LEDIG STILLING VED UIT NORGES ARKTISKE UNIVERSITET
PhD Fellow affiliated with the project “Birthweight and gestational age in Georgia”
Deadline: 18.04.2026
Publisert
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UiT The Arctic University of Norway is a multi-campus research university and the northernmost university of the world. Our central location in the High North, our broad and diverse research and study portfolio, and our interdisciplinary qualities make us uniquely suited to meet the challenges of the future. At UiT you can explore global issues from a close-up perspective.Credibility, academic freedom, closeness, creativity and commitment shall be hallmarks of the relationship between our employees, between our employees and our students and between UiT and our partners.
The Faculty of Health Sciences at UiT The Arctic University of Norway represents a newly created entity gathering almost all possible health study programs. This facilitates an unique interdisciplinarity and innovation in health education and research. We work closely with the services in the North to solve tomorrow's challenges. Read more about us at uit.no/helsefak
The position
A full-time position as PhD Research Fellow is available at the Department of Community Medicine, Faculty of Health Sciences, UiT The Arctic University of Norway. The department conducts research and education in epidemiology, global health, and public health, and collaborates closely with national and international partners. This position is affiliated with the project “Birthweight and gestational age in Georgia.”
The position is for a period of four years. The nominal length of the PhD programme is three years. The fourth year is distributed as 25 % each year and will consist of teaching and other duties. The objective of the position is to complete research training to the level of a doctoral degree. Admission to the PhD programme is a prerequisite for employment, and the programme period starts on commencement of the position.
The workplace is at UiT in Tromsø. You must be able to start in the position within a reasonable time after receiving the offer.
The project
This PhD project will use data from the Georgian Birth Registry (GBR) to study birthweight in relation to gestational age and to improve how small-for-gestational-age (SGA) infants are identified in a country with very high caesarean delivery rates. The project will develop national, sex-specific birthweight-for-gestational-age reference curves using registry data from the GBR. Gestational ages will be combined with international standards to assess SGA across gestational weeks. It will examine how caesarean delivery practices, timing of birth, and data quality influence these measurements, and will evaluate which SGA definitions best predict adverse perinatal outcomes and help distinguish normal variation from true growth restriction.
The PhD could consist of three suggested papers:
1. An assessment of gestational age data quality and birthweight distributions in the Georgian Birth Registry
2. Development of national birthweight-for-gestational-age reference curves
3. Validation of SGA classification in a high caesarean delivery setting
Organisation and Supervision
The candidate will be affiliated with the research group “Global and Environmental Health” at the Department of Community Medicine. A supervisory team with complementary expertise in epidemiology, biostatistics, and global health will be appointed. The final project description will be developed in collaboration with the supervisors after appointment.
Qualifications
This position requires:
A Master’s degree in epidemiology, public health, biostatistics, medicine, or a closely related field within the health or social sciences.
Documented proficiency in English, both written and oral. Nordic applicants may document their English proficiency by attaching their upper secondary school diploma.
Solid experience in statistical analysis and practical skills in statistical software such as R or STATA.
It is considered an advantage if you:
Have knowledge of health registries, perinatal epidemiology, or advanced quantitative methods.
Have experience with collaborative, interdisciplinary, or international research projects.
Have experience with scientific dissemination, teaching, or administrative/academic activities.
Have familiarity with cross-cultural research settings or international fieldwork.
Have knowledge of the Georgian language.
In the assessment, emphasis will be placed on the applicant’s potential to complete a research training programme, as demonstrated through the Master’s thesis. Other experience relevant to the position, such as teaching, dissemination, or participation in research collaborations, will also be taken into account.
Motivation and personal suitability for the position will be given significant weight. We seek candidates who:
Are highly motivated, structured, and able to work independently.
Demonstrate strong analytical skills and work capacity.
Are able to collaborate effectively with supervisors and research partners.
Have good communication skills and the ability to interact constructively with colleagues and students.
Are motivated to engage in cross-cultural collaboration and adaptable to different working environments.
Wish to contribute to a positive and productive research environment.
To ensure purposeful use of the PhD position and support the candidate’s career development, an individual development plan must be prepared no later than three months after appointment. The plan must be approved by the immediate supervisor with personnel responsibility.Applicants who have already obtained a doctoral degree or have equivalent qualifications are not eligible for appointment.
Admission to the PhD programme
For employment in the PhD position, you must be qualified for admission to the PhD programme at the Faculty of Health Sciences and participate in organized doctoral studies within the employment period.
Admission normally requires:
A bachelor's degree of 180 ECTS and a master's degree of 120 ECTS, or an integrated master's degree of 300 ECTS.
A master's thesis with a scope corresponding to at least 30 ECTS for a master's degree of 120 ECTS.
A master's thesis with a scope corresponding to at least 20 ECTS for an integrated master's degree of 300 ECTS.
Applicants must have a grade of C or better on the master's thesis and have a grade point average of C or better for the master's degree. A more detailed description of admission requirements can be found here.
