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London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine
(University of London)
Faculty of Epidemiology & Population Health
Lecturer in Infectious Disease Modelling
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 3 research institutions in
the country in the Times Higher Education’s 'table of excellence', which is based
on the 2008 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 3500
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 non-European countries.
Alumni are working in more than 180 countries. The School has about 1600 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.
THE FACULTY
The Faculty of Epidemiology & Population Health (EPH) houses a large group of
epidemiologists, demographers, statisticians and nutritionists working on issues
of major public health importance in the UK and globally. EPH has approximately
330 staff members organised into four research departments.
Department of Infectious Disease Epidemiology
Department of Medical Statistics
Department of Non-communicable Disease Epidemiology
Department of Population Health
The Faculty has a teaching programme consisting of ten MSc courses:
Epidemiology, Demography and Health, Medical Statistics, Public Health in
Developing Countries (run jointly with the Faculties of Infectious & Tropical
Diseases and Public Health & Policy), Nutrition for Global Health, Reproductive &
Sexual Health Research, Veterinary Epidemiology (run jointly with the Royal
Veterinary College), Global Mental Health (run jointly with Kings College London
- Institute of Psychiatry) and the Distance Learning courses in Epidemiology and
Clinical Trials. The Faculty also has approximately 149 research students
studying for an MPhil, PhD or DrPH degree.
The Dean of Faculty is Professor John Edmunds.
THE DEPARTMENT
The Department of Infectious Disease Epidemiology conducts research on the
epidemiology and control of infectious diseases of public health importance. It
also conducts research on maternal and neonatal health. Work is carried out in
low, middle and high income countries, including the United Kingdom. Research
ranges from ecological studies of variations in disease frequency in different
populations, through observational case-control and cohort studies to define risk
factors for disease, to randomized controlled trials to test the impact of specific
preventive and curative interventions.
The Vaccine Centre
The Vaccine Centre at the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine is a
newly formed consortium of over 100 scientists based at the school and among
its partner institutions with a common interest in research and training on
vaccines. The Centre encompasses a tremendous breadth of vaccine research
from vaccine design and immunological characterisation through clinical trials,
and on to epidemiological evaluation, vaccine safety, economic modelling, social
science and policy analysis. Centre scientists work in over 50 different countries
worldwide and contribute to some of the principal global networks of vaccine
investigation. The portfolio of current projects includes research on vaccines to
control malaria, tuberculosis, pneumococcal and meningococcal diseases,
influenza, measles, HPV, rotavirus, Hib, Hepatitis B, sleeping sickness and
traveller’s diarrhoea as well as veterinary pathogens. The Centre also aims to
enhance the teaching of vaccine research skills spread across the School’s postgraduate training programmes and in the short course for the Epidemiological
Evaluation of Vaccines run each July.
Centre for the Mathematical Modelling of Infectious Diseases (CMMID)
The Centre for the Mathematical Modelling of Infectious Diseases is a
multidisciplinary grouping of epidemiologists, mathematicians, economists,
statisticians and clinicians from across all three faculties of the LSHTM. Research
focuses on understanding and predicting the epidemiology of infectious diseases
so that more effective control programmes can be devised. Researchers are
developing and applying mathematical models to a range of infections including
HIV and other sexually transmitted infections, HPV, tuberculosis, hepatitis C,
influenza, rotavirus, measles, varicella, pneumococcal disease, Hib, malaria and
sleeping sickness. More fundamental research includes developing methods to
measure underlying contact patterns, sampling hard-to-reach populations (such
as drug users), efficiently fitting complex mathematical models to data, and the
integration of epidemiological models with economic analyses. CMMID runs the
flusurvey, an online influenza surveillance platform. CMMID is actively engaged
in developing links with other modelling groups; members of the CMMID include
mathematical modellers working at Public Health England (formerly the HPA) and
the Royal Veterinary College.
PUBLIC HEALTH ENGLAND
Public Health England provides strategic leadership and vision for protecting and
improving the nation’s health. Its ambition is to lead nationally, and enable locally,
a transformation in the health expectations of all people in England, regardless of
where they live and the circumstance of their birth. It will achieve this through the
application of research, knowledge and skills. PHE is an executive agency of the
Department of Health. It is a distinct delivery organisation with operational
autonomy to advise and support government, local authorities and the NHS in a
professionally independent manner.
Within Public Health England, Health Protection Services carries out a broad
spectrum of work relating to prevention of infectious disease. Its remit includes
infectious
disease
surveillance,
providing specialist
and
reference
microbiology and microbial epidemiology, coordinating the investigation and
cause of national and uncommon outbreaks, helping advise government on
the risks posed by various infections and responding to international health
alerts.
THE POST
The post holder will be a member of both the Vaccine Centre and the Centre for
the Mathematical Modelling of Infectious Diseases. He/she will be based within
the Department of Infectious Disease Epidemiology. He/she will design and apply
mathematical models to address policy decisions around vaccination in the UK.
The person appointed will prepare research findings both for policy makers as
well as for scientific publication. He/she will also hold an honorary appointment at
PHE and will be expected to work a proportion of time there. He/she will be
expected to develop a programme of methodological and applied research
around mathematical models of vaccination. He/she will be based in London.
