Department of Global Public Health

The Department of Global Public Health conducts research, teaching and applied work based on public health sciences and epidemiology. The department has 9 research groups, approximately 80 research students and 140 employees. At the department we carry out public health research projects with the aim to understand the determinants of health and developing and evaluating public health interventions. Our researchers are involved in translating research results into health policies and public health practices, in high – middle – and low- income settings. The department is also responsible for several postgraduate programs at Karolinska Institutet as well as undergraduate and doctoral educations in global health, public health sciences, public health epidemiology and social medicine.

Do you want to contribute to better health for all?

To be a doctoral student means to devote oneself to a research project under supervision of experienced researchers and following an individual study plan. For a doctoral degree, the equivalent of four years of full-time doctoral education is required.

The research group

The research at the department is conducted in areas such as global health, public health epidemiology and social medicine. This position focuses on global health, with a particular focus on sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR) in low- and middle-income contexts and based within the Global and Sexual Health research group (GloSH). We work interdisciplinary with a focus on various aspects of SRHR such as adolescent health, prevention of HIV and other sexually transmitted infections, unwanted pregnancies, contraceptives, unsafe abortions, gender equality, gender-based violence, health economics and e-health. Our researchers have broad experience in both qualitative and quantitative study design and implementation in low income contexts.

The doctoral student project and the duties of the doctoral student

The doctoral student will be admitted to the Research School in Health Sciences (FiH): Research School in Health Science | Karolinska Institutet (ki.se)

The purpose of the project is to promote SRH and improve contraceptive counseling for foreign-born women after childbirth. In order to enable improvements and ensure good care for the entire population, it is important to find out what it looks like and what contraceptive use is applied after pregnancy. Finding out the target group's thoughts and ideas on how care can be improved is crucial to making care accepted and relevant, and therefore will IMPROVE to include the target group and develop contraceptive counseling.

The project consists of three parts: We will, with the help of focus group discussions, explore how foreign-born women and men from the largest immigrant countries view childbirth, decision-making, contraceptive use and contraceptive counseling after childbirth (study 1). In the second study, we will study women's choice of contraception after childbirth, this by midwives registering this in the pregnancy register during the postnatal visit. This will be done at both control and intervention clinics. At the intervention clinics, a systematic Quality Improvement Collaborative Initiative will be carried out and evaluated through a cluster randomized controlled trial. In the improvement work, women, men, midwives and researchers will together identify evidence-based initiatives to use contraceptive counseling for foreign-born women, and during the project these will be implemented and evaluated. This is done together with a process evaluation that aims to investigate which interventions had / did not have an effect, and reasons why interventions work/do not work (study 3).

The doctoral student's task is to carry out the studies together with the supervisors. As the project is a collaborative project it contains close contacts with healthcare, participants and other researchers. The doctoral student is expected to also be involved in clinical work or similar.

What do we offer?

A creative and inspiring environment full of expertise and curiosity. Karolinska Institutet is one of the world's leading medical universities. Our vision is to pursue the development of knowledge about life and to promote a better health for all. At Karolinska Institutet, we conduct successful medical research and hold the largest range of medical education in Sweden. As a doctoral student you are offered an individual research project, a well-educated supervisor, a vast range of elective courses and the opportunity to work in a leading research group. Karolinska Institutet collaborates with prominent universities from all around the world, which ensures opportunities for international exchanges. You will be employed on a doctoral studentship which means that you receive a contractual salary. Employees also have access to our modern gym for free and receive reimbursements for medical care.

Eligibility requirements for doctoral education

In order to participate in the selection for a doctoral position, you must meet the following general (A) and specific (B) eligibility requirements at latest by the application deadline.

It is your responsibility to certify eligibility by following the instructions on the web page Entry requirements (eligibility) for doctoral education.

A) General eligibility requirement

You meet the general eligibility requirement for doctoral/third-cycle/PhD education if you:

  1. have been awarded a second-cycle/advanced/master qualification (i.e. master degree), or
  2. have satisfied the requirements for courses comprising at least 240 credits of which at least 60 credits were awarded in the advanced/second-cycle/master level, or
  3. have acquired substantially equivalent knowledge in some other way in Sweden or abroad.*

Follow the instructions on the web page Entry requirements (eligibility) for doctoral education.

*If you claim equivalent knowledge, follow the instructions on the web page Assessing equivalent knowledge for general eligibility for doctoral education.

B) Specific eligibility requirement

You meet the specific eligibility requirement for doctoral/third-cycle/PhD education if you:

- Show proficiency in English equivalent to the course English B/English 6 at Swedish upper secondary school.

Follow the instructions on the web page English language requirements for doctoral education.

Verification of your documents Karolinska Institutet checks the authenticity of your documents. Karolinska Institutet reserves the right to revoke admission if supporting documents are discovered to be fraudulent. Submission of false documents is a violation of Swedish law and is considered grounds for legal action.

(A) and (B) can only be certified by the documentation requirement for doctoral education.

Skills and personal qualities

We are looking for a doctoral candidate who have special interest and experience in areas related to sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR) and contraceptive use with a focus on project management and interventions to promote SRHR among women with an immigrant background in Sweden. Furthermore, the doctoral candidate should have a strong commitment to SRHR in a global perspective with a focus on Sweden, including topics related to women's health and equal care. A large part of the work takes place in teams and in collaboration with healthcare, which is why special emphasis is placed on good collaboration skills, initiative and responsibility. The workplaces demands a high level of independence and experience of leading projects in a care environment or similar is an advantage. We would like you to have experience of clinical work in maternal health care and evaluation work, especially with regard to interventions to improve care. Experience of analysis of qualitative data, implementation of randomized studies and writing scientific texts is also an advantage. The applicant should be fluent in Swedish and English (written and spoken).

Terms and conditions

The doctoral student will be employed on a doctoral studentship maximum 4 years full-time.

Application process

Submit your application and supporting documents through the Varbi recruitment system. Use the button in the top right corner and follow the instructions. We prefer that your application is written in English, but you can also apply in Swedish.

Your application must contain the following documents:

- A personal letter and a curriculum vitae
- Degree projects and previous publications, if any
- Any other documentation showing the desirable skills and personal qualities described above
- Documents certifying your general eligibility (see A above)
- Documents certifying your specific eligibility (see B above)

Selection

A selection will be made among eligible applicants on the basis of the ability to benefit from doctoral education. The qualifications of the applicants will be evaluated on an overall basis.

Karolinska Institutet uses the following bases of assessment:

- Documented subject knowledge of relevance to the area of research
- Analytical skill
- Other documented knowledge or experience that may be relevant to doctoral studies in the subject.

All applicants will be informed when the recruitment is completed.

Department of Global Public Health | Karolinska Institutet (ki.se)

Global and Sexual Health (GloSH) | Karolinska Institutet (ki.se)

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

Type of employment PhD placement
Contract type Full-time/Part-time
First day of employment As agreed
Salary Monthly salary
Number of positions 1
Full-time equivalent 50% or 100%
City Solna
County Stockholms län
Country Sweden
Reference number STÖD 2-1828/2021
Contact
  • Elin Larsson, Researcher, elin.larsson@ki.se
Union representative
  • SACO styrelse, saco@ki.se
  • Henry Wölling, SEKO, henry.wolling@ki.se
  • Magnus Anå, OFR, 08-524 864 37, magnus.ana@ki.se
Published 13.Apr.2021
Last application date 04.May.2021 11:59 PM CEST

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