Junior/Senior Postdoctoral researcher with expertise in psychiatric epidemiology

Do you want to do research in eating disorders? Do you wish to pursue research in a clinical research multidisciplinary international environment?

The Center for Research in Eating and feeding Disorders (CEDaR) at Mental Health Center Ballerup seeks a postdoctoral researcher to join a strong international research environment in eating disorders, starting from May 2025 or soon thereafter. The position will be offered at any % between 50-100% FTE (anything between 18.5 and 37 hours) and initially for one year, with the possibility of becoming permanent.

The position

This is a unique opportunity for a management position in epidemiology and eating disorders. You will contribute to a large grant on risk and resilience for the development of eating disorders, particularly working on Danish Registers and other population-based studies. You will have diverse tasks and responsibilities, including developing new research protocols, writing new grants, project management, supervision and mentorship of junior staff, data analysis, writing manuscripts etc. in collaboration with in-house and external staff.

The current epidemiology projects rely on Danish register data and large population-based cohorts (e.g., ALSPAC, UK Biobank).

You will benefit from an existing large network of collaborations both within Denmark and abroad.

You will join a dynamic and growing team and work across the Center for Eating and feeding Disorders Research-CEDaR. The team is multidisciplinary and international. There are several other projects ongoing.

You will have an opportunity to develop new research ideas and will support Prof Micali in developing the epidemiology theme within CEDaR.

Tasks

You will be responsible for the day-to-day running of the epidemiology workstream of a large Novo Nordisk Foundation grant to Prof Micali.

You will carry out data analyses, in collaboration with international and local partners, contribute to refining research questions, lead interpretation of data and manuscript writing.

In this position you will supervise/line manage junior colleagues (PhD students, interns, etc.) and you will therefore be able develop your research and people management skills as the next step in your career. You will report to the Head of CEDaR (Prof Nadia Micali).

Depending on your seniority you might be required to perform management tasks.

Environment

The Center for Eating and feeding Disorders Research (CEDaR) https://www.psykiatri-regionh.dk/cedar/Pages/default.aspx is a multicultural and multidisciplinary team recently set up with a large portfolio of grants, across epidemiological, genetic, neuroimaging, and clinical intervention studies in feeding and eating disorders. We are a dynamic, collaborative, and international team, that is rapidly growing. The unit has several international collaborations with the UK, US, Norway, Sweden, Germany, Switzerland.

Research in eating disorders is a highly prioritized research area of the Mental Health Services in the Capital Region of Denmark. We have a strong commitment to perform research at the highest international level with the aim of providing new insights into what causes eating disorders and better treatments for patients.

Qualifications

The ideal applicant:

• Will be highly motivated to drive and pursue research in eating disorders.
• Has a PhD in psychiatric or health behaviour epidemiology
• Experience in using Danish or other Scandinavian Registers
• Expertise in longitudinal data analyses, psychiatric epidemiology, longitudinal analyses of behavioural data. It is desirable but not necessary to have experience in eating disorders research.
• Is an enthusiastic researcher, with experience in designing and carrying out research in psychiatry/psychology/behavioural sciences/epidemiology.
• Has proven skills in effective project management and co-ordination.
• Has experience in managing junior colleagues
• Has experience in advanced statistical methods (e.g., longitudinal data analyses, analyses of cohort data, big data).
• Has excellent oral and written communication skills in English.
• Has published peer reviewed data-based papers.

You must demonstrate original academic production in the field of psychiatry/epidemiology/behavioural sciences, as evidenced by peer reviewed publications in English.

Participation in international networks and collaboration with researchers and key institutions within eating disorders or epidemiology is an advantage.

Conditions:

Salary, pension and other conditions of employment are set in accordance with the Agreement between the Ministry of Finance and AC (Danish Confederation of Professional Associations) or other relevant organisations.

The position is in accordance with best Danish labour practices, including a 37-hour work week, six weeks of paid vacation per annum, funded parental leave, matched pension contributions, enrolment in national healthcare, and labour union representation.

The position is funded by a Novo Nordisk Foundation grant to Prof Micali and initially offered for a fixed-term of one year with the possibility of an extension to a total of 5 years.

Non-Danish applicants may be eligible for tax reductions if they hold a PhD degree and have not lived in Denmark in the last 10 years.

Application procedure

The position is open for appointment until the 10thApril 2025. Applications will be processed as they come in, interviews will be held face to face or online in week 16 or 17. The position is available straight away.

Applications – including the required attachments – must be sent via the link provided. Only online applications will be accepted. Applications must be written in English.

The application must contain:

• a motivation letter
• a detailed CV
• degree certificates
• a complete and numbered list of publications
• two references

References will be obtained for the applicant who is the first choice for the position. The application will be evaluated by an assessment committee.

If you are interested in the position but want to know more or are unsure about your CV fitting the position contact the Head of the Eating Disorders Unit Prof. Nadia Micali, email: [email protected]; Unit administrator Cecilie Damgaard Rau: [email protected]

Do you want to know more about us?

Since 2017, treatment of all adult patients with Eating Disorders in the Capital region has been located at Mental Health Centre Ballerup, and around one thousand patients are referred for treatment each year, making it one of the largest clinics for Eating Disorders in Europe.

Mental Health Center Ballerup is a part of Copenhagen University Hospital and one of nine departments, that provide treatment for mental disorders in the Capital Region of Denmark. The department consists of ten inpatient wards comprising 157 beds, nine outpatient clinics with several specialized functions and three research groups. We employ around 90 medical doctors and 80 psychologists in addition to nurses, physiotherapists, occupational therapists, social workers, and technical and administrative staff.