Researcher – Epidemiology/Statistics. Norwegian Institute of Public Health

The Norwegian Institute of Public Health (NIPH) strives to improve public health by supporting preventive health care in the community. The Institute gives advice, provides services and develops knowledge about how public health is changing, what factors affect it and what can be done to improve it. The NIPH also provides scientific advice and services to the judiciary and all areas of forensic science. The Institute has a Division of Public Relations and Institute Resources and five scientific divisions – Infectious Disease Control, Environmental Medicine, Epidemiology, Mental Health and Forensic Sciences. We have around 1,050 employees and we are centrally located in Oslo and Bergen.
The NIPH is an equal opportunities employer and is committed to diversity. We encourage all qualified candidates to apply for jobs here, regardless of gender, age, disability, ethnicity or national origin.

We currently have a vacancy for a temporary three-year post as a researcher in the Department of Vaccines in the Division of Infectious Disease Control. The department has around 35 staff and is an active interdisciplinary environment, where the main tasks are related to vaccines and vaccination:

 Development, modification and monitoring of the national childhood immunisation programme
 Advice and information on vaccines and immunisation
 Operation of the national vaccination registry, SYSVAK
 Monitoring of adverse events following immunisation
 Vaccine procurement and distribution
 Research on vaccine-preventable diseases and immunisation

The department runs several national research projects related to the implementation and effectiveness of vaccines used in the national immunisation program and vaccines outside the program. The research projects involve various departments and divisions within the NIPH, as well as other national and international partners.
The advertised position will focus on research related to the burden of vaccine-preventable diseases and the effectiveness evaluation of various vaccines. The incumbent will be a part of a research team implementing epidemiological and modelling studies on disease burden and population effects of various vaccines. Statistical data analysis will be the key task. The job will also involve developing mathematical models to project disease dynamics in the population with and without vaccination and to assess the effects of various vaccination programmes. This work will also involve providing guidance to researchers and organising research within the field of vaccination and infectious disease epidemiology.

Duties

 The researcher will help to establish and develop epidemiological research with a focus on vaccine effectiveness, vaccine coverage and adverse events in various projects related to vaccines, both within and outside the childhood immunisation programme.
 The researcher will contribute to existing projects by performing statistical data analysis and will provide guidance to other researchers/fellows as well as initiate new, relevant research projects and assist with the writing of grant applications.
Qualifications
 The candidate must have a health professional, scientific or social science education – in epidemiology, statistics, biostatistics, medicine or other equivalent academic education.
 Research expertise in epidemiology and/or statistics corresponding to at least doctoral level is required.
 The candidate must have research experience in relevant health research, ideally in the field of vaccination.
 Experience in organising and analysing large and complex data sets is required.
 Experience in developing mathematical models for infectious diseases is desirable.
 Experience in the use of statistical programs such as STATA, R, SPSS, SAS, at advanced level is required.
 The candidate must have good written and oral presentation skills in English, and it is expected that applicants lacking competence in Norwegian or other Nordic languages will develop such competence within two years of their appointment.
Personal qualities
 Results-oriented and focused, with the ability to work independently
 Innovative and flexible, with a great capacity for work
 The ability to cooperate and personal suitability will be of particular importance
What we offer
 An interesting job in a pleasant and active environment
 A salary in line with government regulations, depending on qualifications
 A pension scheme in the Government Pension Fund
 Flexible working arrangements

Application deadline: 1.08.2014
Advertiser: Norwegian Institute of Public Health
Ref. no.: 2202134883
Temporary Full-time
Number of positions: 1
Contact details:
Elmira Flem
Senior Medical Officer
+47 21076477
Place of employment:
Lovisenberggt. 6, NO-0403
Oslo