PhD position in Health Economics with a Focus on Patient-Centered Care and Evidence-Based Decision Tools (MSCA HEPARD)

The Centre for Health Economic Research (HEFUU) at Uppsala University is hiring for a PhD-position. HEFUU is an interdisciplinary research centre focused on the efficient use of resources in healthcare and the improvement of population health. The centre is a collaboration between the Disciplinary Domain of Medicine and Pharmacy and the Faculty of Social Sciences building on a cross-disciplinary perspective to combine different competences. The ambition is to break new ground in the centre's research areas.

The Department of Medical Sciences is a large clinical department with approximately 250 employees and over 900 affiliated individuals through Uppsala University Hospital. The department has a broad research profile with strong research groups in a variety of fields. Research is conducted in close collaboration with the clinical activities at the University Hospital and encompasses both studies on the causes of disease and the development and evaluation of improved diagnostics and new treatment methods. More information about the department's activities is available at https://www.uu.se/en/department/medical-sciences

Project Description

This doctoral position is part of HEPARD (Health Economic Policy Advice with Real-World Data), a Marie Skłodowska-Curie (MSCA) funded European doctoral network that unites leading institutions to train a new generation of researchers in health economics, causal inference, and the analysis of large-scale administrative and observational data. The collaboration across departments aims to equip them with solid theoretical foundations, advanced empirical methods, and experience in interdisciplinary cooperation.

The project aims to refine and validate an innovative tool designed to capture patients’ treatment preferences, particularly the trade-offs between survival and health-related quality of life (HRQoL). In a prospective study, this tool will be applied to examine how these preferences evolve for prostate cancer patients in response to changes in survival and HRQoL prospects. The candidate will contribute to mixed-method research, including qualitative interviews, psychometric validation, and quantitative analyses. This work will generate unique insights into how preferences shift during disease progression and how structured communication can support shared decision-making and enhance treatment adherence.

Key objectives include:

• Analyzing and Prevention. Conduct empirical research to: Assess how changes in survival prospects and health-related quality of life (HRQoL) influence patients’ treatment preferences. Evaluate how patient-centered care that honors these preferences impact treatment adherence, and consequenty overall treatment outcomes.
• Informing Policy Design in advanced prostate cancer. How critical is the role of engaging patients in shared decision-making in advanced prostate cancer? How should personalized treatment strategies adapt to accommodate evolving patient preferences as the advanced prostate cancer disease progresses?

The doctoral training programme offers:

• Core training in health economics, causal inference, micro-econometrics, health inequalities, epidemiology, qualitative research methods such as grounded theory, and mixed-methods approaches.
• Elective courses on data science, public health, implementation science, and empirical microeconomics.
• Two secondments: one academic (methodological training and collaboration) and one non-academic (policy experience).
• Network-wide workshops and conferences bringing together leading researchers, policymakers, and industry partners.
• Regular online meetings with research seminars, course follow-ups, and journal clubs.
• Career development training, including leadership, teamwork, communication skills, and grant writing.

Duties

The PhD student will primarily pursue doctoral studies and conduct independent research within the HEPARD project, and actively participate in the HEPARD structured interdisciplinary training programme. The position includes dissemination of research results through presentations, academic publications, and policy-relevant communication. The PhD student will be part of the Centre for Health Economic Research (HEFUU) at Uppsala University and contribute to its academic environment and goals. The position may also include teaching or other departmental duties, up to a maximum of 20 percent of full-time.

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

• hold a Master’s (second-cycle) degree in health economics, economics, statistics, public health, or medical sciences, 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 in one of the above subjects, or
• have acquired substantially equivalent knowledge in some other way.
• fulfil the MSCA mobility rule: candidates must not have lived or carried out their main activity (work or studies) in Sweden for more than 12 months in the 36 months immediately before the recruitment date. Exceptions apply only for compulsory national service (for example mandatory military or civilian service) or recognised refugee status under the Geneva Convention.
• must not already hold a doctoral degree.
• demonstrate fluency in Swedish, Norwegian, or Danish.

In addition, the applicant must demonstrate:

• strong collaboration skills as well as the ability to work independently
• good analytical skills, self-motivation, and flexibility
• excellent communication skills in English (at least equivalent to upper secondary education), both oral and written

Great emphasis is placed on personal qualities such as intellectual curiosity, analytical rigour, responsibility, ability to collaborate and take initiative, flexibility, and the capacity to independently analyse data.

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

Additional qualifications
Documented strong skills in microdata econometric methods and health economic or economic analysis, and experience working with quantitative and quantitative data, is considered a merit.

About the employment
The employment is a temporary position according to the Higher Education Ordinance chapter 5 § 7. Scope of employment 100 %. Starting date is June 1st or as agreed. Placement: Workplace located at the Centre for Health Economic Research in Uppsala

 For further information about the position, please contact: Docent Sophie Langenskiöld, +46 70 939 3733, sophie.langenskiold@medsci.uu.se.

Please submit your application by 30 January 2026, UFV-PA 2025/3782.

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