Research in the Economics of Animal Health (3 years)
Deadline: 21.08.2022
(Logo: Veterinærinstituttet.)
Norwegian Veterinary Institute
The Norwegian Veterinary Institute is a research institute in the areas of animal health, fish health and food and feed safety, whose primary function is supply of research-based knowledge support to the authorities.
NVI have a free and independent position in all academic questions. As the authorities' main advisor in topics related to prevention, handling and elimination of zoonosis and serious infectious diseases in fish and land animals, NVI performs an important task to the Norwegian society. NVI also assists in the prevention and management of crises caused by hazardous compounds and contaminants in feed and food.
We provide services and advice to the industry, professionals and pet owners. The institute’s headquarters are located in Ås, but NVI is present throughout Norway with 5 regional laboratories in Sandnes, Bergen, Trondheim, Harstad and Tromsø.
The Norwegian Veterinary Institute is now looking for three researchers that will help create synergies within the Institute and with external partners. NVI hopes these researchers can help increase participation in national and international scientific projects that are in line with the One Health approach to successfully achieve our societal mission. NVI is looking for researchers at a consolidation career stage and with a proven record of scientific excellence and grant experience that can help build/develop these topics within the next three years, securing external funding and establishing new partnerships and networks. NVI hopes this can lead to establishing permanent research portfolios in these thematic areas. See more information here.
The position will be included in our Section for Epidemiology housing an international environment of about 25 researchers working within the fields of epidemiology, disease transmission modelling, risk assessment, health economics, biostatistics and bioinformatics.
Tasks and responsibilities
The Norwegian Veterinary Institute has made a strategic commitment to strengthen competence within the area of animal health economics. This is an important extension of the Institute’s services towards the authorities, the industry and the scientific community. Our aim is to establish a sound approach to evaluate economic effects of diseases in an industrial as well as a societal aspect.
The successful candidate will lead and advance our research in health economics. Our primary interests is aquatic animal farming, but your expertise will also be involved in health economic projects in traditional husbandry and food production in general. Your work will interact with researchers in epidemiology, veterinary medicine and other biological sciences across the institute as well as external stakeholders and experts in academia and industry. It is necessary to establish a close understanding of the Industry (Aquaculture and Livestock) and the Authorities, and be able to work in multidisciplinary scientific networks.
The candidate will contribute to ongoing projects and initiate new activities in health economic projects and assessments within different animal productions systems, establishing a sound general approach to the evaluation of economic effects of diseases in a broad/societal aspect.
The institute is part of the international Global Burden of Animal Diseases (GBADs) project and the OIE Collaborating Centre for the Economics of Animal Health, both coordinated by the University of Liverpool (gbads-oie.com, https://animalhealthmetrics.org). In these collaborations, the Norwegian Veterinary Institute is given a main responsibility on aquaculture and aquatic animal health economics. In addition, we are partner in the EU H2020-project DECIDE (decideproject.org) starting 2022 and engaged in international projects involving health economics funded by NORAD (Norwegian Agency for Development Cooperation). The successful candidate will lead our GBADs initiatives.
Qualifications
Mandatory qualifications:
PhD within economics, statistics or epidemiology, with documented post-doctoral (or equivalent) experience from working in the field of animal/fish health economics or agricultural/food economics.
Very good communication skills in written and oral English.
Desired qualifications:
Experience in handling and analysis of quantitative longitudinal large-scale data.
Experience in cost-benefit analysis, and defining/obtaining data relevant for statistical and economic analysis
A relevant record of accomplishments including experience in grant application and leading of research projects.
Proven ability to work independently, as well as in a research team.
Proven ability to meet research deadlines.
Knowledge of animal production systems and animal diseases, especially aquatic animal production
Experienced in using R.
Experienced in supervising and supporting colleagues.
Evidence of communication interest and skills.
Personal features that will be weighted
Professionally ambitious with strong implementation skills, open and inviting in development of own ideas and attentive to input from colleagues and other disciplines. Good at network building, reading, understanding and developing strategies, and capturing the broader perspectives. Curious, constructively critical and respectful towards colleagues. Contributes to the creation of a positive professional and social work environment. Applicants are encouraged to include in their application, a brief reflection on their motivation for the position.
Language requirements:
Very good presentation skills in both written and oral English are required to prepare good research proposals and scientific papers. The working language at the institute is Norwegian. It is therefore an advantage for the candidate to have or be willing to acquire good presentation skills in Norwegian or another Scandinavian language.
Other aspects:
Research will be the candidate’s main task. Funding to cover direct expenses will be provided to facilitate rapid implementation of activities and development of the research field. Ongoing/funded projects may also be linked to the position, depending on relevance and the candidate’s capacities. The position will provide great opportunities to develop a career platform and collaborations both within the institute, nationally and internationally.
Advertisement and hiring for this position is done in parallel to advertisement and hiring of researchers within the fields of microbiome, and wildlife and production animal health (host-agent-environment interface). The candidate is expected to develop close collaborations with these, in addition to other research groups at the institute.
The candidate will report to/from the section leader, and in the context of projects to/from the relevant project leader/work package leader. The candidate should expect responsibility as project leader.
We are looking for a person at consolidator career stage. The optimal candidate will qualify for employment as senior researcher. However, candidates that do not fully qualify for this code may also apply, and will if selected, be employed as researcher.
We offer
An interesting position with exciting and varied tasks
A work environment characterised by a high level of competence, professional challenges and diversity
A flexible and inclusive workplace
Favourable agreements for loans and pension savings in the Government Pension Fund and for this contribution, 2% of salary is deducted
The position is paid in accordance with the Government's salary regulations. The position is placed as a researcher in position codes 1109 or 1110, depending on qualifications.
If you find the above of interest, we look forward to receive your application. CV, diploma, certificates and other relevant documents must be uploaded electronically in Webcruiter.
We point out that the CV is used for an extended list of applicants. If you want to be exempted from the public applicant list, this must be justified in the application. Information can be published even if you have requested not to be listed on the applicant list. You will be notified if the request for a reservation is not granted.
