PhD Research Fellowship in Health Promotion and Physical Activity

About the position

The Faculty of Social and Health Sciences at University of Inland Norway (INN) invites applications for a PhD Research Fellowship focusing on health promotion and physical activity, spanning the fields of public health, physical therapy, and exercise and sports science. 

The fellowship is scheduled for four years, including 25 % research, teaching and supervision obligations each year in the bachelor programme in physical therapy, distributed over the period of employment. Specific contributions to the bachelor programme will depend on the candidate’s qualifications and preferences, in alignment with the department’s need for teaching and other student-related tasks. The employment period may be reduced to 3 years without research, teaching and supervision obligations.

It is a requirement that the PhD research fellow qualifies for admission to the University's PhD programme in Health and Social Sciences (HELVEL). The final plan of the doctoral education programme must be approved and agreed upon no later than three months after starting in the position. The successful candidate will be admitted to the PhD programme in Health and Welfare at the faculty. The PhD candidate will be an active member of the research group Critical Public Health. Applicants who already hold a PhD will not be considered.

The academic and research community supporting the doctoral programme with supervision and research training comprises multiple professors and associate professors working in the relevant academic fields.The PhD Fellow will belong to the Faculty of Social and Health Sciences, the Department of Public Health and Sport Sciences, Section of Public Health. The place of work and prescence is at campus Elverum. However, shorter stays in other geographical areas of Norway must be expected in connection with data collection, as well as the possibility of up to 6 months of exchange to our partner university, University of Southern Denmark, Odense (Denmark).

Project description

The ageing of the population is a major public health issue, and there is a growing need for supporting older adults in maintaining their independence. Central to this is promotion of physical, mental and cognitive health, which typically requires a multidisciplinary approach, drawing on sectors such as public health services, community health centers, community physical therapy, and voluntary organizations. The present PhD project aims to explore strategies for facilitating increased and sustained levels of health-promoting physical activity among older adults. It will include establishment and conduction of a sustainable activity program in collaboration with older adults in a Norwegian volunteer center. The effectiveness of the activity program will be assessed as physiological and psychosocial health outcomes, and its success will be assessed per process evaluation. Ultimately, the project seeks to address how to add ‘life to years’ by enhancing quality of life rather than simply extending lifespan.

Although the project involves the use of both quantitative and qualitative research methods, the doctoral research fellow will have a main responsibility for planning, facilitation and implementation of physical activity for the elderly, quantitative measurements, as well as statistical analysis.

The position is affiliated with the research group Critical Public Health Research Group (CPHRG) at the Section for Public Health. For this specific PhD project, we have established a collaboration with the research group Elderly Health at the Section for Nursing, for which the target group is central. Read more about the research group CPHRG here.

For more information about the project, please contact postdoctoral researcher Svein Barene; svein.barene@inn.no

Qualifications

We welcome applicants with relevant theoretical and practical experience and education. We are looking for a highly motivated candidate that wants to address a scientific challenge in a stimulating collaborative environment. You should like to work as part of a team, both at INN and internationally, yet be willing to take on responsibilities on your own. You are required to be an independent learner, with the ability to perform demanding tasks within defined time frames. Personal qualities will be essential for the final ranking of candidates

To be admitted to the doctoral program, the applicant must normally have a minimum Master's degree or Master's level (120 credits, §3master's in the Norwegian system) or equivalent education within Public Health Science, Physical Therapy or Physical Therapy in Sports, Physical Exercise and Health, Exercise and Sports Science, or another relevant master´s degree with perspectives related to health promotion.

Applicants must have a strong academic background as evidenced by their previous studies. The average grade from the Master's program (120 credits) or equivalent education, should normally be B or above. Calculation of the average grade is based on the credits for each course and for the master's thesis. Applicants with weaker grades than what is normally required for admission must document that they will be able to complete a doctoral degree. In cases where the education has been approved with the use of the grades passed / failed, the applicant is admitted after an individual assessment. If you have education from abroad, you can contact HK-dir for approval of your education, alternatively a similar assessment will be made in connection with the application process.

Strong quantitative research competence is an advantage.

Experience with relevant information and communications technology systems are required.

