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LONDON SCHOOL OF HYGIENE & TROPICAL MEDICINE
(University of London)
FACULTY OF PUBLIC HEALTH AND POLICY
DEPARTMENT OF GLOBAL HEALTH AND DEVELOPMENT
EBOVAC SOCIAL SCIENTIST
FURTHER PARTICULARS
The School
The London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine is one of Europe’s leading schools of Public
Health and a leading postgraduate institution worldwide for research and postgraduate education
in global health.
Part of the University of London, the London School is the largest institution of its kind in Europe
with a remarkable depth and breadth of expertise encompassing many disciplines. The School was
ranked one of the top 10 research institutions in the country in the Times Higher Education’s 'table
of excellence', which is based on the 2014 Research Assessment Exercise (RAE). In 2009, the
School became the first UK institution to win the Gates Award for Global Health.
The School’s environment is a rich multicultural one: there are around 3,500 students from 100+
countries following 24 taught masters courses delivered either in London or through distance
learning, and about 400 undertaking a research degree. Over 40% of these students are from nonEuropean countries. Alumni are working in more than 180 countries. The School has about 1,600
staff drawn from over 74 nationalities.
There are research collaborations with over 100 countries throughout the world, utilizing our
critical mass of multidisciplinary expertise which includes clinicians, epidemiologists, statisticians,
social scientists, economists, molecular biologists, immunologists, ophthalmologists,
anthropologists, virologists, pharmacologists and nutritionists. At any one time around 100 School
staff are based overseas, particularly in Africa and Asia. We have a strong commitment to
partnership with institutions in low and middle income countries to support the development of
teaching and research capacity.
The School has expanded greatly in recent years. Its research funding now exceeds £67M per
annum, much of it from highly competitive national and international sources. The commitment of
staff to methodological rigour, innovative thinking and policy relevance will ensure that the School
continues to occupy a leadership position in national and global health, adapting quickly to new
challenges and opportunities.
Mission
To improve health and health equity in the UK and worldwide; working in partnership to achieve
excellence in public and global health research, education and translation of knowledge into policy
and practice.
Faculty of Public Health and Policy
The Faculty of Public Health & Policy is responsible for research and teaching in the policy,
planning and evaluation of health programmes and services. Its interests are both national and
international, encompassing industrialized, and less developed countries. The Faculty has three
research departments:
Health Services Research and Policy
Global Health and Development
Social and Environmental Health Research
Each department is multidisciplinary containing about 100+ academic staff representing medicine,
statistics, epidemiology, sociology, economics, anthropology, operational research, psychology,
nursing and history. Each department is responsible for its own research. The School has adopted
a rotating system of management for its academic departments and faculties. The management of
a department is under the control of the Department Head, appointed by the Director for a period
of three years in the first instance. The Faculty Head is appointed in a similar manner but for an
initial period of up to five years.
Teaching
The Faculty of Public Health and Policy is responsible for organizing a one year Master's courses in
Public Health, which allows students to take a general MSc in Public Health, or to follow one of the
following streams: Health Services Management, Health Promotion, Environmental Health or
Health Services Research. The Faculty also jointly teaches MSc Public Health in Developing
Countries and MSc Control of Infectious Disease (with the Faculties of Infectious and Tropical
Diseases and Epidemiology and Population Health), and MSc Health Policy, Planning and Financing
(jointly with LSE). Master's courses are organized in a modular format across the whole School.
One of the growing areas of Faculty teaching is in the distance-based MSc in Public Health,
introduced in 2005/6. In the current year the Faculty is responsible for about 271 students on the
MScs mentioned above, and 545 distance based students.
The Faculty has also reorganized and expanded its research degree (MPhil/PhD; DrPH) training.
Currently there are about 108 students and 23 staff members registered for a research degree.