Applicants with a foreign education will be subjected to an evaluation of whether the educational background is equal to Norwegian higher education, following national guidelines from Norwegian Directorate for Higher Education and Skills. Depending on which country the education is from, one or two additional years of university education may be required to fulfil admission requirements, e.g. a 4-year bachelor's degree and a 2-year master's degree. UiT normally accepts higher education from countries that are part of the Lisbon Recognition Convention.
Admission to the PhD programme (NT)
For employment in the PhD position, you must be qualified for admission to the PhD programme at the Faculty of Science and Technology and participate in organized doctoral studies within the employment period.
Admission normally requires:
A bachelor's degree of 180 ECTS and a master's degree of 120 ECTS, or an integrated master's degree of 300 ECTS.
In order to gain admission to the programme, the candidate must document sufficient potential for research. The applicant must have a grade point average of C (strong 3.0) or better for the master’s degree, which must contain an independent work. A more detailed description of admission requirements can be found here.
If you are employed in the position, you will be provisionally admitted to the PhD programme. Application for final admission must be submitted no later than two months after taking up the position.
Applicants with a foreign education will be subjected to an evaluation of whether the educational background is equal to Norwegian higher education, following national guidelines from Norwegian Directorate for Higher Education and Skills. Depending on which country the education is from, one or two additional years of university education may be required to fulfil admission requirements, e.g. a 4-year bachelor's degree and a 2-year master's degree. UiT normally accepts higher education from countries that are part of the Lisbon Recognition Convention.
Inclusion and diversity
UiT The Arctic University of Norway is working actively to promote equality, gender balance and diversity among employees and students, and to create an inclusive and safe working environment. We believe that inclusion and diversity are a strength, and we want employees with different competencies, professional experience, life experience and perspectives.
If you have a disability, a gap in your CV or immigrant background, we encourage you to tick the box for this in your application. If there are qualified applicants, we invite at least one in each group for an interview. If you get the job, we will adapt the working conditions if you need it. Apart from selecting the right candidates, we will only use the information for anonymous statistics.
We offer
Exciting work in an internationally visible, policy-relevant research project.
The position provides opportunities to work with population-based registry data and advanced epidemiological methods.
A stimulating interdisciplinary academic environment with dedicated colleagues.
Opportunities for international collaboration and research stays abroad.
PhD Fellows are normally given a salary of 550 800 NOK/year with a 3% yearly increase
Norwegian health policy aims to ensure that everyone, irrespective of their personal finances and where they live, has access to good health and care services of equal standard. As an employee you will become member of the National Insurance Scheme which also include health care services.
Please note that the application will only be assessed based on the information submitted by the application deadline via Jobbnorge. It is therefore very important that you include all necessary documents demonstrating your qualifications for the position.
Your application must include:
Cover letter explaining your motivation and research interests
CV
Diploma for bachelor's and master's degree
Official transcripts of grades/academic record for bachelor's and master's degree
Explanation of the grading system for foreign education (Diploma Supplement if available)
Documentation of English proficiency If English proficiency is not documented in the application, it must be documented before starting in the position.
References with contact information
Master’s thesis, and any other academic works
Qualification with a master’s degree is required before commencement in the position. You may still apply if you are in the final stages of the master’s degree, but the master’s thesis must be submitted for evaluation within the application deadline. You must submit the thesis and transcript of grades for the master’s degree with your application.
All documentation to be considered must be in a Scandinavian language or English. Diplomas and transcripts must also be submitted in the original language, if not in English or Scandinavian.
Assessment
The applicants will be assessed by an expert committee. The committee's mandate is to undertake an assessment of the applicants' qualifications based on the written material presented by the applicants, and the detailed description draw up for the position. A copy of the assessment report will be sent to all applicants.
The applicants who are assessed as best qualified will be called to an interview. The interview should among other things, aim to clarify the applicant’s motivation and personal suitability for the position.
General information
The appointment is made in accordance with State regulations and guidelines at UiT. At our website, you will find more information for applicants.
Remuneration for the position of PhD Fellow is in accordance with the State salary scale code 1017. A compulsory contribution of 2 % to the Norwegian Public Service Pension Fund will be deducted. You will become a member of the Norwegian Public Service Pension Fund, which gives you many benefits in addition to a lifelong pension: You may be entitled to financial support if you become ill or disabled, your family may be entitled to financial support when you die, you become insured against occupational injury or occupational disease, and you can get good terms on a mortgage. Read more about your employee benefits at: spk.no.
A shorter period of appointment may be decided when the PhD Fellow has already completed parts of their research training programme or when the appointment is based on a previous qualifying position PhD Fellow, research assistant, or the like in such a way that the total time used for research training amounts to three years.
We process personal data given in an application or CV in accordance with the Personal Data Act (Offentleglova). According to the Personal Data Act information about the applicant may be included in the public applicant list, also in cases where the applicant has requested non-disclosure. You will receive advance notification in the event of such publication, if you have requested non-disclosure.
