Recherche

PhD Position in Pediatric Endocrinology and Metabolism

The Pediatric Endocrinology, Diabetology and Obesity Unit is seeking a full-time PhD Research Fellow for a 3 year fixed-term contract, with the possibility of one year renewal. The expected starting date is November 1, 2026.

Contexte

The Lausanne University Hospital (CHUV) is one of Switzerland’s five university hospitals. Through its close collaboration with the Faculty of Biology and Medicine at the University of Lausanne and EPFL, CHUV plays a leading role in medical care, research, and education.

The doctoral candidate will conduct research within the national prospective multicenter cohort investigating the physiological, biological and radiological short-term effects of gender-affirming hormonal treatment in transgender and gender diverse adolescents with a special attention on gonads and cardiovascular functions.

The doctoral candidate will contribute to two complementary research aims.

• To characterize longitudinal physiological changes following hormonal treatment
• To investigate the biological mechanisms underlying sex-specific cardiometabolic adaptations following hormonal treatment

This PhD project will address these aims using a prospective multicenter observational cohort conducted in Switzerland. The candidate will participate in all phases of the project from patient inclusion through publication of scientific results. No clinical work is required.

Mission

Clinical Research

• Contribute to the coordination and organization of a clinical research project, in collaboration with the data manager and other doctoral students.
• Participate in organization of study visits and ensure informed consent procedures
• Monitor participant follow-up

Data Management

• Take an active role in data collection
• Prepare datasets for analysis
• Participate in data monitoring activities

Statistical and Scientific Analyses

• Longitudinal endocrine and cardiometabolic outcomes
• Mixed-effects modelling, multivariable analyses and bio-informatic analyses

Scientific Communication

• Peer-reviewed publications
• Present results at national and international conferences
• Contribute to grant reports
• Participate in dissemination activities

Collaboration with

• Pediatric endocrinologists and clinical research team
• Statisticians and bioinformaticians
• Collaborating Swiss hospitals

Profil

• Strong motivation for translational clinical research and enthusiasm for interdisciplinary teamwork
• Initiative and the ability to work independently, as well as strong organizational skills
• Scientific curiosity and critical thinking skills
• Rigour
• Fluent spoken and written English skills
• Basic knowledge of human endocrine physiology concepts
• Willingness to learn biostatistics and computational approaches
• Knowledge of French and/or German (to understand patients files in national language)

Prior experience in omics data analysis, bioinformatics, statistical analyses (R or STATA) is advantageous but not required.

Nous offrons

What We Offer

• Fully funded PhD position according to the Swiss National Science Foundation salary scales for PhD students
• Participation in a Swiss national multicentre cohort
• Close supervision by experts in pediatric endocrinology and translational medicine
• Presentation at international conferences
• Publication in high-impact peer-reviewed journals

Training Opportunities

The doctoral student will receive advanced training in:

• Pediatric Endocrinology and Gender-affirming care
• Longitudinal cohort studies and methodology (Database management, data analysis)
• Multi-omics integration
• Statistical software (R or STATA)
• Scientific communication
• Grant writing
• Access to international conferences, training courses and professional development opportunitie

To become an employee of the world-famous University Hospital Center from the Canton of Vaud is an assurance of:

• A highly collaborative and interdisciplinary research environment at the interface of immunology, bioengineering, and clinical research
• Close interaction with leading research groups at EPFL and CHUV
• Access to state-of-the-art facilities and cutting-edge technologies
• Opportunities for advanced scientific training, transferable skill development, and participation in international conferences
• First-rate social benefits such as a Paternity Leave of 20 days and a Maternity Leave of 4 months (there is also the possibility to obtain a complementary breastfeeding leave of 1 month)
• A right to at least three days of training per year, by accessing a wide offer of courses not only from the CHUV Training Center but also from external providers
• Possibility to access one of the 500 furnished apartments offered in the surrounding neighborhoods in case of relocation in Switzerland
• Discounts proposed on social and cultural events, goodies and other services, thanks to the “H-Oxygène” association
• Signing up to our Mobility Plan and benefit from different advantages (discounts on public transportation, promotion of “Mobility” car fleet and discounts on electric bikes)
• Being able to enjoy our high-quality corporate restaurants, located in every hospital building, with employees’ discount.

Contact et envoi de candidature

Contact person in case of questions about this role: Dre Kanetee Busiah, E-Mail schreiben.

All of our applications are processed electronically. For this reason, we kindly ask you to apply exclusively by clicking on the APPLY button at the bottom of the advertisement.

Should you experience any problems with your application, you can consult our document "how to apply online". In case of technical issues, you can contact our Recruitment team who will help you (E-Mail schreiben / +41 21 314 85 70)

The CHUV applies the highest quality requirements as part of its recruitment process. In addition, mindful to promote workplace diversity and inclusion we strive to ensure equal treatment and avoid any discrimination. We are looking forward to receiving your application.

We would like to inform external recruitment agencies that any application inserted directly on our recruitment platform won’t be accepted and cannot be charged. Thank you for your understanding.