Job description
Context:
This Chair focuses on the in-depth study of the links between precarious conditions and the state of health of populations, mainly using quantitative methodologies. The Chairholder will be responsible for teaching, research and contributing to the academic reputation of the institution.
The Chair in Health and Precariousness brings together various ULB faculties (School of Public Health, Faculty of Medicine, Faculty of Psychology, Education Sciences and Speech Therapy) to offer a multidisciplinary and cross-disciplinary approach to the interactions between health and precariousness. The aim is to strengthen the University's position in this area of teaching and research.
In particular, the aim is to supplement the initial training of students in the various faculties so that they develop a holistic view of health and see the value of tackling the health issues associated with social inequalities in health from a cross-disciplinary perspective.
The aim is also to develop inter-disciplinary and inter-faculty research projects in the field of the social determinants of health and the impact of social insecurity on life expectancy, access to healthcare, epidemiology, the cost of healthcare, etc., in close collaboration with professionals and organisations in the field.
Thanks to the environment offered by the three faculties concerned by this vacancy, the candidate will be able to develop high-level research. He/she will benefit from a stimulating working environment thanks to ULB's national and international recognition, as well as the proximity, on the same campus, of the School of Public Health, the Faculties of Medicine and Motor Sciences and, in the near future, the Faculty of Pharmacy. Within the School of Public Health, the Interdisciplinary Centre for Social Approaches to Health (CRISS) has made it a priority to study social inequalities in health across disciplines and to promote inter-faculty collaboration on this subject (see the Equity Health Lab project, for example). As such, this centre is an ideal base for developing collaborative research with other research centres working in a variety of disciplines and themes in Public Health (with the four other research centres within the ESP), Medicine and Psychology, and more generally with the faculties of the ‘Pôle Santé’ and ULB.
For teaching and research activities, the candidate will receive technical and administrative support from the School of Public Health and the ULB Research Department.
A training and professional development programme is offered to newly recruited academic staff.
The Erasme campus is very accessible in terms of mobility.
Educational and scientific objectives:
The main activities of the position are related to teaching and research. However, the candidate is expected to take part in various administrative responsibilities related to the normal running of the faculties (juries, deliberations, recruitment committees, faculty committee for doctorates, etc.). Finally, he/she will contribute to the visibility and strengthening of the position of the faculties in national and international expertise, with regard to the research areas described below.
Teaching:
The candidate will contribute to the teaching of the three faculties concerned by the post; he/she will also be able to support the development of distance learning courses, particularly in the context of continuing education.
Teaching content and assessment will be adapted to student profiles and numbers. ULB supports the development of innovative teaching methods, adapted to its audiences and teaching contexts. Hybrid methods, i.e. both face-to-face and distance learning, are encouraged insofar as they represent an added value for learning.
The candidate will have the support of assistants or student assistants for supervised exercises attached to his/her classes. He/she will be required to interact frequently with the teachers of the teaching units to which his/her courses belong, as well as with the programme coordinator, in order to ensure consistency of content.
He/she will be required to assist students with their final dissertations.
Lastly, he/she will be responsible for assessing learning using methods that he/she defines in line with his/her teaching (written exams, personal or group work, reflective assessment, etc.). In the first year, the maximum teaching load will be 90 hours per student, gradually increasing to 120 hours after three years.
Courses likely to be included in the course load at the time of recruitment (this 90-hour course load may be gradually increased up to a maximum of 120 hours per year for the student, as indicated above):
a. School of Public Health:
- SAPU-L-4026 Environments and health - AA ‘Psychosocial aspects of the environment’: Lecture 12h (Common core of the Master in public health sciences)
- SAPU-L-4310 Population health and living environments - AA ‘Lifestyles, environment and the health of adolescents and families’: Lecture 12h. (Master in Public Health Sciences, Health Policy, Systems and Promotion stream)
- SAPU-L-6531 ‘Contextual Factors in Public Health’: Lecture 12h (Specialized Master in Public health methodology)
b. Faculty of Medicine:
- SAPU-G1211 Public health, Health economics, Reproduction and societal issues, Health and the environment, RCP training, Health and precariousness [lecture: 7.5h]
- MEDI-G4141/G5501/G6652 Health and precariousness [lecture: 15h as part of the follow-up of the chronic patient].
- MEDI-G5502 Geriatrics - Ageing and precariousness [lecture: 7,5h]
- MEDI-G5550 Paediatrics Unit - Precarity in childhood [lecture: 7.5 hrs]
c. Faculty of Psychology and Education:
- PSYC-E499: ‘Inequalities in health care’: 24h theory.
d. Organisation of the certificate in health and precariousness (as part of community assignments)
There will also be supervision of dissertations related to this theme.
