Hi,
Profi6 Fibrobesity recruitment programme continues! We are looking for motivated postdocs to strengthen our sub-themes Fibro1, 2 and 3.
Deadline is on September 20. The positions are planned to be filled for 2023-25.
This call offers also an excellent opportunity for our PIs to recruit new research group members with the support of Profi funding.
Feel free to advertise the positions in your networks to find potential candidates!
See the call announcement below for details. Link to online application:
Avoin
työpaikka (saima.fi)
We are now seeking talented scientists for
Three postdoctoral positions in FIBROBESITY – Preventing Fibrosis Related to Obesity
to strengthen our research focusing on obesity-related fibrotic pathologies.
Open postdoctoral positions are available in FIBROBESITY for 2023-25. The duration of the fixed term is three years.
Research theme
FIBROBESITY – Preventing Fibrosis Related to Obesity - is one of the three multidisciplinary research programmes supported by the Academy of Finland PROFI6 funding during 2021-2026. FIBROBESITY links
strongly with the strategy of the University of Oulu (UO) under a wider umbrella of FibroHealth – Combatting Fibrosis in Chronic Diseases. While FibroHealth at large addresses fibrosis, which is a risk factor in the etiology of complex chronic diseases and
unhealthy ageing, FIBROBESITY focuses on medical and societal challenges of obesity-related fibrotic pathologies.
Our research draws on strong multidisciplinary expertise integrating biomedical sciences, ICT and human sciences. FIBROBESITY represents mainly the UO research focus area “Lifelong Health” and links
with “Understanding humans in change” and “Digitalization and smart society”, thus building bridges between researchers in several faculties.
The world-class research at UO on hypoxia and extracellular matrix (ECM) together with cutting-edge research on obesity, cardiovascular risk factors, metabolic syndrome, polycystic ovary syndrome and
other fibrosis-related diseases, combined with our unique population and patient cohort studies and state-of-the art research infrastructure (https://www.oulu.fi/en/research/research-infrastructures)
form the basis of FIBROBESITY.
The pressing issues addressed by FIBROBESITY relate to its three sub-themes as follows. Molecular Mechanisms and Clinical Significance of Fibrosis (FIBRO1) strives to identify currently poorly known
molecular pathways causative for obesity and fibrosis. Disease Modelling for Future Therapies (FIBRO2) facilitates translational studies through development of novel in vitro and in
vivo disease models. Societal and Behavioural Perspectives (FIBRO3) combines approaches at a broader range of disciplines to reveal lifelong behavioural determinants of obesity.
Relevant links: https://www.oulu.fi/en/research/combatting-fibrosis-chronic-diseases, https://www.oulu.fi/en/research
What we expect and job description
We are seeking motivated scientists for all three above-described sub-themes FIBRO1, 2 and 3. A successful applicant can thus have a background in a wide range of scientific disciplines and is expected
to have competence and planned or already ongoing research in at least one of the following areas linked to obesity and obesity-related fibrosis:
- Epidemiology or genetics
- Clinical studies
- Molecular and cellular mechanisms
- Model organisms and disease modelling for future therapies
- Behavioural and societal perspectives
- Other relevant area fitting in the thematic scope
We appreciate innovative visions for interdisciplinary and new collaborative research initiatives. The core of your research and action plan may include or relate, for example, to one or more of the
following questions:
- What are the molecular mechanisms connecting obesity and fibrosis, including the roles of hypoxia, ECM remodelling and inflammation?
- Can we treat obesity and fibrosis-related co-morbidities by controlling those identified molecular mechanisms, such as activation of the hypoxia response, in
vitro and in vivo?
- What are the genetic and other risk factors leading to obesity and fibrosis-related co-morbidities in individuals and in populations? How can we identify individuals with the increased risk?
- What are the mechanisms and associations of early-life exposures, lifelong risk for obesity and co-morbidities including fibrosis in selected complex chronic diseases? What are the factors predicting
the extent of weight-loss in the intervention and cohort studies?
- What kind of historical, socio-cultural and behavioural factors underlie obesity and related health issues? How can these insights be integrated to behavioural guidance?
You may indicate ongoing or planned connections with specific researchers at the University of Oulu and identify a desired research group or research unit in the application. This is not a pre-requisite,
but we would encourage the applicants to establish a connection with appropriate hosting research unit already before submitting the application. Alternatively, the applicant and the hosting research unit can also be matched during the evaluation and selection
process.
To be eligible, you must hold a completed doctoral degree (at or later than 2013, or max 10 years ago excluding career breaks) and carry out the planned research in a relevant field of FIBROBESITY, such
as medicine, biomedicine, biochemistry, molecular biology, health science, history, psychology or other human science, or ICT.