Department of Global Health & Development (GHD)
The Department aims to conduct novel and policy-relevant research and training that concerns
health issues with a global reach, predominantly from the perspective of the development of lowand middle-income countries. The Department comprises approximately 100 staff and 80 research
degree students, with total grants funding of over £30m spread over a range of funders including
research councils, UK and overseas charities, the European Union, Department for International
Development and others. Staff come from a wide range of disciplines including economics,
epidemiology, mathematics, policy analysis, medicine and social anthropology and are organised
around three research groups: Health Economics and Systems Analysis; Social and Mathematical
Epidemiology; Anthropology, Politics and Policy (APP). Academically, there are strong links among
these groups with individuals often belonging to more than one group. The post advertised will be
located in the Anthropology, Politics and Policy (APP) group. The group conducts research on the
social, ethical and political issues that affect health policies and programmes. The group members
work across the natural and social sciences conducting empirical, theoretical and normative
analyses.
- See more at: http://www.lshtm.ac.uk/php/ghd/research/app/index.html
Members of the Department also edit the journal Health Policy and Planning
JOB DESCRIPTION
Post:
Responsible to:
Grade:
Hours:
Social Scientist: Sierra Leone
Dr Shelley Lees, Co-Investigator, EBOVAC1 Project
Research Fellow (based in Sierra Leone)
Full time
Overall Purpose of the job
Based in Sierra Leone, the post-holder will conduct social science research with trial participants
and people from the communities in which the trials will be conducted. This research will examine
understandings and experiences of Ebola Virus Disease (EVD) and vaccines, perspectives of the
vaccine and the trials as well as rumours and concerns. Traditional social science methods will be
used to ensure an in-depth exploration is conducted and wider lessons can be learned from the
recent Ebola outbreak and any future outbreaks of this and other new infectious diseases.
Key Responsibilities for Post Holder
1.
Recruit and manage a national social science team in Sierra Leone.
2.
Work in close liaison with senior social scientists at LSHTM to conduct high quality social
science research during all stages of the trial
3.
Lead and/or assist in the development of publications and other outputs arising from the
research.
4.
Engage with members of the wider academic community, especially anthropologists through
the Ebola Response Anthropology Platform, on the emerging issues related to the Ebola
outbreak and responses to it.
5.
Respond to internal and external requests for information about the research.
6.
Contribute to the schools’ postgraduate teaching programme, as feasible (normally 10% to
15% of time).
7.
Contribute to the academic life of the Global Health & Development Department and the
Faculty of Public Health & Policy.
8.
Undertake other duties as may be required that are consistent with the nature and grade of
the post.
PERSONAL SPECIFICATION
Essential
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Masters level qualification in medical anthropology or a closely-related field
Experience working as a social scientist with at least time based in sub-Saharan Africa
Practical experience in the management of social science research teams
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Proven experience of conducting analysis and experience with qualitative data analysis
software
Willingness to be based in Sierra Leone
Evidence of having worked effectively both independently and as a member of a
multidisciplinary scientific team
Proven ability to use initiative and judgement to anticipate potential issues and solve
problems
High level of personal motivation and flexibility
Display a professional attitude towards colleagues, students and others
Excellent interpersonal skills and a willingness to work with others to overcome problems as
and when they arise
Evidence of having worked effectively in a multicultural environment
Excellent written and oral communication skills in English
Desirable
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Proven experience of conducting social science research of or within clinical trials
Publications commensurate with research fellow level
Good knowledge of social perspectives of Ebola Virus Disease
Ability to start work for LSHTM as soon as possible
SALARY AND CONDITIONS OF APPOINTMENT
The post is available from 1 September 2016 and the contract duration will be until 30 November
2017. The appointment will be made on LSHTM’s Academic Pathway scale with a starting salary at
Grade 6, £37,477 - £42,560 per annum inclusive. The post will be subject to the LSHTM terms and
conditions of service. Annual leave entitlement is 30 working days per year, pro rata for part time.
In addition to this there are discretionary “Director’s Days”. Membership of the USS Pension
Scheme is available.