Ulf Ekelund

The Norwegian School of Sport Sciences (NIH) in Oslo, Norway, is offering a three-year PhD position in physical activity epidemiology within its Department of Sports Medicine. NIH is the leading institution for sport science education and research in the Nordic countries, with a vibrant campus and strong international collaborations. The successful candidate will join the Oslo Research Centre for Physical Activity and Population Health, a newly established and internationally recognized group with partnerships including the World Health Organisation and top universities worldwide. The research project focuses on analyzing high-resolution, device-measured physical activity data to understand micro-patterns of movement and their association with the risk of non-communicable diseases. The candidate will develop reproducible code (using Stata, R, Python) to curate accelerometer data, derive metrics for physical activity volume and patterns, and emphasize vigorous-intensity lifestyle physical activity (VILPA). The analyses will be applied to large, population-representative samples, aiming to establish dose–response relationships between VILPA and disease risk. The project is timely, as global physical activity recommendations are expected to be updated, and current guidelines rely on self-reported data that cannot capture detailed movement patterns. Applicants must hold a master’s degree in a relevant field (sport sciences, biostatistics, statistics, epidemiology, mathematics, computer science, or equivalent) with advanced statistical knowledge and programming experience. A minimum grade point average of B (Norwegian system) is required. Experience with data science, statistical programming, and epidemiological analysis is essential, while experience with HPC clusters, cloud platforms, and wearable data analysis is desirable. The position offers a starting salary of NOK 550,800 per year, excellent pension and insurance benefits, and access to outstanding training facilities. The workplace is centrally located in Oslo, with easy access to public transport and opportunities for exercise during working hours. Applications must be submitted via Jobbnorge, including a motivation letter, CV, diplomas, publications, and references. All documents should be in English or a Scandinavian language, and international applicants may need to provide additional documentation for degree recognition. The application deadline is 21st November 2025. For further information, contact Professor Ulf Ekelund or the listed senior advisers.