JOB DESCRIPTION
Post:
Lecturer in Mathematical Modelling
Responsible to:
Mark Jit (Senior Lecturer in Vaccine Epidemiology)
Grade:
7
Key Responsibilities
The postholder will be expected to:
1.
Lead the design and application mathematical models to address policy
questions about vaccination in the UK.
2.
Work with epidemiologists and surveillance scientists at PHE in order to
analyse surveillance data to inform model design/parameterisation, as well
as to give input on the design of future surveillance activities.
3.
Keep abreast of relevant scientific and policy developments related to
vaccination in the UK and abroad.
4.
Understand, discuss and possibly advance methodological research in
topics relevant to vaccine modelling, such as uncertainty analysis, model
calibration, statistical inference and high performance computing.
5.
Collaborate closely with economists for the development of costeffectiveness models of vaccination.
6.
Write academic papers for peer-reviewed journals.
7.
Communicate model results in both reports and oral presentations to
inform evidence-based policy decisions (such as advising the Joint
Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation).
8.
Participate and present research findings at national and international
conferences, seminars and scientific meetings.
9.
Identify funding opportunities and contribute to proposals for research
funding related to modelling of vaccination programmes.
10.
Work independently, but also support and encourage others within the
team, including possibly being responsible for supervising research staff.
11.
Assist in monitoring the progress of modelling projects to ensure high
scientific standards and timely completion of project objectives.
12.
Contribute to reports and other updates to provide timely and accurate
information about the progress of work to funders.
13.
Contribute to postgraduate teaching on infectious disease modelling and
epidemiology, including designing and delivering taught courses, as well
as acting as academic supervisor to MSc students.
14.
Contribute appropriately to the academic life of the Department, Faculty
and School.
15.
Undertake other duties as may be required by his/her line manager.
PERSON SPECIFICATION
The ideal candidate would possess the following characteristics, although it is
recognised that potential applicants might fulfil each of these criteria to a greater
or lesser extent:
Essential qualifications and skills
1. Undergraduate degree in a scientific and/or quantitative subject.
2. Higher degree in mathematical modelling or closely related field.
3. Practical experience in the design and analysis of mathematical models to
address real-world problems, ideally in an epidemiological field.
4. Excellent publication record in high impact journals or alternative impactful
communication.
5. Experience in managing research projects, including potentially
supervising other members of project-related staff.
6. Ability to work in a multicultural environment.
7. Ability to work independently and as a member of a multidisciplinary
scientific team.
8. Good written and oral communication skills in English.
9. Familiarity with suitable programming languages such as R and/or C/C++.
Desirable qualifications and skills
1. PhD in mathematical modelling or closely related field.
2. Familiarity with infectious disease epidemiology.
3. Familiarity with health economic evaluations.
4. Experience in communicating with policy makers.
5. Experience in writing grant applications.
SALARY AND CONDITIONS OF APPOINTMENT
The post is available from 1st July 2014 until 30 March 2017 initially, with the
possibility of extension to 30 March 2019. Further extensions may be possible,
subject to suitable funding being secured. The salary will be on the Academic
pathway grade 7 scale £42,463 - £48,610 depending on qualifications and
experience. The post will be subject to the LSHTM terms and conditions of
service. Membership of the USS pension scheme is available.
ASYLUM AND IMMIGRATION
The School will comply with the Immigration, Asylum and Nationality Act 2006,
which requires all employees to provide documentary evidence of their legal right to
work in this country prior to commencing employment. Please be aware that you
will be required to bring your passport (and visa if applicable) to interview so that it
can be copied and verified. For posts requiring a recognised degree level or
equivalent qualification, and where there is no suitable UK or European Economic
Area candidate, the School will take the necessary steps to secure UK Border
Agency permission for a foreign national to take up employment.
Should a candidate require a Certificate of Sponsorship in order to take up a post
they will need to meet the UK Border Agency Tier 2 Points Based Criteria. A self
assessment tool can be found on the UK Border Agency website at:
www.ukba.homeoffice.gov.uk/pointscalculator
A candidate may also be required to undertake an English Language test prior to
commencing work at the School. Details of Home Office approved tests can be
found
at:
www.ukba.homeoffice.gov.uk/sitecontent/newsarticles/pbsapprovedenglishlanguag
e
Further information on the eligibility criteria for Certificates of Sponsorship can be
found at: www.ukba.homeoffice.gov.uk/employers/points
APPLICATIONS
Applications should be made on-line at our website at www.jobs.lshtm.ac.uk. The
closing date is 10pm, Tuesday 17 June 2014 and the reference for this post is
HPRU1. Online applications will be accepted by the automated system until
midnight on of the closing date. Any queries regarding the application process
may be addressed to [email protected] or telephone 0207 927 2208
The supporting statement section should set out how your qualifications,
experience and training meet each of the selection criteria. Please provide one or
more paragraphs addressing each criterion. The supporting statement is an
essential part of the selection process and thus a failure to provide this
information will mean that the application will not be considered. An answer to
any of the criteria such as "Please see attached CV" will not be considered
acceptable. Please note that if you are shortlisted and are unable to attend on the
interview date it may not be possible to offer you an alternative date.
The London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine is committed to being
an equal opportunities employer.