Furthermore, you are detail-oriented and have a professional approach. Excellent scientific writing ability in English and excellent oral and written communication in English are required.

Additional qualifications

• Prior experience of research in the fields of cognitive neuroscience and/or cancer
• Prior experience of working with –omics analysis including proteomics and metabolomics
• Prior experience of working with causal inference approaches including Mendelian randomization
• Prior experience of working with GWAS
• Prior experience of working with cohort data
• Prior experience of working with longitudinal data and/or survival modelling
• Prior experience of working mediation analysis
• Previous outstanding academic achievements

The application should include:

• A CV or resume (max 2 A4 pages in English)
• A cover letter in which you present your research interests and experience, and explain why you are interested in and suitable for this position (max 1 A4 page in English)
• A list of publications
• A copy of your PhD certificate
• Contact details (name, email, and phone number) for two professional references

About the employment
The employment is a temporary position of 2 years according to central collective agreement. Scope of employment 100 %. Starting date 230901 or as agreed. Placement: Uppsala

For further information about the position, please contact: Hannah Brooke, PhD, hannah.brooke@uu.se
For questions regarding the employment process, please contact HR representative Louise Lundqvist, louise.lundqvist@uu.se

Please submit your application by 27th of July 2023, UFV-PA 2023/2781

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