Research Assistant and Ph.D Fellowship in Forensic Medicine

at  KU SUND TEILUM Kbh

The Department of Forensic Medicine, Section of Forensic Pathology and Clinical Forensic Medicine, Faculty of Health Science at University of Copenhagen is offering a position as research assistant with a 6-month duration starting at the 1st of December 2024 or as soon as possible thereafter, followed by a Ph.D.- scholarship.

PROJECT DESCRIPTION

The overall aim of the Ph.D. project is to study risks for injuries and health consequences when using newly implemented CEW in comparison to other modalities of police force such as baton, OC-spray and service firearms. The outcome of injuries will be compared to contextual and person specific characteristics such as age, sex and preexisting health.
The objective of the project is to increase the knowledge about injuries and health consequences for subjects in situations of conflicts in which the police assess it necessary to use a modality of force. The focus is on the use of CEW, but to place such health consequences in the correct context other use of force modalities will also be studied.

This PhD project will focus on the following aims:

• Assess the risk for lesions and health effects that may arise both directly, but also long-term, after exposure to CEW, and following any other police use of force modalities such as baton, OC-spray, service firearms, police canines and unarmed force.
• Assess situations in which police use different means of force such as CEW, baton, and OC-spray, and study the risk of injuries, to both police officers and to subjects considering the context of the situation.
• Gain general knowledge on the sociodemographic characteristics of the group of subjects exposed to police use of force.

The project will be a retrospective study using data collected from questionnaires and observations made during the trial phase with CEW in the Danish Police as well as obtained from registers kept by the Police and by Statistics Denmark. We will also include information from hospital charts containing information on health outcomes after an individual has been exposed to a CEW.
The information will be kept in databases that will be analyzed using epidemiological methods.

DESCRIPTION OF SCIENTIFIC ENVIRONMENT

The section of forensic pathology and clinical forensic medicine carries out medico-legal autopsies and clinical forensic examinations including age estimations for the judiciary and other public authorities. Based on this casework the section has a lot of developmental and scientific work within the fields of applied health research and disease and accident prevention. The section of Forensic pathology and clinical forensic medicine is one of three sections at the Department of Forensic Medicine (University of Copenhagen) carrying out research and teaching assignments according to ordinary university rules. The section has a wide range of collaboration with other fields – e.g., Police, Danish Patient Safety Authority, clinical departments and other university departments.
The section has about 80 employees, including 1 professor, 3 associate professors, forensic doctors, administrative staff, 8 PhD students, laboratory technicians, forensic technicians, forensic nurses, forensic anthropologist, and several thesis students. The department is equipped with modern instruments, including an in-house CT-scanner Siemens and IT facilities. The section is accredited to ISO 17020.

JOB DESCRIPTION

Initially, there will be a position as a research assistant for 6 months, 1st of December 2024 to 31 of May 2025, continued by a position as a Ph.D. student for 3-years, 1st June 2025 to 31st of May 2028, provided that the PhD protocol is completed and enrollment is accepted no later than1st June 2025.

Your key task during your employment at SUND are:

• Prepare research protocols, draft agreements for research data and research collaborations, and prepare data extractions from registers.
• Acceptance of Ph.D. protocol at the Ph.D. School, at the University of Copenhagen, Faculty of Health Science.
• Manage and carry through your research project.
• To ascertain the data collection, establish a research database, and perform data registration and analyses.
• Attend Ph.D. courses.
• Write scientific articles and your PhD thesis.

• Teach and disseminate your research.Work constructively with your supervisor, co- Ph.D. students and other co-workers to maintain a collegial working environment.

FORMAL REQUIREMENTS OF APPLICANTS

We are seeking highly motivated applicants with an MSc degree or similar in health sciences, with experience in forensic pathology and clinical forensic medicine.

• Fluency in written and oral Danish.
• Good competencies in oral and written English.
• Excellent skills in teamworking.
• A flexible mindset in approach to tasks and to daily duties.

It will be highly advantageous to have one or more of the following qualifications:

• An understanding of Conducted Electrical Weapons.
• Experience with documentation and interpretation of lesions in a legal context.
• Hands-on experience with Forensic Pathology
• Experience with scientific work.

• Publications in peer-reviewed scientific journals.Working experience in a multidisciplinary environment

Please refer the Job description for details