PhD Fellowship in Social Science Research on Pandemics

Location:
Department of Social Science and Business and the PandemiX Center at the Department of Science and Environment, at Roskilde University, Denmark. The PandemiX Center of Excellence and the Department of Social Science and Business at Roskilde University, Denmark, invites applications for an interdisciplinary PhD fellowship in Pandemiology from February 1, 2025 or as soon as possible thereafter. The position is open to candidates with a strong, original, research proposal, and a background in the social sciences, such as public administration, political science, sociology, development studies, law, anthropology, economics and business.

The position will be under the supervision of an associate professor/professor in the Department of Social Science and Business at Roskilde University, and co-supervised by Professor Lone Simonsen, Professor and Center Leader of PandemiX, also at Roskilde University. The PandemiX Center is funded by the Danish National Research Foundation and aims to investigate signature features of pathogens with pandemic potential, including historical outbreaks, to better prepare for the identification and control of future pandemics. The Center is physically located at the Statens Serum Institute in Copenhagen.

This unique interdisciplinary research opportunity offers an exciting opportunity for studying social science perspectives in the context of contemporary pandemics – say, public administration, crisis management or business continuity during the COVID-19 pandemic– that sheds light on important aspects pertaining to the relationship between societies and pandemics. This is relevant also in the context of the current evaluation of the national COVID-19 response requested by the Danish Parliament recently. Other topics could be social science considerations concerning future pandemic preparedness in the EU, the new Preparedness 2.0 response plans by the WHO, an analysis of different responses in the Nordic region or globally.

Job Description
The successful candidate will be responsible for researching social science-related topics in the context of pandemics, with an eye towards furthering our understanding of the social impacts of pandemics as well as improving our societal response. The research will in part take place at and support the research agenda at the PandemiX center. This work should be solidly anchored in social science methodologies and also be relevant to the aims of the PandemiX center. Ideally, it should be in line with ongoing strong research environments in the Department of Social Science and Business. There will be opportunities for international study exchange with relevant colleagues abroad. We encourage the applicant to contact potential supervisors in the ISE department to seek to align research interests with skills and ongoing research at the department.

Key Responsibilities

• Conduct research on topics within the social sciences relevant to contemporary pandemics.
• Investigate the relationships between pandemics and societies. This could include topics such as emergency health management, the relationship between experts and politicians, mediatization of political responses to pandemics, individual risk management, institutional learning and preparedness, local/national/global coordination, business impacts, economic and social (ethnicity, genders and so forth) consequences and inequities.
• Participate in active research environments, including collaboration with international partners as well as active participation in international conferences.
• Participate in PandemiX research activities and summer schools, including presenting key findings and exchange ideas with Center colleagues representing other fields
• Complete relevant PhD courses, equivalent to approximately 30 ECTS.
• Engage in teaching and knowledge dissemination activities.
• Write scientific papers aimed at high-impact journals.
• Write and defend a PhD thesis based on the research project.

Qualifications

• Master's degree in a discipline within the social science, such as public administration, sociology, business, or related/relevant fields such as public health, bioethics, etc.
• A strong background and documented interest in pursuing research based on theories and methodological approaches that match the existing research environment at the Department of Social Science and Business.
• Excellent communication skills in both written and oral English.
• Excellent Danish language skills if the project includes Danish-language data/sources, or the generation of primary interview data in that language.
• Motivated, creative, and capable of independent research work.
• Enthusiasm for interdisciplinary research and collaboration.
• Familiarity with the role of pandemics in contemporary society – including COVID-19.

About the PandemiX Center
The PandemiX Center of Excellence, funded by the Danish National Research Foundation (DNRF), aims to investigate signature features of pathogens with pandemic potential, including historical outbreaks. The approach is broadly interdisciplinary, ranging from medical historical research to physics models. A goal is to work closely with Statens Serum Institute towards preparedness for future pandemics. The center is headed by Professor of Population Health Sciences Lone Simonsen, and brings together a diverse group of interdisciplinary researchers from Roskilde University (RUC), the Niels Bohr Institute at the University of Copenhagen (UCPH), the Technical University of Denmark (DTU), and North Zealand Hospital (NOH).

About the Department of Social Science and Business
Our research focuses on societal changes, business economics and the impact of such developments on different societies around the world. We aim at generating novel scientific insights into the on-going societal changes, confrontations and conflicts. As our teaching is closely related to our research activities it attaches high importance to methodological skills and is characterised by its multidisciplinary nature. Read more about the Department of Social Sciences by clicking here and you can also read more about Roskilde University here.

The Doctoral School
You will be enrolled as a PhD fellow at the Doctoral School of Social Sciences and Business with approximately 40 PhD fellows from all over the world. The Doctoral School of Social Sciences & Business (ISE) provides PhD training and research within an interdisciplinary, international, and professional environment. It is part of a dynamic community of researchers who share a commitment to understanding society in diverse contexts of change and global engagement. Researchers come from all over the world and engage in topics that are geographically, theoretically, and methodologically diverse. The Doctoral School has one PhD program. The program offers work in progress seminars, thematic professional development seminars, PhD courses, feedback, and social activities for the enrolled PhD fellows. As a PhD fellow you will be part of a relevant research group at the department of your own choice. Additional information about the PhD programme at Roskilde University is available here.

Responsibilities and tasks
As a PhD fellow you are trained at an international level to undertake research. You are responsible for carrying out independent research under supervision and receive constructive feedback in the PhD program in order to finish your PhD thesis. During your employment you are required to take 30 ECTS of course work and gain experience of teaching activities. You are also required to have a research environmental change during your PhD enrollment. The environment change can take place at foreign or local universities or research institutions. For more information, please see chapter 3, Ministerial Order on the PhD Program at the Universities and Certain Higher Artistic Educational Institutions and Ph.d.-protokolattet i Cirkulære om overenskomst for Akademikere I Staten.

Questions
For more information about the PandemiX research and collaboration with the PandemiXCenter, please contact Lone Simonsen, email: [email protected], tlf: +45 4674 2606. For more information about the Doctoral program and research environments at the Department of Social Science and Business please contact Head of the Doctoral School, Lars Buur, email: [email protected] tlf: +45 29253335 or for practical questions contact PhD coordinator [email protected]

Terms of employment
The employment is full time, 37 hours per week and you will refer to Dean Morten Frederiksen. The position will be filled according to the Agreement between the Danish Ministry of Finance and the Danish Confederation of Professional Associations (AC) and Job Structure for Academic Staff at Universities.

Application procedure
After the deadline for applications the Dean will shortlist applicants for assessment with assistance from the recruitment committee including the chairperson of the assessment committee.

Shortly after the application deadline all applicants will be notified whether or not their application has been selected for assessment.

The shortlisted applicants will be informed about the composition of the assessment committee, and each applicant will be given the opportunity to comment on the composition of the committee and - later on - their assessment.

Once the recruitment process is completed, all applicants will be informed of the outcome of their application.

Application
To apply for the position go to www.ruc.dk/en/job/

Only applications in English are accepted.

Applications must include:

1. Cover letter

2. CV

3. Documentation of education including grades from Master’s programme or equivalent

4. Your description of the PhD project (no more than 5 pages)

5. Your time schedule of the PhD project

6. If applicable: Documentation for any research experience, work experience or publications.

Please submit your application no later than September 15, 2024

Material received after this date will not be taken into consideration.

Roskilde University wishes to reflect the diversity of society and welcomes applications from all qualified candidates regardless of personal background.

Department: Universitetsvej 1, Roskilde

Location: Roskilde Universitet

Application deadline: 15 Sep 2024