PhD student position in Climate Epidemiology and Public Health — Universität Bern
- Location
- Bern
- Contract
- Full-time
- Posted
- 8 days ago
Full description
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.
Collaborative environment and ambitious team Application and Contact With us, you create value. For yourself and for society.
The CEPH Group and the ISPM
The Institute of Social and Preventive Medicine of the University of Bern (ISPM) performs research in a range of disciplines relevant to public health (www.ispm.unibe.ch). Groups cut across divisions, facilitating an interdisciplinary approach to research in the fields of clinical epidemiology, social and behavioral health, biostatistics, and international and environmental health. The ISPM is highly reputed for its expertise in health effects of environmental exposures, the spread of infectious disease, and the health of vulnerable groups including children and the elderly. The Climate Epidemiology and Public Health Group, led by Prof. Ana Maria Vicedo-Cabrera, addresses the impacts of climate, climate change and related environmental hazards on health with particular focus on the development of adaptation and mitigation strategies, and quantification of health impacts using novel methods in climate epidemiology. The PhD position is embedded in the Oeschger Centre for Climate Change Research (OCCR) Climate, Cities, and Health Cluster, a large interdisciplinary research platform that brings together natural sciences, epidemiology, social sciences, climate modelling, governance, and communication to investigate how climate change and urban environmental challenges affect human health and to develop sustainable adaptation strategies that address climate risks and promote equitable societal resilience. The PhD project
Duties and responsibilities
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Your Benefits
Team-oriented work Meaningful work and fair compensation Future-oriented career prospects Other benefits Your Benefits
Working at the University of Bern
The University of Bern not only offers exciting tasks but also an environment that actively promotes development, diversity, and equal opportunities. Discover what makes us stand out as an employer and how you can grow with us. Career page Open positions
Questions about this listing
What salary does Universität Bern offer for this role?
The original listing does not state a salary. Our estimate for this role and sector in Bern is CHF 85'000 - 119'000 gross per year — an estimate, not a figure communicated by Universität Bern. The calculator on this site converts a gross salary into your actual net take-home once cross-border tax and social contributions are applied.
Is this a full-time role, and what type of contract does Universität Bern offer?
This listing is a full-time position. The contract type shown here comes directly from the employer's original posting; always confirm exact hours, notice period and probation length with Universität Bern during the application process, since these details can vary by role even within the same contract category.
Do I need a cross-border work permit for a role in Bern?
EU/EFTA citizens living in an EU/EFTA state can apply for a G permit and can work anywhere in Switzerland: border zones no longer apply to them, and they must return home at least once a week. The Swiss employer files the request with Canton Bern's migration office after the contract is signed. Processing times vary by canton, so confirm the specifics with Bern's cantonal migration office or with HR during the application.
How do I apply for this position at Universität Bern?
Use the "Apply now" button on this page — it links directly to Universität Bern's original listing at jobs.unibe.ch, so your application goes straight to the employer's own applicant-tracking system. Frontaliere Ticino does not collect or forward applications itself.
