University of Southern Denmark (SDU)
Job description
Project Introduction
The University of Southern Denmark (SDU), Center on Population Dynamics (CPop), is now inviting applications for a fully funded three-year PhD position. This position is part of the Sapere Aude grant project from the Independent Research Fund Denmark: “Lifespan Inequalities and the Role of Social Determinants of Health: Going Beyond Life Expectancy”. The project is supervised by Associate Professor Marie-Pier Bergeron-Boucher. The workplace is the SDU Odense campus. The starting date is flexible, with priority given to August 15, 2026.
Center Introduction
CPop is dedicated to cutting-edge research in the fields of mortality, longevity, and population aging, with a particular focus on policy, economic, and cultural influences. The center is renowned for its strong capabilities in demographic analysis, population modeling, and forecasting. Its research reaches the highest international standards, as evidenced by publications in top journals, presentations at global conferences, competitive external funding, and significant societal impact. CPop is committed to research-based teaching, using innovative methods to enhance student learning outcomes, and is responsible for the population studies PhD program. The center fosters an inspiring academic environment and strives to attract and retain outstanding scholars dedicated to excellence and the continued development of the center.
Job Description
The project “Lifespan Inequalities and the Role of Social Determinants of Health: Going Beyond Life Expectancy” aims to analyze how multiple social determinants of health interact to influence lifespan. The project seeks to address methodological challenges in estimating and forecasting lifespan under intersecting social determinants of health, and to examine how inequalities in lifespan across these dimensions affect broader mortality patterns. Successful applicants are expected to develop a PhD research plan aligned with the overall project objectives, with a particular focus on methods for estimating lifespan across multiple intersecting social determinants of health. The candidate will also participate in teaching and supervision activities at the population studies level. We are an international department, and the working language is English.
offer requirements
Applicants should have completed a Master’s degree in demography, social sciences, economics, mathematical economics, public health, statistics, or a related field. In addition, we expect applicants to have:
– Excellent oral and written English skills.
– A high sense of responsibility, the ability to work independently and collaborate with the PhD supervisor.
– Good interpersonal skills and interest in interacting with researchers both nationally and internationally.
– Solid knowledge of demographic methods and experience using the R language or similar software; enthusiasm for learning new demographic methods.
Application materials must include (all attachments must be in Adobe PDF format):
– A cover letter explaining why the applicant is suitable for this project.
– A detailed CV – education and work experience must include specific months and years.
– A certified copy of the Master’s degree certificate, including all exam transcripts; or the expected completion date of the Master’s degree.
– Transcripts of grades obtained during the Bachelor’s and Master’s stages, translated according to the European ECTS system.
– Project description (maximum 5 pages, 2,400 characters per page, including spaces, notes, appendices, references, etc.).
– Application form obtainable from our website.
offer benefits
This is a fully funded three-year PhD position offering a competitive full-time salary. The PhD position is full-time for three years and includes a usual six-month research stay abroad.