Postdoc in Global Mental Health (Conflict-Affected Populations in Low-Resource Settings)

We are looking for a highly motivated and dynamic researcher for a 3-year position, to commence November 16 2020.

The position will have a focus on global mental health, with a particular emphasis on applied research with conflict-affected populations to develop and evaluate multi-sectoral, integrated interventions that address the social determinants of mental health and alcohol misuse. The position will include engagement with two projects with conflict-affected populations in East Africa and Latin America, with a focus on displaced women´s mental health in the context of intimate partner violence, and men’s alcohol misuse in refugee settings.

Information on the Global Health Section can be found at: https://publichealth.ku.dk/about-the-department/global/

Our research
The Section of Global Health, at the Department of Public Health, consists of a highly committed interdisciplinary group of scholars with a diverse focus, including health in humanitarian settings, non-communicable diseases, environmental health, infectious and neglected tropical diseases, sexual and reproductive health, and health care delivery in low-resource settings. We value a supportive, inclusive, team environment, with diversity in terms of gender, age, and background, and attention to work-life balance. The Global Health Section has a strong focus on education and outreach, and is active in many capacity building projects with partners in low-and middle-income countries. The Global Health section is responsible for a Master of Science in Global Health and a Master in Disaster Management, and has an energetic team of PhD candidates and postdoctoral fellows. The Global Health Section hosts the secretariates of both the School of Global Health, University of Copenhagen and the Copenhagen Center for Disaster Research (COPE). The section has a Professor in Global Mental Health specialized in applied, rigorous research on mental health and psychosocial support in humanitarian settings, with a strong network to research and practice partners in this field. Several members of the Global Health Section and the Department more broadly have a background of multi-disciplinary research in the field of global mental health. The Section is actively looking to further expand its global mental health portfolio.      

Your job
The position will focus on mental health research with conflict-affected populations in low-resource settings. In particular, the focus of the position will be on contributing knowledge with regard to how best to address the social determinants of mental health in populations affected by adversity in low-resource settings. Research on social determinants of mental health in adversity-affected populations has identified intricate, bi-directional relationships between ongoing social determinants (e.g. gender-based violence and poverty) and mental health, in the form of vicious cycles. For progress towards social justice and sustainable improvements in mental health for adversity-affected, marginalized populations, there is a critical need for multi-disciplinary research on multi-sectoral, integrated interventions that target both social determinants and mental health.

We strife to further expand our research portfolio in this area, and there will be opportunities for the postdoc to be mentored in the development of new projects on the road to independence as a researcher.

Your tasks would include: together with humanitarian and academic partners, engage in formative research to develop novel interventions that address social determinants of mental health and psychological distress among displaced populations; design and conduct studies to pilot and rigorously evaluate multi-sectoral, integrated interventions; build capacity and supporting in-country teams of researchers in data collection and data analysis; write research articles and disseminate findings with stakeholders; and, develop new projects in your specific area of interest in this field.

Profile
We are looking for a highly motivated and enthusiastic scientist with the following competencies and experience:

Essential experience and skills:

• You have a PhD in Public Mental Health, Clinical/ Health/ Community Psychology, Humanitarian Mental Health, Psychiatry, Mental Health Nursing, Psychiatric Social Work, or another field related to social determinants of mental health
• You have experience in rigorous, mixed methods, intervention research in the field of social determinants of mental health in low-resource settings and/or mental health and psychosocial support interventions in low-resource humanitarian settings
• You are highly committed to conducting research that makes a sustainable difference in the lives of marginalized populations, and are willing to work across the boundaries of academic disciplines and practice/policy sectors
• You are committed to conducting research in close, equitable partnerships with academic and humanitarian partners in low-resource settings
• You have worked in low-resource settings, and thrive in culturally diverse working environments
• You can creatively adapt research projects to fit the changing circumstances in dynamic, low-resource, humanitarian settings
• You have strong communication skills and are a team player
• You have excellent English skills written and spoken

Desirable experience and skills:

• You have worked in humanitarian practice, and have knowledge of the international humanitarian response infrastructure
• You have experience conducting research in East Africa and Latin America
• You have obtained research grants, or have significantly contributed to successful research grants
• You speak Spanish or Arabic
• You have a strong publication record

Place of employment

The place of employment is at the Department of Public Health, University of Copenhagen. We offer creative and stimulating working conditions in a dynamic, supportive, and international research environment.

Terms of employment
The employment as postdoc is a full time and fixed-term position for 3 years. Starting date is November 16 2020, or before in agreement.

Salary, pension and terms of employment will be in accordance with the agreement between the Danish Ministry of Finance and AC (Danish Confederation of Professional Associations). Currently, the monthly salary starts at 33,600 DKK/ approx. 4,480 Euro (April 2018-level). Depending on qualifications, a supplement may be negotiated. The employer will pay an additional 17.1 % to your pension fund.

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

The position is covered by the “Memorandum on Job Structure for Academic Staff at the Universities” of June 28, 2013.

Questions
For further information please contact Wietse Tol; [e-mail wietse.tol@sund.ku.dk]; healthsciences.ku.dk, publichealth.ku.dk and www.globalhealth.ku.dk

Foreign applicants may find this link useful: www.ism.ku.dk (International Staff Mobility).

Application procedure
Your online application must be submitted in English by clicking ‘Apply now’ below. Furthermore your application must include the following documents/attachments – all in PDF format:

1. Motivated letter of application (max. one page).

2. CV incl. education, work/research experience, language skills and other skills relevant for the position.

3. A certified/signed copy of a) PhD certificate and b) Master of Science certificate. If the PhD is not completed, a written statement from the supervisor will do.

4. List of publications.

Application deadline: Monday 14 September 2020, 23.59pm CET

We reserve the right not to consider material received after the deadline, and not to consider applications that do not live up to the abovementioned requirements.

The further process
After the expiry of the deadline for applications, the authorized recruitment manager selects applicants for assessment on the advice of the hiring committee. All applicants are then immediately notified whether their application has been passed for assessment by an unbiased assessor. Once the assessment work has been completed each applicant has the opportunity to comment on the part of the assessment that relates to the applicant him/herself.

You can read about the recruitment process at https://employment.ku.dk/faculty/recruitment-process/

The applicant will be assessed according to the Ministerial Order no. 242 of 13 March 2012 on the Appointment of Academic Staff at Universities.

University of Copenhagen wishes to reflect the diversity of society and welcomes applications from all qualified candidates regardless of age, disability, gender, nationality, race, religion or sexual orientation. Appointment will be based on merit alone.