Personal competence

• A good work ethic
• Ability to work independently
• Good communication skills towards both colleagues and partners
• Flexibility and independence will be emphasized
• Experience from research after completed Master´s 

Language proficiency:

• Applicants must be proficient in both written and oral English. Applicants from non-English-speaking countries must document English compentence in accordance with the Supplementary provisions for admission to the PhD programme at University of Inland Norway. 
• Applicants must have excellent communication skills in a Scandinavian language, both oral and written.

Evaluation of candidates for the position will be based on a total assessment of educational background, experience and personal suitability, as well as motivation and other eligibility requirements, as defined in the advertisement.

The position and associated tasks must be carried out in accordance with the applicable laws and regulations for government employees, including also the Act on Control of the Export of Strategic Goods, Services and Technology, etc. Candidates who, after assessment of the application and attachments, come into conflict with the criteria in the latter act, will not be able to take up the position at University of Inland Norway. Necessary approvals must be maintained throughout the employment relationship.

How to apply

Your application and CV must be registered electronically. Click the “apply for position” button. The application must include:

• Application letter (registered in jobbnorge's form). In the application letter, please provide the topic of the project, a description of your background and your motivation for the position.
• Relevant educational background and experience (registered in jobbnorge's form). 
• Proposed project description of the study (max 5 pages, including references), outlining its academic relevance, methods, challenges and possibilities, and containing a tentative progression plan. The project description must be written in English.
• Copies of academic diplomas and Transcripts (A certified English translation of all educational documents is required unless the documents are in Norwegian.)
• A list of publications, where applicable
• The names and contact information for two referees.
• Any other documentation you would like us to consider

Attachments must be uploaded as separate files. If the attachments exceed 30 MB, they must be compressed prior to upload. It is the applicant's responsibility to ensure that all attachments are uploaded. Documents submitted after expiry of the deadline will not be considered in the evaluation of your application.

Requirements for Project Outline: The project description should be a maximum of 5 pages, including the reference list. The page format for the project description should be A4 with 2 cm margins, 11-point font (Arial, Calibri, or Times New Roman), and single line spacing. For the reference list and any figure captions, a font size of 9 may be used. The project description can be written in English. The scientific quality of the project description is a crucial factor in determining whether applicants will be invited for an interview.

We offer

• An exciting and challenging position at a developing institution, dedicated colleagues and a supportive working environment 
• Position is paid and placed in position code 1017, PhD candidate in the Government Salary Scale
• Membership in the Norwegian Public Service Pension, with among other things, good pension and insurance schemes.

For more information about INN as an employer, please see here.

General information

For further details about the position, please contact the Head of Department, Per Øystein Hansen; email: per.hansen@inn.no 

HINN believes that there is strength in inclusion and diversity. We desire employees with different competencies, professional combinations, life experiences and perspectives to contribute to an even better way of solving problems. We will facilitate for employees who need assitance to realise their goals. Relevant adaptations can be, for example, technical aids, adapting furniture or adjusting routines, work tasks and working hours.

If there are qualified applicants with disabilities, gaps in the CV or immigrant background, we shall call at least one applicant in each of these categories for an interview. In order to be considered as an applicant in these groups, the applicants must meet certain requirements. You can read more on this here: https://arbeidsgiver.difi.no/positivsaerbehandling.

We encourage applicants to tick in Jobbnorge if they have a disability, a gap in their CV or immigrant background. The ticks in the jobseeker portal form the basis for anonymised statistics that all state-owned enterprises report in their annual reports

Information about applicants may be made public even if the applicant has asked not to be named on the list of persons who have applied. The applicant must be notified if the request to be omitted is not met.

University of Inland Norway (INN ) is home to around 15,000 students and 1,500 employees. We have campuses in Lillehammer, Hamar, Elverum, Rena, Evenstad and Blæstad, and offer some courses at Kongsvinger, Tynset and in Oslo.

INN is known for strong and enduring academic and research environments that will spearhead regionally, nationally and internationally. HINN has recently received confirmation that we meet the requirements to become a university, and NOKUT's board approved the college's application for university accreditation on the 12th of September. With this, we expect to become a university during the autumn of 2024.

Our vision is "Stronger together - we build the university in an interdisciplinary community, together with the communities and the industries"