Postdoctoral position in research project on international healthcare labor, Aarhus University

The Department of Political Science at Aarhus BSS, Aarhus University, invites applications for a 2-year fulltime postdoctoral position to join a research project on international healthcare staff, the MORE project. The project is directed by professor Christian Bøtcher Jacobsen.

The starting date is January 1st, 2025, but can be flexible subject to mutual agreement. The department has yearly calls for assistant professorships and for one year teaching extensions of postdoc positions offering opportunities for longer employment.

The research project
The position is part of the MORE project, which is part of King Frederik Center for Public Leadership. In the 5-year project funded by the Carlsberg Foundation (9.1 million DKK), we aim to understand recruitment, selection, and retention of international healthcare staff with a focus on the European labor market. There is an immense and increasing lack of healthcare staff, which threatens public health and is one of the most pressing policy problems in Western countries. Although studies highlight the benefits of increased labor mobility, the research-based knowledge about how to ensure a successful international labor market is limited. The project aims to contribute with solid scientific evidence about effective solutions to international recruitment, personnel selection as well as onboarding improvements to prevent turnover at the earliest stages. We initiate both qualitative studies, surveys to employers and experts, and at least three large-scale field experiments in collaboration with healthcare employers in Denmark.

The research team consists of researchers from Aarhus University and The People Lab, Harvard University, and we also work closely with leading researcher in the field through an international research network established in relation to the project. The research is co-designed with Danish healthcare organizations, healthcare staff, an advisory board consisting of leading national stakeholders, and the project’s implementation partner, Copenhagen Capacity.

The project aims to produce knowledge with relevance for top general science journals and also more specifically to the field of public administration, public management, and public policy.

Job description
The postdoctoral researcher will be employed as part of a research group and is expected to engage in collaborative research with the research team. The applicant is expected to be present at the Department of Political Science at Aarhus University at least three days a week on average and participate in project meetings as well as be part of the broader research environment at the Department.

The postdoc will be expected to take an active role in developing, designing, implementing and coordinating a research project within the MORE project work package, which focuses on retention, onboarding, and inclusion. Furthermore, it is expected that the postdoc will take active responsibility for publishing research in high impact journals.

Moreover, as part of the research group, the postdocs are expected to provide support for project-related research, organizational, and administrative tasks. Importantly, the postdoc is expected to actively disseminate results to the public (especially to public managers and decision makers).

As the empirical focus in on the Danish healthcare system, it is a major advantage if the postdoc is able to communicate with participants in Danish.

The successful applicant will be part of cutting-edge research and a vibrant and supportive research center. There will be excellent opportunities for intellectual development and mentoring as well as developing an independent research agenda within public leadership research.

The project and center offer funding for conferences, additional training, independent data collection, and good opportunities for developing strong network among academics and practitioners.

In addition to the outlined research tasks, the position entail teaching the equivalent of one course per year.

Your qualifications
Candidates must hold (or be close to completing) a PhD in a field relevant to leadership research. In addition to this the applicant should

• have an interest in leadership and leadership research
• be willing to conduct collaborative research.
• have documented experience with publishing leadership research
• have strong methodological, quantitative skills (especially in field experimental and register data research)
• conduct state-of-the-art research within the field
• have an excellent command of spoken and written English

As part of your application, you should attach a CV, proof of PhD degree (or the near completion of a PhD degree) and your best publication (could be an unpublished chapter of your dissertation, a working paper, or a published article).

Who we are
The Department of Political Science is one of the six departments at Aarhus BSS, one of the five faculties at Aarhus University. The department is among the largest and strongest political science departments in Europe, with particular strengths in the areas of political behavior, political psychology and political philosophy. In 2023, Aarhus University was ranked as the top department in public administration in the world, according to Shanghai Ranking's Global Ranking https://www.shanghairanking.com/rankings/gras/2023/RS0512

At the Department of Political Science, we emphasize a dynamic and flexible research and teaching profile characterized by pluralism and openness. With more than 100 academic staff members and 50 PhD students, we offer a lively, ambitious and highly collegial research and teaching environment with many international visitors and workshops and a clear international orientation. For more information about the Department of Political Science, please see: https://ps.au.dk/en.

Further information
Applicants can contact professor Christian Bøtcher Jacobsen at [email protected].

If you need help uploading your application or have any questions about the recruitment process, please contact HR supporter Line Møller Kristiansen Tel.: +4593522904 E-mail: [email protected].

Place of work
Department of Political Science, Bartholins Allé 7, DK - 8000 Aarhus C

International applicant?
Aarhus University offers a broad variety of services for international researchers and accompanying families, including relocation service and career counselling to expat partners. Please find more information here:
https://internationalstaff.au.dk/relocationservice/

Please find more information about research opportunities at Aarhus University here: http://international.au.dk/research/

Aarhus University also offers a Junior Researcher Development Programme targeted at career development for postdocs at AU. You can read more about it here:
http://talent.au.dk/junior-researcher-development-programme/
Terms of employment
The appointment is made in accordance with the Memorandum on Job Structure for Academic Staff at Danish Universities as well as the circular on the Collective Agreement for Academics Employed by the State (in Danish).
The job content and qualification requirements are described in further detail in the Ministerial Order on the Appointment of Academic Staff at Universities.
Application procedure
When you apply for this position it is mandatory to attach the following:

• Application
• Curriculum Vitae. You are encouraged to declare any periods of leave without research activity, including, for example, maternity leave, since your research activities are assessed in relation to your actual research time
• Education (diploma for master's, PhD and possibly higher doctoral degree)
• List of publications (the enclosed publications must be clearly marked on the list of publications)
• Publications. Up to three publications can be included in the application. In the event of several authors the publications must be accompanied by a co-author statement concerning the applicant's share of the collaborative work with the consent of the co-authors. Please use this template
• Teaching portfolio. The specific requirements regarding the documentation can be found here

Materials which cannot be uploaded together with the application may be submitted in three copies to Aarhus BSS HR & PhD, Aarhus University, Tåsingegade 1, 2nd floor, DK-8000 Aarhus C.

Read more about how to apply for an academic post at Aarhus BSS here
The evaluation process
After the application deadline, an assessment committee is appointed. Please note that the assessment of applicants is based solely on the material received prior to the application deadline. For further information, see Guidelines for Assessment Committee, Aarhus BSS.
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.

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/

Department: Statskundskab, Inst. f./Department of Political Science

Deadline: 15 August 2024

Location: Aarhus C Bartholins Allé 7