Postdoctoral Researcher in prevention of child obesity

Do you want to contribute to better health for all?

The Department of Global Public Health is a multidisciplinary department with the aim to advance knowledge about challenges and opportunities for public health in a local, national, and global setting. Research at the department is focused on how different societal and individual factors affect population health, and to develop and evaluate structural and individual-oriented interventions. Many researchers at the department are scientific advisors to authorities and other decision makers at regional, national, and international levels. The department has 12 research groups, about 110 PhD students and about 140 employees.

In this interdisciplinary project, you will find a unique opportunity to work together with experienced researchers in intervention and implementation research in the field of diet, physical activity, family support and obesity prevention for children between 6-12 years old.  The project aims to link two evidence-based programmes in school and primary care in disadvantaged areas with high health needs in order to reduce health inequalities. 

Your mission

We are looking for a motivated postdoc for this 3-year project which has received funding from the Swedish Heart and Lung Foundation for the development of a model (Co-fam) that combines two evidence-based family support programmes, the universal "A Healthy School Start" with the targeted "More and Less". Today, there is no cohesive family support for children with unhealthy lifestyles and a high BMI, which means that many children and their families do not receive the support they are entitled to according to national guidelines.

The team consists of researchers from five different departments at KI, but the project is located at the Department of Global Public Health in the research group Community Nutrition and Physical Activity (see link below). Together with parents, school and primary health care professionals we will co-design the model linking these two programs in an effective way. In a municipality with great health needs, we have implemented the 1-year program "A Healthy School Start" in grade 1 since 2022. In order for children with greater needs to receive increased evidence-based support after grade 1, we will co-design a model so that these children and their parents have the opportunity to participate in the "More and Less" program given by dieticians and other staff in primary healthcare. The model will then be evaluated in a controlled study for 14-18 months.

Your role will be to coordinate the project and, together with other researchers, write an ethics application, collaborate with school and primary healthcare in the co-design process, provide implementation support and take a leading role in data collection. You will also do analysis and reporting of results in scientific journals as well as communicate with decision-makers, practitioners and the general public. You are also expected to be involved in writing grant applications as well as teaching and supervision of master's students.

This is a full time position, temporary for 2 years, with a possible extension.

Your profile

To be eligible for employment as a postdoctor a doctoral degree or a foreign degree deemed to be equivalent to a doctoral degree is required. This eligibility requirement must be fulfilled at the latest at the time of the employment decision. It is considered as an advantage if you have completed your doctoral degree within the last three years, if there are special reasons, your degree may have been completed earlier.

You must have a degree in the field of public health, medical science, health sciences, nutrition or a similar field and have very good knowledge in Swedish and English in speech and writing. The project builds to a large extent on cooperation and it is therefor required to have very good collaboration, communication and flexibility skills. As a person, you must also be structured, orderly, meticulous and ambitious. The working language will mainly be Swedish and some travel within the Stockholm region will be needed. 

It is particularly meritorious that the applicant has demonstrated knowledge in intervention and implementation research, experience of co-design, project management as well as experience of data collection. It is also meritorious that the applicant has knowledge in data management and quantitative statistical analysis, scientific publication, and good IT skills. It is meritorious that the applicant has demonstrated knowledge in the field of eating habits, physical activity and obesity, knowledge of qualitative analysis, experience of international and interdisciplinary research. Finally, it is meritorious to have worked in healthcare and that the applicant have an interest in children's and young people's health, have experience of writing popular science articles aimed at healthcare professionals and the general public.

What do we offer?

A creative and inspiring environment with wide-ranging expertise and interests. Karolinska Institutet is one of the world's leading medical universities. At Karolinska Institutet, we conduct successful medical research and hold the largest range of medical education in Sweden. At KI, you get to meet researchers working with a wide range of specialisms and methods, giving you ample opportunity to exchange knowledge and experience with the various scientific fields within medicine and health. It is the crossover collaborations, which have pushed KI to where it is today, at the forefront of global research. Several of the people you meet in healthcare are educated at KI. A close relationship with the health care providers is important for creating groundbreaking top quality education and research. Karolinska Institutet is also a state university, which entitles you to several benefits through our collective agreement.

Location: Solna

Read more about the research group- Community nutrition and physical activity (CoNPA)

Read more about the institution for Global Public Health (GPH)

Application

An employment application must contain the following documents in English or Swedish:

• A complete resumé, including date of the thesis defence, title of the thesis, previous academic positions, academic title, current position, academic distinctions, and committee work
• A complete list of publications
• A summary of current work (no more than one page)

Welcome to apply at the latest 17th of May 2024. 

The application is to be submitted through the Varbi recruitment system.

Want to make a difference? Join us and contribute to better health for all

1. Liselotte Schäfer Elinder, liselotte.schafer-elinder@ki.se

1. SACO styrelse, saco@ki.se
2. Magnus Anå, OFR, 08-52486437,magnus.ana@ki.se
3. Henry Wölling, SEKO, henry.wolling@ki.se