PhD student position in Climate Epidemiology and Public Health

CAS in Medication Safety University of Bern; Bern; On-site; CHF 65,000 - 85,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Enrolment in OCCR Graduate School

Career development courses

Salary according to University of Bern

International interdisciplinary work

Job summary

University of Bern invites applications for a PhD student position in Climate Epidemiology and Public Health in Bern. The project investigates how community-based interventions can reduce heat vulnerability and protect health during heatwaves, with co-design, implementation and evaluation in collaboration with cantonal stakeholders.

You will be enrolled at the Climate Science Graduate School of the Oeschger Centre for Climate Change Research.

Qualifications

• MSc degree in Epidemiology, Public Health, Environmental Sciences, Climate Sciences, Social Sciences, Health Policy or closely related field.
• Very good oral and written English and German communication skills.
• Experience with stakeholder interviews and focus-group discussions is advantageous.
• Motivation to work in an interdisciplinary, international environment; collaborative mindset.

Responsibilities

• Interact closely with researchers in the OCCR Climate, Cities, and Health Cluster and the hosting team.
• Design stakeholder engagement and intervention co-creation activities.
• Contribute to designing and evaluating heat-related health interventions with the team and local communities.
• Assist in third-party funding applications with the supervisory team.
• Collect and analyze quantitative and qualitative data.
• Participate in co-creation workshops with stakeholders.
• Present work at national and international conferences and in peer-reviewed journals.
• Participate in teaching activities of the team.

Skills

English communication

German communication

R programming

Education

MSc in Epidemiology

MSc in Public Health

MSc in Environmental Sciences

MSc in Climate Sciences

MSc in Social Sciences

MSc in Health Policy

Tools

R language

Job description

PhD student position in Climate Epidemiology and Public Health 100%, fixed-term, Bern

UniBE is ambitious.

With us, you deliver top performance and test your skills against the best.

The PhD project

Within this PhD project, you will investigate how community-based interventions can reduce heat vulnerability and protect populations from the health impacts of heatwaves in the Canton of Bern. In particular, the research will focus on co-designing, implementing, and evaluating locally relevant interventions in close collaboration with cantonal stakeholders responsible for heat action plans. Potential interventions include climate shelters, structured check-in systems during heatwaves, intergenerational support networks, and targeted assistance with daily tasks. You will have the possibility to leverage the BEready cohort, a unique household-based, multi-generational population study in the Canton of Bern, to assess the uptake, feasibility, and short-term impacts of these interventions on well-being and heat-related outcomes. Your work will contribute actionable evidence to inform and strengthen local heat adaptation strategies. You will be enrolled at the Climate Science Graduate School of Oeschger Centre for Climate Change Research, University of Bern.

Duties and responsibilities

• Close interaction with researchers of the OCCR Climate, Cities, and Health Cluster, and with the hosting team.
• Design of stakeholder engagement and intervention co-creation activities.
• Contribute to the design and evaluation of heat-related health interventions, together with the research team and local communities.
• Contribute to third-party funding application, together with the supervisory team.
• Collect and analyze quantitative and qualitative data.
• Participation in co-creation workshops with relevant stakeholders.
• Present own work at national and international conferences and workshops, and published peer-reviewed journals.
• Participate in teaching activities of the team.

We seek candidates who hold a MSc degree in Epidemiology, Public Health, Environmental Sciences, Climate Sciences, Social Sciences, Health Policy, or a closely related field (ECTS 120-90). We encourage applications from enthusiastic and dedicated individuals with very good oral and written English and German communication skills. Previous experience in conducting stakeholder interviews and focus-group discussions is of advantage. Previous experience with R or similar programming language is desired. You are motivated to work in an interdisciplinary and international working environment, have a collaborative mindset, and enjoy interacting with diverse stakeholders. The envisioned starting date is 1.1.2027.

We Offer

• An international, interdisciplinary and dynamic academic environment. The project will be supported by international collaboration, with the potential to create opportunities for further cooperation.
• Enrolment in the OCCR and the Graduate School of Climate Sciences of the University of Bern.
• Support for career development and training, including access to courses of the Public Health Science Course Program of the University of Bern.
• Salary according to the pay scales of the University of Bern.

Start Date

01.01.2027 or by arrangement.

Employment Relationship

100%, fixed-term