MSCA PhD position in clinical medicine, focusing on estrogen effects in the brain - Hiring in process/Finished, not possible to apply

Would you like to work in reproductive endocrinology, supported by skilled and friendly colleagues in an international environment? Would you like an employer that is committed to sustainable employment and offers secure, favourable working conditions? Welcome to apply for a position as a doctoral student at Uppsala University.

The Department of Women's and Children's Health (KBH) at the Faculty of Medicine at Uppsala University is an international and multi-professional department focusing on health and welfare. The global health perspective is always present, and we collaborate across professions and clinical areas, both in education and research.

Research in obstetrics and gynaecology aims to improve the care and treatment of women with gynaecological problems, pregnant women and newborn babies. The research focuses on better diagnosis and treatment of endometriosis, cancer, hormonal disorders, menopause and infertility. Parts of the department's activities are integrated with the clinical departments at Uppsala University Hospital. The department has teaching assignments on a number of programmes and courses within the Faculty of Medicine.

The doctoral position is placed in the Reproductive Health research group at the Department of Women's and Children's Health. The research project is led by Alkistis Skalkidou and Inger Sundström Poromaa and focuses on the safety of menopausal hormone therapy, particularly in relation to brain function and diseases. The project has an epidemiological approach and combines a wide range of national registers.

Duties
The main duty for a doctoral student is to devote themselves to their research studies which includes participating in research projects and PhD courses. The work duties can also include teaching, science communication and other departmental duties (no more than 20%).

Being a PhD student means independently running projects within a specific subject. You collaborate on an ongoing basis with other doctoral students and researchers to create results within various projects and have one or more supervisors for support during your doctoral studies. However, you work independently to a great amount, e.g. by running statistical analyses and writing articles for journals. A half-time seminar is mandatory after about half of the doctoral studies.

When you are admitted to doctoral studies, you are offered employment as a doctoral student. A position as a doctoral student at Uppsala University corresponds to full-time PhD education for four years.

Requirements
To meet the entry requirements for doctoral studies, you must

- hold a Master’s (second-cycle) degree in biology, medicine, neuroscience, psychology, public health or other education considered equivalent to these qualifications, or
- have completed at least 240 credits in higher education, with at least 60 credits at Master’s level including an independent project worth at least 15 credits, or
- have acquired substantially equivalent knowledge in some other way.

We require good oral and written skills in English.

To be eligible as a MSCA (Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions) doctoral candidate, you must i) not hold a doctoral degree at the time of employment, ii) not be enrolled in a doctoral program, and you must iii) comply with a mobility rule requiring you to not have resided or carried out your main activity (work, studies, etc.) in the host country (Sweden) for more than 12 months in the 36 months prior to recruitment (i.e. this includes online activities).

Additional qualifications
Great emphasis is put on personal qualities such as the ability to independently plan and carry out work. You have a good ability to work towards set goals and you focus to achieve them. It is also imperative that you can focus during periods of high workload. You have good communication skills and collaborate well with others.  You also have a good ability to write academic text. Experience from science communication is an extra plus.

Rules governing PhD students are set out in the Higher Education Ordinance chapter 5, §§ 1-7 and in Uppsala University's rules and guidelines.

About the employment
The employment is a temporary position according to the Higher Education Ordinance chapter 5 § 7. Scope of employment 100 %. Starting date January 1, 2026 or as agreed. Placement: Department of Women’s and Children’s Health, Uppsala university.

PhD students employed through the Marie Sklodowska Curie program will receive a salary in accordance with the Marie Curie regulations for doctoral candidates for the time of their fellowship (36 months). This means that gross salary (i.e. after deduction of employer’s taxes but including employee’s taxes) is approximately (pending exchange rates) 3152 Euro / month (without family allowance). Employee’s national and local taxes will be deducted from this gross salary before payment of the net salary to the doctoral candidate.  At the end of the project an additional payment of salary may be made, if the average exchange rate during the entire project is higher than the estimated exchange rate.

For the remaining time of the studies, you will be employed on a regular PhD contract, with salary according to the agreed salary ladder for PhD students. Follow this link to read more about financing for PhD students, and a local collective agreement for salaries for PhD students.

 For further information about the position, please contact: Inger Sundström Poromaa, email: inger.sundstrom@uu.se, phone + 46 70 246 51 56

In this recruitment we have replaced the cover letter with questions that you are asked to answer when making your application. The answers will be used as a part of the selection process.

Please submit your application by November 28, 2025, UFV-PA 2025/3312.