PhD student position in Climate Epidemiology and Public Health

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.

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.

• 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.

• 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.

01.01.2027 or by arrangement.

100%, fixed-term