4-year PhD Position in Biostatistics: Causal Inference for Vaccine and Pharmaceutical Effects University of Oslo in Norway

Applications are invited for a 4-year PhD position in Biostatistics at the Oslo Centre for Biostatistics and Epidemiology (OCBE), Department of Biostatistics, University of Oslo. The project focuses on causal inference for the effects of vaccines and other pharmaceuticals, leveraging real-world data from Norwegian health registries and advanced statistical methods. OCBE is one of Europe's leading biostatistics groups, with about 75 researchers and a strong international reputation in areas such as causal inference, time-to-event analysis, clinical trials, epidemiology, high dimensional statistics, infectious disease modelling, and machine learning.

The successful candidate will join the UiO:Life Science convergence environment, specifically the 'UiO:Real-World Evidence' initiative, which aims to generate high-quality evidence on pharmaceutical effectiveness and safety. The project involves methodological challenges in defining, identifying, and estimating causal effects from observational data, with a focus on complex event history analysis, competing risks, individual heterogeneity, and machine learning approaches. The research will contribute to improving the analysis of linked health registries and developing new methods for causal inference in time-to-event outcomes.

The position is full-time for four years, with 25% of the time dedicated to career-promoting activities such as teaching and advising within UiO:Life Science and OCBE. The candidate will collaborate with partners at OCBE, the Department of Pharmacy, Oslo University Hospital, the Norwegian Institute of Public Health, and others. The workplace is at OCBE’s premises in Domus Medica, with access to facilities in the Life Sciences Building. The PhD fellow must enroll in the Faculty of Medicine’s approved PhD program and is expected to complete the degree within the fellowship period. The program emphasizes research training and publication in high-quality peer-reviewed journals. Membership in the National Research School in Epidemiology (EPINOR) is included.

Applicants should have a master’s degree or equivalent in statistics, data science, or a related field, with documented statistical knowledge and an average grade of B or above. Strong methodological statistics background, interest in medical science applications, programming skills (R, Python, or similar), and fluency in English are required. Experience with causal inference, survival analysis, large datasets, or registry data is advantageous but not mandatory. Personal qualities such as independence, efficiency, communication, and collaboration skills are valued.

The position offers a competitive salary (NOK 550,800–600,000 per annum), attractive welfare benefits, a generous pension agreement, and opportunities for national and international collaboration. Oslo provides a family-friendly environment with rich cultural and outdoor activities.

To apply, submit your application via the electronic recruiting system, including a cover letter, CV, academic transcripts, and references. All documents should be in English or a Scandinavian language. The deadline for applications is 4th February 2026, and the starting date should be no later than 1st October 2026. For questions, contact Professor Jon Michael Gran at [email protected].