PhD Candidate in Women’s Health and Epidemiology

The Department of Clinical and Molecular Medicine (IKOM) announces a three-year PhD fellowship in the fields of women’s health and epidemiology.

The fourth Health Survey in Trøndelag (HUNT4 study) is one of the few Norwegian population-based studies that asks women about persistent pelvic pain. The PhD project aims to use data from HUNT to investigate whether adverse childhood experiences and psychological distress increase the risk of persistent pelvic pain and to explore the association with more widespread pain. The primary objective of the project is to increase knowledge about the causes of persistent pelvic pain in order to improve understanding of the condition and thereby improve prevention and treatment strategies.

The position will be connected to the projects in the “HUNT Women’s Health & Pelvic Pain”. The PhD candidate will be part of a research environment originating from St. Olavs hospital and the NTNU, and the researchers have backgrounds in clinical specialties such as gynecology, physiotherapy, psychology, and epidemiology/statistics. The local research group also collaborate closely with a women’s health research group at UiT The Arctic University of Norway in Tromsø, researchers at the Norwegian Institute of Public Health in Oslo, as well as with British researchers.

The position is funded by the Liaison Committee between the Central Norway Regional Health Authority (RHA) and the Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU). The PhD Candidate will be part of the research group “Traumatic Life Events and Women’s Health,” led by Associate Professor and consultant/gynecologist Cecilie Therese Hagemann. Hagemann will be the main supervisor for the PhD candidate.

The position is intended to be a three-year, full-time position, but there may also be an opportunity for a part-time position combined with clinical work. The position is affiliated with the Department of Clinical and Molecular Medicine (IKOM), with the workplace located at IKOM, Trondheim. The desired start date is no later than June 1, 2025. An earlier start date is possible by agreement.

• Develop analysis plans for the three papers to be included in the doctoral thesis, in collaboration with the research team
• Perform data processing and statistical analyses for the three studies, supervised by the research team
• Prepare manuscripts for academic publications and popular science dissemination, in collaboration with the research team
• Write a doctoral thesis and publicly defend it
• Complete the mandatory PhD program in Medicine and Health Sciences at NTNU

The primary goal of the PhD fellowship is to qualify the candidate for future research positions.

• The applicant must have an educational background in medicine or have completed a master’s degree in medical and health sciences, psychology, public health, epidemiology, biostatistics, or another relevant degree (equivalent to 120 credits).
• Master’s students can apply, but the master’s degree must be obtained and documented before the start of the position and no later than April 30, 2025.
• The applicant must have a strong academic background from his or her previous studies, with an average grade from the master’s program, or equivalent education, that is equivalent to a B or better according to NTNU’s grading scale. If the applicant does not have letter grades from previous studies, he or she must have an equally good academic foundation. If the applicant has a weaker grade background, he or she may be considered if he or she can document that he or she is particularly suited for PhD education.
• The applicant must meet the requirements for admission to the Medical Faculty’s PhD program.
• Excellent written and oral English skills.

PLEASE NOTE: For detailed information about what the application must contain, see paragraph “About the application”.

If you cannot document skills in Norwegian, Swedish or Danish at level A2 upon employment, you must complete Norwegian courses corresponding to at least 15 credits before the end of the employment period. NTNU will facilitate this.

The appointment is to be made in accordance with Regulations for the Universities and Colleges Act (university and colleges regulations) and Regulations for the degrees philosophiae doctor (ph.d.) and philosophiae doctor (ph.d.) in artistic development work at the Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU) for general criteria for the position.

• Experience in quantitative statistical analysis and epidemiology
• Familiarity with statistical software such as SPSS, STATA, SAS, or R
• Publications as first author or co-author
• Experience with academic writing in English
• Mastery of a Scandinavian language
• Experience in clinical work within gynecology, pain medicine, general practice, physiotherapy, or psychology

To complete a doctoral degree (PhD), it is important that you are able to:

• Work independently
• Work in a structured manner, set goals, and create plans to achieve them
• Present and discuss your research with other professionals
• Engage and contribute constructively with feedback
• Work constructively under pressure or adversity
• Demonstrate curiosity and a strong motivation for the subject
• Analyze data, consider different perspectives, and draw well-founded conclusions
• Be flexible and open to adjusting the project plan as neededPersonal and interpersonal qualities will be emphasized.