We expect ability to work independently and activity in academic community. Fluency in both written and spoken English, as well as good communication, presentation and teamwork skills are required. Demonstrated
experience in local, national and international networking, history of research mobility, as well as potential in acquiring supplementary funding and teaching experience will be taken as merits.
As a postdoctoral researcher, your primary duties may include:
- carrying out collaborative research leading to high-quality academic publications
- contribution to writing and submitting research funding proposals
- activity in the academic community
- supervision of MSc students or doctoral researchers
- participation in teaching tasks, subject to faculty needs and your own teaching capabilities and interests (maximum of 15% of the working hours)
What we offer
We offer you an interesting and versatile research topic to solve globally significant research problems in an international environment and the possibility to develop professionally with the help of
experienced colleagues. Furthermore, we offer you access to excellent research infrastructure equipment and services, as well as targeted Fibrobesity research programme funding opportunities.
The successful candidate will be employed at UO. The salary will be based on level 5-6 of the demand level chart for university-level teaching and research staff of Finnish universities. In addition,
a salary component based on personal work performance will be paid (maximum of 50 % of the job-specific component). The starting salary will be approximately €3500-4000 per month (before taxes), depending on the qualifications.
Regular salary is paid 12 months per year, including paid leave and an additional holiday bonus in the summer. In addition to the salary, the employed person will be insured by the university and provided
occupational healthcare.
Finnish government provides benefits to residents and their families, for example possibility to the national healthcare system and high-quality affordable childcare and school services.
Applications and selection process
Apply online
latest on Tuesday, September 20, 2022 at
23:59 Finnish local time (EET).
The application should be written in English. Please include the following documents in separate pdf files:
1. Letter of motivation with contact information (max. 2 pages)
You can choose to indicate the following information:
- Research interests and career plans
- Professional experience and expertise
- Potential hosting research unit(s), if you already are able to identify it (optional)
2. Curriculum vitae following the guidelines of the Finnish Advisory
Board on Research Integrity: http://www.tenk.fi/en/template-researchers-curriculum-vitae
3. Complete list of publications, following the guidelines of the
Academy of Finland: https://www.aka.fi/en/research-funding/apply-for-funding/how-to-apply-for-funding/az-index-of-application-guidelines2/list-of-publications/.
Please mark the five most important ones.
4. Brief three-year
research and action plan, including the applicant’s vision how to renovate the field of science in FIBROBESITY, with the following sections (max 3 pages, excluding bibliography):
- Aim and objectives
- Implementation and funding
- The role of the applicant in the research project
- Ethical issues
Tips for writing a research plan: https://www.aka.fi/en/research-funding/apply-for-funding/how-to-apply-for-funding/az-index-of-application-guidelines2/research-plan-structure/2020/porst-doctoral-clinical/
5. Contact information of 2-4 potential referees who may be asked
to give a statement of the candidate
6. Certificates/Diplomas: Scanned copy of the original doctoral
degree certificate.
Only applications containing all relevant appendices and submitted through the online recruitment system will be considered.
The selection process is carried out by a recruitment committee. Eligible candidates are subjected to an evaluation. The following merits will be assessed:
- Scientific level and relevance of the research and action plan
- Feasibility of the research and action plan and fitting of the research interests in the thematic scope of Fibrobesity
- CV, considering the applicant's career stage and discipline. Including shown potential to attract external funding and research mobility
- Publications, considering the applicant's career stage and discipline
- Multidisciplinarity and potential for collaboration with other profiling themes
- National and international scientific contacts
- Mobility plans
- Societal relevance
The candidates who are considered most suitable after document-based evaluation will be invited to an on-site or remote interview. All applicants will be notified when the selection process is completed.
Further information and inquiries
The positions are filled for a fixed-term of 3 years starting on January 2023 or as agreed. A trial period of six months is applied in the position.
For informal inquiries, please contact Fibrobesity Coordinator Ritva Saastamoinen, ritva.saastamoinen(at)oulu.fi, 050 592 3333, 0294 48 5226
https://rekry.saima.fi/certiahome/open_job_view.html?did=5600&lang=en&id=000013777&jc=1
Best wishes,
Ritva
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Ritva Saastamoinen
PhD, Adjunct Professor (Docent)
Coordinator, Profi6 Fibrobesity
Research Unit for Internal Medicine (Room S5 230)
Faculty of Medicine
University of Oulu
tel. +358 294 48 5226, +358 50 592 3333
Twitter: FibroHealthOulu
@FibroOulu
FibroHealth - Combatting Fibrosis in Chronic
Diseases | University of Oulu