For details of the teaching content, please refer to the course catalogue (https://esp.ulb.be/fr/les-etudes/masters). This teaching load is indicative and may change depending on the candidate's skills or the needs of the programmes. Finally, the candidate may take part in continuing education programmes.
Research:
Developing research on ‘health and precariousness’ is of crucial importance at the present time. The various forms of precariousness (socio-economic, socio-cultural, etc.) are major determinants of health, influencing access to care, quality of life and health outcomes. In the face of growing challenges, such as health inequalities exacerbated by global economic and health crises, this Chair would help to strengthen scientific research and academic training in this field. By focusing on quantitative methodologies, it would provide solid data and rigorous analysis to inform public policy, improve targeted interventions, and promote a fairer and healthier society.
The candidate will be attached mainly to the Research Centre for Social Approaches to Health of the ULB School of Public Health but will be expected to develop or strengthen research on health and precariousness with the four other research centres within the ESP, with the relevant research centres in Medicine and Psychology, and more generally with the faculties of the Pôle Santé and ULB.
Examples of themes (non-exhaustive list) to be developed within the framework of this Chair: Social inequalities in perinatal health, Health and precariousness and access to healthcare, social protection, Health and precariousness and health behaviours, etc.
Required qualifications:
The candidate will be a PhD candidate with proven experience in quantitative research applied to health and precariousness issues.
The candidate will be attached mainly to the Centre de recherche en Approches sociales de la santé
Skills required:
The candidate's background will demonstrate the following skills:
- Skills useful for submitting and obtaining multidisciplinary research projects in collaboration with national and international partners.
- Experience or skills in supervising researchers.
- Significant publications in peer-reviewed journals.
- Excellent skills in applied quantitative research.
- Excellent teaching skills and experience of higher education.
- Ability to manage multidisciplinary projects.
- Excellent interpersonal and communication skills.
- Commitment to equity, diversity and inclusion in teaching and research.
The following are considered to be assets
- Mobility of several months outside the institution where the doctorate was completed (during the doctoral period or afterwards);
- International research experience through projects or research visits;
- A good command of English, both spoken and written.
If you are not fluent in French (level C1), you may be granted an adaptation period, but you must be able to teach in French by the end of the third year following your appointment.
Interested?
For more information, please contact Prof. Ms Magali Pirson (President of the School of Public Health; telephone: +32 2 555.40.20 – e-mail: magali.pirson@ulb.be). For administrative information, please contact the Faculty Administration Department (e-mail: daf-esp@ulb.be).
Your application will consist of a Curriculum Vitae(if you wish, a standard CV can be downloaded from the website: https: //www.ulb.be/fr/documents-officiels/emplois-academiques-et-scientifiques-cv-type) and a document completed using the template available at this URL address (https://www.ulb.be/fr/documents-officiels/1e-applic-form-acad-tps-plein89-docx).
This template structures your application by including the following elements:
- an application letter.
- a 7,000-character report (4 pages) presenting the applicant’s research activities and a research project, including how these will integrate into ULB’s research teams.
- a teaching dossier including a 7,000-character report (4 pages) on the applicant’s previous teaching activities and a teaching project for the first five years in this position; these must be relevant to the faculty and to the teaching profiles for the programmes to which the applicant is to contribute.
- a note on the applicant’s international achievements and projects (no more than 4 pages).
- the names and e-mail addresses of five references (with equal gender representation) who may be contacted by those in charge of evaluating applications. These references should not have conflicts of interest because of family or emotional ties.
- the successful candidate may be required to present documents attesting to previous work experience to prove 4 years of scientific seniority.
Incomplete applications or applications that do not use the template provided will not be examined by the selection committee.
Appointment in the ULB academic personel is at the rank of “chargé de cours” (lecturer). Upon appointment, members of the academic staff are authorised to use the honorific title of professor.
Where to go to apply?
Click here:
For any connection problems or questions about our application, consult our FAQ : e-recrut-mode-d-emploi-candidat-en-_1734942996246-pdf
Equal opportunities policy
ULB’s personnel management policy is geared towards diversity and equal opportunities.
We recruit candidates on the basis of their skills, irrespective of age, gender, sexual orientation, origin, nationality, beliefs, disability, etc.
Would you like to be provided with reasonable accommodation in the selection procedure because of a disability, disorder, or illness? Please contact Marie Botty, the person in charge of diversity aspects for the academic and scientific staff (marie.botty@ulb.be). Be assured of the confidentiality of this information.
More details on the ULB gender and diversity policy are available at https://www.ulb.be/en/about-ulb/gender-equality-at-ulb.
You will find all the regulations relating to academic careers on our site at http://www.ulb.ac.be/emploi/academique.html.
Reference: 2025/A064
Application deadline: 30/03/2025
Start date: 01/10/2025
