The Barcelona Institute for Global Health (ISGlobal) is a cutting-edge institute addressing global public health challenges through research, translation into policy and education. ISGlobal has a broad portfolio in communicable and non-communicable diseases including environmental and climate determinants, and applies a multidisciplinary scientific approach ranging from the molecular to the population level. Research is organized in three main areas, Malaria and other Infectious Diseases, Child and Maternal Health, and Urban Health, Climate & Non-Communicable Diseases. ISGlobal is accredited with the Severo Ochoa distinction, a seal of excellence of the Spanish Science Ministry.
Venue:
Barcelona
What We Are Looking for
ISGlobal is seeking a skilled, organized and motivated research PhD student to join the project entitled: “TwinAIR: Digital Twins Enabled Indoor Air Quality Management for Healthy Living“. This project, coordinated by University of Patras (Greece), is funded by the Horizon Europe programme. The TwinAIR consortium includes 19 partners from 10 different EU countries. The overall project goal is to improve urban life by tackling the challenge of indoor air quality (IAQ), by measuring and understanding its chemical and biological compositions, associations with human health and well-being, and its complex interrelationships with external factors. The PhD candidate will support the recruitment of a cohort of indoor facility users across different TwinAir study sites, and implement a questionnaire-based longitudinal study to assess associations between IAQ and health and well-being outcomes over time. Moreover, the PhD candidate will support a scientific evidence review of IAQ health impacts, and will contribute to the development and implementation of a health impact assessment (HIA) model to assess health impacts of current and counterfactual IAQ to provide insight into how much IAQ is a health risk factor for the European population.
Training and experience /Qualifications
- Bachelor and Master degree in Biology, Biotechnology, Environmental Sciences, Public Health, Medicine, Statistics or related disciplines.
- Previous experience in fieldwork of recruiting study participants, working with and analysing cohort data, or HIA modelling is appreciated.
Key Responsibilities
The main tasks that the PhD student will conduct include:
- Development of the cohort study protocol and handling of local ethics.
- Supporting the recruitment of a cohort of representative indoor facility users of the TwinAir study sites (UK, Sweden, Ireland, Greece, Germany and Spain).
- Development and implementation of a questionnaire-based, longitudinal study that assesses respiratory symptoms and disorders, physical and mental health, quality of life and well-being status of TwinAir study participants.
- Epidemiological and statistical analysis to link IAQ parameters with health and well-being outcomes.
- Evidence review of scientific literature on health impacts linked to IAQ.
- Development and implementation of a health impact assessment (HIA) model to assess the health impacts expected under current IAQ in representative indoor environments and counterfactual (intervention) scenarios.
- Writing of manuscripts for publication in peer-reviewed journals.
- Presentation of results at internal and external meetings and conferences.
- Supporting and carrying-out other activities within the scope and purpose of the TwinAir project.
Skills
- Outstanding organizational and team-working skills (yet capable of working independently).
- Responsible, flexible and with problem-solving skills.
- Eager to learn, proactive and with great initiative.
- Capability of setting and meeting deadlines.
- Demonstrable adaptability and flexibility to adapt positively to changes.
- Availability to travel as required by project activities.
- Computer skills: MS Word, Excel and Power Point, statistical softwares (R, STATA, SPSS, etc.)
- Previous data management and statistical analysis skills are appreciated.
Language level
- Excellent level in spoken and written English.
- Good level in Spanish and/or Catalan appreciated.
Conditions:
- Duration: 3 years.
- Starting date: September/October 2022.
- Contract: Full-time.
- Salary Range: According to internal scales (Predoctoral fellow).
During the crisis caused by COVID19, standard working conditions will be adapted to sanitary requirements.