158413 Professor of Rural Health Challenges, Interventions and Inequality (Fixed-Term, 5 Years)

Department of Public Health
Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences
University of Copenhagen

In collaboration with Nykøbing Falster Hospital, the Department of Public Health, University of Copenhagen seeks to appoint a Professor of rural health challenges, interventions, and inequality to commence as soon as possible. In the position, there will be a special focus on health inequality and possible interventions in the local rural area of Lolland/Falster and Vordingborg Kommune. Region Zealand and Nykøbing F. Hospital finance the positions. The position is time-limited to 5 years.

Information on the department can be found at: https://www.sund.ku.dk/.

Description of Nykøbing F Hospital
Nykøbing F. Hospital has the vision and ambition to work with FNs 17 SDGs. This includes increasing the research budget over the next years to support new projects as well as employing more researchers in the centre and at the hospital. The hospital covers 150.000 citizens and is one of four acute hospitals in Region Zealand with 1200 employees, receiving around 35.000 acute admissions and 50.000 patients in out-patient clinics. The following specialties are located at the hospital; Emergency Medicine, Internal Medicine including Cardiology, Endocrinology, Geriatrics, Gastroenterology, Anaesthesiology, Orthopaedics, Gynaecology and Paediatrics. See also www.KomSydPå.dk.

Description of the Athena House – Centre of Innovation, Research and Education
The Athena House is located in the centre of the hospital with the following facilities: flexible offices, auditorium, meeting rooms, cinema, and a shared area where researchers, innovation people, including the regional unit for innovation and business promotion FIERS (www.Fiers.dk), and clinicians are free to work. Furthermore, there is a simulation centre for clinical education. One of the key-components is the Centre for Health Research, which is the main body through which the Hospital supports research at the hospital. 

Job description
The primary responsibility of the professor is research in the field of public health, including publication and guidance of other researchers. Secondary, the professor will be Head of The Centre of Health Research. Together with the Hospital management group, the professor will outline the vision and strategy for developing the new centre, including possible expansion with a second professor or associated professor.

The professor is expected to be visible in the Athena House at Nykøbing F. Hospital and is day-to-day supported by an academic secretary, the hospital administration, and the regional research administration and funding office. To facilitate new research, the hospital finances a three-year grant to a PhD student of own choice. The centre has its own basic budget, but the expectation is that the professor takes initiative and searches for funding of their own research projects. Over time it is also expected that the professor becomes the scientific backbone of an increased collaboration between the hospital and adjacent municipalities; for instance with a precision public health agenda.

The professor will have access to data from a public survey – LOFUS with data and questionnaire answers from nearly 20.000 family members in Lolland and Falster – and several publications. Furthermore, there is an expectation and support to take lead in the design of LOFUS2 together with other researchers.

The professor’s responsibilities for the university will primarily consist of:

• Research, including publication/academic dissemination
• Research-based teaching, including associated examination
• Research leadership, including guidance and supervision
• To share knowledge with the society at large, including participation in public debate
• Academic assessments

As Head of the Centre of Health Research, there is the following responsibilities over time:

• Expand and develop a sustainable centre from the existing research activities
• Support and develop a research environment in the Athena House
• Take initiative to involve and collaborate with other research groups in Region Zealand, nationally and internationally
• Work together with other researchers and leaders at the hospital, including the local innovation unit
• Involve the public and communicate externally

Required qualifications
Six overall criteria apply for professor appointments at the University of Copenhagen. The six criteria (research, teaching, societal impact, organisational contribution, external funding and leadership) are considered a framework for the overall assessment of candidates. Information about each criteria is available here: https://employment.ku.dk/faculty/criteria-for-recognising-merit.

Furthermore, each applicant must be able to document:

• High degree of original academic production at an international level, including considerable contributions to the development of the academic discipline.
• Experience with working with partners outside academia
• Management of research and other functions, e.g. engagement in external academic activities, as well as knowledge and technology transfer across the boundaries of academic disciplines and practice/policy sectors
• Research based teaching.

Educational background could be within public health, health service research, medicine or similar fields. The professor is also required to possess good interpersonal and communicative skills.

Terms of employment

The position is a fixed-term position limited to a period of 5 years.

The average weekly working hours are 37 hours per week.

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

The position is covered by the Job Structure for Academic Staff at Universities 2020.

Questions
For further information, please contact Head of Department Theis Lange, thlan@sund.ku.dk. For questions regarding Nykøbing F. Hospital, please contact Deputy Director Peder Fabricius, pgf@regionsjaelland.dk.

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

Application
The application must be submitted in English and must include the following documents:

• Application, including motivation for applying for this position (Maximum 2 pages)
• Curriculum vitae, including information on external funding
• Diplomas (Master’s, PhD and other relevant certificates)
• A complete list of publications
• Research plan (3‐5 pages)
• Uploads of maximum 10 publications to be considered in the evaluation
• Teaching plan (3‐5 pages)
• Teaching portfolio (Guidelines: https://employment.ku.dk/faculty/recruitment-process/job-application-portfolio)

Please note that Deputy Director at Nykøbing F. Hospital Peder Gunner Fabricius will participate as an external member of the appointment committee.

Application procedure
After the expiry of the deadline for applications, the authorized recruitment manager selects applicants for assessment on the advice of the Appointments Committee.  All applicants are then immediately notified whether their application has been passed for assessment. The Dean then appoints an expert assessment committee in order to make an assessment of the selected applicants for the specific post. Selected applicants are notified of the composition of the committee and 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://jobportal.ku.dk/.

Please note that the applicant will be contacted if the assessment committee requires further documentation.

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

The University of Copenhagen encourages all interested applicants to apply for this position.

Please submit the application with the required attachments. Only online applications will be accepted. The closing date for applications is 23.59 p.m. CET, Thursday 1 June 2023.

Interviews for this position are likely to be held in September 2023.