Postdoc in Community Health Literacy for the Research Center for Health Literacy and Equity (REACH) at Department of Public Health, Health at Aarhus University

Postdoc in Community Health Literacy for the Research Center for Health Literacy and Equity (REACH) at Department of Public Health, Health at Aarhus University

The Department of Public Health at Faculty of Health at Aarhus University invites applications for a position as Postdoc in the field of Community Health Literacy as of 1 May 2026 or as soon as possible thereafter. The position is a fixed-term full-time position for 2 years.

Department of Public Health
As a Postdoc at the Department of Public Health, you will be part of an internationally recognised department, where we work together to promote public health through research into areas that can prevent, treat and alleviate disease. We are involved in broad collaboration both internally and externally. We share our knowledge with citizens, decision-makers, business and industry, practitioners and other researchers – in municipalities, in the regions and both nationally and internationally. The department either contributes to or is responsible for teaching in medicine, public health science, sport science, optometry and nursing. At the Department of Public Health, you will have approx. 200 colleagues, including ninety academic staff members and a corresponding number of PhD students. We work closely with one another across different fields of study and prioritise a healthy work environment. The general tone among colleagues is informal. You can read more about the department here and about the faculty here.

About the research project
In this position, you will contribute to the research program on community health literacy and, more broadly, to our research center on health literacy and equity (REACH). Community health literacy refers to the shared competencies, resources, and social support structures that enable communities to develop and sustain people’s health literacy. The concept shifts the focus from individuals to the capacities and structures at the societal level.

Our program approaches community health literacy through the lens of everyday life, emphasizing the environments people inhabit and the community as a framework for health literacy initiatives. We collaborate with diverse organizations and stakeholders, prioritizing their interactions over any single entity.

Current research in this area faces challenges such as inconsistent definitions of “community,” fragmented and short-term initiatives, limited sustainability, insufficient evaluation, and weak cross-sector collaboration. To address these gaps, the program aims to strengthen the conceptual foundation of community health literacy and develop models for intervention research. During your postdoc, you will play a key role in advancing this work through your research contributions.

About REACH
REACH – Research Centre for Health Literacy and Equity is a newly established center at Aarhus University, funded through the University’s national research reserve and external grants.

At REACH, we study how health literacy is shaped by personal circumstances and social conditions, and how organizations and communities can make health information and initiatives more accessible and understandable—ensuring equitable access and outcomes. Research at REACH is organized into four programs: (i) Health literacy and relations, (ii) Health literacy and organizations, (iii) Health literacy and communities and (iv) Health literacy and populations

Learn more about REACH at: https://reach.au.dk

Your job responsibilities
As Postdoc in REACH, your position is primarily research-based but may also involve teaching assignments. You will contribute to the development of the department through research of high international quality. In your daily work, you will work closely with colleagues on your project, where you will receive supervision and guidance.

Your main tasks will consist of:

• Independent research and publications of high international quality including:
• A systematic review regarding community health literacy
• Development of a conceptual framework for community health literacy

As a researcher in REACH, you are expected to use approximately one day per week on tasks related to the center in general – e.g., within teaching, dissemination, administration, communication, etc.

You will also contribute to:

• Taking part in and working with co-approaches in relation to the above and in preparation for future intervention studies.
• Contribute to the initial steps in developing evaluation methodologies usable in relation to community health literacy research

You will report to the Center Director, Professor Helle Terkildsen Maindal.

Your competences
You have academic qualifications at PhD level within public health science, sociology or similar, with a strong knowledge in health literacy and/or equity in health, as well as the methods mentioned.

As a person, you are innovative and open-minded. You have good interpersonal skills, are inclusive and team-oriented and able to contribute to a good work environment. We expect you to be fluent in oral and written English.

In order to be assessed as qualified for a Postdoc position, you must meet these academic criteria. For this position, shortlisting will be used.

Questions about the position
If you have any questions about the position, please contact:
Centre Director, Professor Helle Terkildsen Maindal, htm@ph.au.dk: (+45) 25462320
Associate Professor Knud Ryom, knudryom@ph.au.dk: (+45) 22442010
Associate Professor Anna Aaby, aaby@ph.au.dk: (+45) 41668262

Your place of work will be the Department of Public Health, Dalgas Avenue 4, DK-8000 Aarhus C, Denmark.

Ansættelsesgrundlag

• Ansættelse som postdoc. forudsætter videnskabelige kvalifikationer på ph.d.-niveau.
• Ansættelsesproceduren er yderligere beskrevet i ministeriets Bekendtgørelse om ansættelse af videnskabeligt personale ved universiteter.
• Ansættelse sker i henhold til Overenskomst for akademikere i staten.
• Aflønning sker i overensstemmelse med ovenstående og Lønkatalog for medarbejdere ved Health.
• Kvalifikationskrav og stillingsindhold er yderligere beskrevet i Stillingsstruktur for videnskabeligt personale ved universiteter.

Ansøgning

Din ansøgning skal indeholde følgende:

• Ansøgning
• Curriculum Vitae
• Eksamensbevis
• Skabelon til ansøger – postdoc
• Publikationsliste
• Undervisningsportfolio. Vi henviser til Vejledning til anvendelse af undervisningsportfolio
• Op til 5 af de for stillingen mest relevante publikationer kan medsendes (valgfrit)
• Forskningsplan kan medsendes (valgfrit)
• Medforfattererklæring kan medsendes (valgfrit)
• Referencer/anbefalinger kan uploades særskilt i e-rekrutteringssystemet (valgfrit)

Vi henviser til fakultetets Vejledning for ansøgere.

Aarhus Universitet vil være en attraktiv og inspirerende arbejdsplads for alle og ønsker en kultur, hvor hver enkelt kan udfolde og udvikle sig. Vi ser ligestilling og diversitet som en ressource og opfordrer derfor alle interesserede til at ansøge.

Ansøgning sendes via Aarhus Universitets rekrutteringssystem, som kan tilgås under stillingsopslaget på Aarhus Universitets hjemmeside.

Om Aarhus Universitet

Aarhus Universitet er et fagligt bredt og forskningsintensivt universitet med høj kvalitet i uddannelse og forskning, og et stærkt engagement i samfundsudviklingen nationalt og globalt. Universitetet tilbyder et inspirerende uddannelses- og forskningsmiljø for 38.000 studerende og 8.300 medarbejdere med en årlig omsætning på 7,0 mia. kr. Læs mere på www.au.dk