• An exciting job with an important societal mission
• Developmental tasks in a strong professional environment
• Career guidance and follow-up during the PhD period
• An open and inclusive work environment with engaged colleagues
• Favorable conditions in the Norwegian Public Service Pension Fund
• Access to employee benefits and advantages

Diversity is a strength, and at NTNU we aim to be an employer that reflects the diversity in society and that makes use of the potential of the population’s collective skills. Our vision is Knowledge for a better world and our values ​​are creative, critical, constructive and respectful. We believe that an organization that is equal, diverse and gender-balanced is essential for us to achieve our goals.

We strive to attract employees with different skills, life experiences and perspectives to contribute to even better problem solving of our societal mission in research and education.

If you think this position is relevant and interesting, we encourage you to apply, regardless of gender, functional ability and cultural background, or whether you have been out of work for a period of time. We especially encourage men to apply.

In the position of PhD Candidate, code 1017, your gross salary will normally be NOK  536 200,-  per annum depending on qualifications and seniority. A 2% statutory contribution to the State Pension Fund is deducted from the salary.

The employment period is 3 years. If learning Norwegian (level A2 corresponding to at least 15 credits) is to be completed before the end of the employment period, the employment period can be extended by 10 weeks after completed and documented the Norwegian course.

For employment as a PhD Candidate, it is a prerequisite that you gain admission to the PhD programme in Medicine and Health Sciences) within three months of your employment contract start date, and that you participate in an organized doctoral programme throughout the period of employment.

The position is conditional on external funding.

As an employee at NTNU, it is important that you keep yourself up to date with academic and organizational changes and adapt to them.

For the necessary academic and social interaction, it is a prerequisite that you are physically present and available to the institution on a daily basis.

The appointment is carried out in accordance withthe principles of the State Employees Act, and Export control (legislation that regulates the export of knowledge, technologyand services). Candidates who, after assessment of the application and attachments, are considered to be in conflict with the criteria in the latter act, will not be able to be employed.

The application and attachments must accompany the application as these form the basis for the assessment. The documents must be in a Scandinavian language or English.

Please note that the application will only be evaluated based on the information we have by the application deadline. Therefore, ensure that your application clearly demonstrates how your skills and experiences meet the criteria described above. The application and all attachments must be submitted electronically via Jobbnorge.no.

The application must include:

• Transcripts and diplomas for bachelor’s and master’s degrees
• CV
• Short motivation letter
• Any publications or other relevant research work
• Any certificates
• Names and contact information of three relevant references

If all, or parts, of your education has been taken abroad, we also ask you to attach documentation of the scope and quality of your entire education, both Bachelor’s and Master’s education, in addition to other higher education. If your institution uses “diploma supplement” (normal for most European institutions), you must attach this. A description of the documentation required can also be found here. If you already have a statement from Norwegian Directorate for Higher Education and Skills (HK-dir), please attach this as well.

In assessing the most qualified candidate, we emphasize necessary qualifications such as education, experience, and personal suitability. Motivation for the position, ambitions, and potential for research will also be considered in the evaluation of candidates.

NTNU recognizes a wide range of academic contributions and has committed itself to The San Francisco Declaration on Research Assessment and CoARA (responsible assessment of research and recognition of a greater breadth of academic contributions in accordance with NTNU’s social mission).

A public list of applicants with name, age, job title and municipality of residence is prepared after the application deadline. If you wish to be exempt from entry on the public applicant list, this must be justified. Assessment will be made in accordance with current legislation. You will be notified if the exemption is not granted.

If you think this position looks interesting and in line with your qualifications, you are welcome to apply.

If you have questions about the position, you can contact Cecilie Therese Hagemann, phone: +47 95 82 94 90, email: cecilie.hagemann@ntnu.no.

If you have questions about the recruitment process, you can contact HR consultant Vebjørn F. Andreassen, email: vebjorn.andreassen@ntnu.no.

Application deadline: 15.03.2025