Postdoctoral Researcher in COPD, Physical Activity, and Muscle Function

Umeå Universitet · Vollzeit

Umeå universitet, Umeå, Schweden

Postdoctoral Researcher in Medical Science with a focus on COPD, Physical Activity, and Muscle Function We are seeking a postdoctoral researcher for a two-year position focusing on chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), physical activity, physical capacity, and extrapulmonary manifestations of lung disease. The research will be conducted primarily within SCAPIS (Swedish CardioPulmonary bioImage Study) and other clinical research projects at Umeå University. Project Description SCAPIS is a large Swedish population-based study in which over 30,000 participants have undergone comprehensive examinations including lung function, physical activity, body composition, and cardiopulmonary health. The postdoctoral project focuses on the relationships between lung function and diffusion capacity, objectively measured physical activity, and CT-based measures of muscle mass and muscle quality in COPD and other related milder phenotypes. The position also includes research within the COPD-HIIT project as well as other clinical and longitudinal research projects focused on COPD. Responsibilities As a postdoctoral researcher, you will plan and conduct research projects focusing on physical activity, physical capacity, muscle function, and lung disease. This work includes formulating research questions and analysis plans, processing and quality assuring research data, and performing statistical analyses of both cross-sectional and longitudinal data. A central part of the work involves analyzing data from SCAPIS, including lung function and diffusion capacity, objectively measured physical activity via accelerometer, and CT-based measures of muscle mass, muscle quality, and body composition. Responsibilities also include data collection, data processing, and analysis within COPD-HIIT and other clinical research projects involving people with and without COPD. You are expected to independently interpret and synthesize research results, author scientific manuscripts for publication in international journals, and present your research at national and international scientific conferences. You will also contribute to developing new research questions and projects within the field. The work is conducted both independently and in close collaboration with junior and senior researchers from multiple disciplines, including pulmonary medicine, physiotherapy, exercise physiology, and epidemiology. Some administrative tasks related to the research projects may also be included. Qualifications To be eligible for a postdoctoral position, you must hold a doctoral degree, or a foreign degree assessed as equivalent to a doctoral degree, in medical science, physiotherapy, sports science, or another field relevant to the position. This qualification requirement must be met by the time the employment decision is made. The position requires documented experience with quantitative analysis of medical, physiological, or health science research data, as well as experience with scientific work in an area relevant to the project's research questions. You must also have documented experience in COPD, physical activity, physical capacity, and extrapulmonary manifestations of lung disease. You should demonstrate the ability to independently plan, conduct, and complete scientific work and have excellent proficiency in English, both spoken and written. The position also requires good collaboration skills and the ability to work both independently and with others in an interdisciplinary research environment. Since parts of the work may involve data collection in direct contact with research participants, good ability to communicate in Swedish or another Scandinavian language is also required. Meritorious Qualifications Since a postdoctoral position constitutes a qualifying appointment for junior researchers, we primarily seek candidates whose doctoral degree is no more than three years old, calculated from the final application deadline. If there are special circumstances, candidates with earlier doctoral degrees may be considered. Special circumstances include leave due to illness, parental leave, clinical service, positions of trust within trade union organizations, or other similar circumstances, as well as relevant service or assignments for the field of study. It is particularly meritorious to have experience with research on COPD or other chronic lung disease, as well as research in physical activity, physical training, exercise physiology, physical capacity, or muscle function. Experience with clinical or physiological human studies is advantageous, as is experience with lung function testing, objectively measured physical activity, and analysis of body composition or CT-based measures of muscle mass and muscle quality. Experience with epidemiological cohort data and longitudinal statistical analyses is also meritorious, as is experience in independently authoring scientific publications. Great importance will be placed on how well the applicant's scientific and methodological competence matches the research area and responsibilities of the position. Scientific productivity, independence, initiative, and collaboration skills will also be considered. About the Position This is a fixed-term full-time position for two years according to the terms of the agreement on fixed-term employment as a postdoctoral researcher from February 1, 2022. Start date by agreement. https://www.umu.se/forskning/grupper/scapis/ For more information, contact Anders Blomberg, Head, Department of Public Health and Clinical Medicine; [email protected]. Application Your application should include a brief description of your research interests and motivation for the position, CV, list of publications, degree certificate from your doctoral studies, other relevant degrees, and contact information for two references. In your application, please also briefly describe your role in the scientific work most relevant to the position. Applications are submitted through our e-recruitment system Varbi by October 2, 2026. Learn more about the department here. Umeå University aims to offer an equal and inclusive environment where open dialogue between people with different backgrounds and perspectives forms the foundation for learning, creativity, and development. We therefore welcome people with diverse backgrounds and experiences to apply for this position.