Postdoc for project: Wellbeing and Virtual Worlds

The Department of Public Health at Faculty of Health at Aarhus University invites applications for a position as postdoc on the topic of wellbeing in relation to digital technology. The position is part of the collaborative research project Wellbeing and Virtual Worlds, funded by the Independent Research Fund Denmark and is available per 1.12.2024, or as soon as possible thereafter. The position is a fixed-term full-time position for 2 years.

As a postdoc at the Department of Public Health, you will be part of an internationally recognised department, where we work together to promote public health. We are involved in broad collaboration both internally and externally. We share our knowledge with citizens, decision-makers, business and industry, practitioners and other researchers – in municipalities, in the regions and both nationally and internationally. The department either contributes to or is responsible for teaching in medicine, public health science, sport science, optometry and nursing. At the Department of Public Health, you will have approx. 200 colleagues, including ninety academic staff members and a corresponding number of PhD students. We work closely with one another across different fields of study and prioritise a healthy work environment. The general tone among colleagues is informal. You can read more about the department here and about the faculty here.

About the research project

The overall project aims at examining the fundamental premises behind assessments of quality of life in virtual worlds and contributing to a more nuanced understanding of life in virtual spaces. It combines philosophical value theory with empirical studies of user experiences of the interplay between online and offline activities. It is a collaborative project between Aarhus University (Department of Public Health) and University of Southern Denmark (Department of Design, Media and Educational Science).

The postdoc will primarily contribute to the following two subprojects:

• Subproject 1: “Gaming support groups and socially vulnerable individuals”
• Subproject 2: “Virtual embodiment”

Both subprojects are empirical and qualitative in design, focusing on two concrete, real-life cases of virtual technology use by socially and physically vulnerable individuals, respectively. Subproject 1 will explore the first-person and wider normative (prudential) significance of so-called gaming-therapy initiatives for vulnerable individuals in Danish health care contexts. Extending on the results from Subproject 1, Subproject 2 focuses on physical disability, aiming to explore the relationship between physical disability, gaming, embodiment and agency, also in Danish contexts.

Your job responsibilities

The central tasks of the postdoc will involve carrying out the two qualitative subprojects, which include conducting observations and interviews with relevant participants and stakeholders. The overall project involves established collaborators from designated support initiatives across Danish hospitals and health care settings. The postdoc will be expected to manage recruitment of participants within these contexts. Qualifications in qualitative research methodologies, especially phenomenological data collection and analysis, are thus particularly relevant.

Ideas for specific subtopics or foci should be submitted with the application, and the postdoc will have the opportunity to pursue their own special interests within the framework of the project. They should, however, also be willing to develop their ideas in collaboration with the other project members and contribute to joint work within the project, including joint publications and work related to the empirical parts of the project. 
The position is research-based. You will contribute to the development of the department through research of high international quality. In your daily work, you will work closely with colleagues on your project, as well as the cross-university research group associated with the project, where you will receive supervision and guidance.

Your main tasks will consist of:

• Producing independent and collaborative research of a high international quality, including publications.
• Attending and presenting at international conferences, workshops, and seminars.
• Establishing contact with and recruitment of relevant participants.
• Carrying out qualitative fieldwork in Danish contexts.
• Assisting with the organising of workshops and research events.

You will report to Acting Head of Department Helle Terkildsen Maindal ([email protected]). The project leaders for the ‘Wellbeing and Virtual Worlds’-project are Søren Harnow Klausen ([email protected]) and David Ekdahl ([email protected]).

Your competences

You have academic qualifications at PhD level relevant to the research subprojects’ aims and ambitions, ideally within one or more of the following areas: qualitative research methodologies, especially phenomenological approaches, embodiment research, digital/virtual technology research, and wellbeing research.  
Danish language skills are a requirement for this position, as the fieldwork will be conducted in Danish contexts.

Other requirements include:

• Publication experience in high-ranking journals.
• Experience with designing, analysing and reporting rich and nuanced qualitative research.
• Experience managing and conducting ethical, qualitative field work, including observations and interviews.
• Excellent command of written and spoken English, as evidenced from a history of publishing in international journals.
• Motivation to work independently as well as cooperatively in an international team. As a person, you have good interpersonal skills, are inclusive and team-oriented and able to contribute to a good work environment.

In order to be assessed as qualified for a postdoctoral position, you must meet these academic criteria.
Shortlisting will be used.

Questions about the position

If you have any questions about the position, please contact David Ekdahl ([email protected])  tel.: (+45) 20826893.

Your place of work will be the Department of Public Health: Section for Sport Science,

Dalgas Avenue 4, DK-8000 Aarhus C, Denmark.
We expect to conduct interviews in November.


Terms of employment

• Appointment as a postdoc requires academic qualifications at PhD level.
• Further information on the appointment procedure can be found in the Ministerial Order on the Appointment of Academic Staff at Universities.
• The appointment is in accordance with the Danish Confederation of Professional Associations (Akademikerne).
• Remuneration is in accordance with the above, and the Salary agreement catalogue for staff at Health.
• The yearly base salary for a fulltime postdoc is between DKK 484.214,84 and DKK 538.720,20 depending on the years of working experience after achieved MSc degree. The base salary includes a position related supplement and pension (17.1 %). Additional supplement(s) for special qualifications can be negotiated. Authorisation supplemement(s) will be granted, if relevant for the position. Your local eligible trade union representative at Aarhus University negotiates your salary on your behalf.
• Researchers recruited from abroad are offered a special researcher tax scheme with a lower tax rate.
• Further information on qualification requirements and job description can be found in the Ministerial Order on Job Structure for Academic Staff

Application

Your application must include the following:

• Motivated application
• Curriculum Vitae
• Diploma
• Template for applicant - postdoc
• A list of publications
• A teaching portfolio. We refer to Guideline on the use of teaching portfolios
• A maximum of five of the publications of greatest relevance to the job may be submitted (optional)
• Research plan can be uploaded (optional)
• Coauthor statement(s) can be uploaded (optional)
• References/recommendations can be uploaded separately in the e-recruitment system (optional)

We refer to the faculty’s Guidelines for applicants.

Aarhus University’s ambition is to be an attractive and inspiring workplace for all and to foster a culture in which each individual has opportunities to thrive, achieve and develop. We view equality and diversity as assets, and we welcome all applicants.

Letter of reference

If you want a referee to upload a letter of reference on your behalf, please state the referee’s contact information when you submit your application. We strongly recommend that you make an agreement with the person in question before you enter the referee’s contact information, and that you ensure that the referee has enough time to write the letter of reference before the application deadline.
Unfortunately, it is not possible to ensure that letters of reference received after the application deadline will be taken into consideration.


International applicant?

Aarhus University offers a broad variety of services for international researchers and accompanying families, including assistance with relocation and career counselling to expat partners. Please find more information about the International Staff Office and the range of services here. Aarhus University also has a Junior Researcher Association and offers career development support. You can read more about these resources here.

The application must be submitted via Aarhus University’s recruitment system, which can be accessed under the job advertisement on Aarhus University's website.


Aarhus University

Aarhus University is an academically diverse and research-intensive university with a strong commitment to high-quality research and education and the development of society nationally and globally. The university offers an inspiring research and teaching environment to its 38,000 students (FTEs) and 8,300 employees, and has an annual revenues of EUR 935 million. Learn more at www.international.au.dk/