项目介绍

2026年5月21日

The National Institute of Public Health at the University of Southern Denmark (SDU) seeks applicants for a PhD position starting on 1 October 2027.

The Digital Child Study is a nationwide cohort study of more than 11,000 4-year-old Danish children who were followed for one year to measure their screen-use and psychological outcomes. Utilizing the unique register linkage in Denmark, the objective of the PhD project is to empirically investigate whether and to what extent preschool screen-use affects school-readiness.

The PhD will be situated at the research group ‘Child Psychological Development’, led by Professor Trine Flensborg-Madsen. The PhD student will be part of a research team consisting of established senior researchers and PhD students from both Denmark and Australia. Included in the PhD position is an extended research stay at Deakin University, with the opportunity to attain a double PhD degree from both the University of Southern Denmark and Deakin University. 

When evaluating applications, the following qualifications are expected:

• You must have completed a degree program equivalent to a Danish master’s degree in a relevant field (public health, epidemiology, psychology or other related fields)
• In-depth experience in epidemiology in addition to programming and statistical analyses, preferably in R or STATA
• Excellent proficiency in written and spoken English communication 
• An ability to work independently, to plan and manage your own PhD project
• A strong motivation for, and interest in, research within the field of child health, screen-use, and its implications for development and school-readiness

It will be considered an advantage to have:

• Research experience in the fields of public health, epidemiology, psychology or related fields
• Documented experience with writing and publishing scientific papers in international peer-reviewed journals
• Experience with cohort studies and linkage to registers

Research environment

The research group for Child Psychological Development focuses on interdisciplinary research in public health and psychology, with a particular interest in how psychology and health sciences are entangled and shaped by social and environmental conditions from fetal life through childhood and adolescence to adulthood. We thus uncover how factors in early life affect health and psychological development and investigate potential predictors of positive as well as suboptimal psychological outcomes and even psychiatric outcomes over the life course. We work epidemiologically with psychological data on developmental aspects. Thus, we exploit the unique opportunities in Denmark to combine data from large cohorts with national administrative data and health data from the Danish registries. We also conduct data collections to establish cohorts containing more in-depth information collected through surveys and psychological testing. 

Suitable candidates will be invited for an informal interview after the application deadline.

For further information about the project please contact:

Professor Trine Flensborg-Madsen

National Institute of Public Health

University of Southern Denmark (SDU)

Tel.: +45 65 50 9361

E-mail: tfl@sdu.dk

Applications must include:

• A letter stating the interest, motivation, and qualifications for the project (max. 1 page)
• Detailed CV, including personal contact information
• Certified copy of diploma with grades (Master’s degree in a relevant field)
• Publication list (if applicable)
• References (if possible)

   

Applications must be submitted electronically using the link “Apply online”.  Attached files must be in Adobe PDF or Word format. Each box can only contain a single file of max. 10 Mb. 

Incomplete applications and applications received after the deadline will neither be considered nor evaluated. This also applies to reference letters.

Closing date: June 8, 2026