LONDON SCHOOL OF HYGIENE & TROPICAL MEDICINE
DEPARTMENT OF NON-COMMUNICABLE DISEASE
EPIDEMIOLOGY
Cancer Research UK Cancer Survival Group
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 Non-communicable Disease Epidemiology is the main
focus of research on the epidemiology of non-communicable diseases at the
London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine. While most of our studies have
been in the UK or other high income countries, we have a growing programme of
research on non-communicable diseases in low and middle income countries,
including India and parts of the former Soviet Union. Research interests range
from genetic susceptibility to disease, through metabolic and endocrine disease
mechanisms to personal behaviours and the population health effects of changes
in national diets and drinking behaviours. Themes include determinants of ethnic
variation in disease risk; adverse drug reactions; epidemiology of ageing; foetal
and childhood origins of adult disease; determinants of reproductive outcomes;
cardiovascular disease; growth factors and cancer risk; natural history of genital
human papillomavirus (HPV); time trends in cancer survival; non-communicable
diseases in low and middle income countries. The department has considerable
methodological strength and experience, particularly in the analysis of genetic
association studies and the conduct and analysis of large scale longitudinal
cohort and record linkage studies. We work closely with colleagues in other
departments and faculties and have excellent collaborative links with researchers
in other institutions around the world. Funding comes from a wide variety of
sources including the Medical Research Council, the Wellcome Trust and Cancer
Research UK. The Department head is Prof. Liam Smeeth.
Cancer Research UK Cancer Survival Group
The post-holder will be part of the Cancer Research UK Cancer Survival Group
within the Department of Non-Communicable Disease Epidemiology. The
research of the Group is designed to describe and explain local, national,
international and socio-economic differences and inequalities in cancer survival.
The results help policy-makers to target investment in cancer services to improve
survival and reduce inequalities. Geographic differences in survival are being
explored within the UK and, in the EUROCARE and CONCORD projects, in
collaboration with cancer registries and research institutions in more than 60
countries worldwide.
The Cancer Survival Group is responsible for producing the official National
Statistics on cancer survival for England, in close collaboration with the Office for
National Statistics (ONS). It also collaborates with ONS on a range of other
projects, publishing trends and socio-demographic patterns in cancer survival for
all the major cancers by age, sex and socio-economic status in England.
The Group is actively involved in methodological innovation in survival analysis,
and participates in the European network CENSURE. Statistical software and
other tools for cancer survival analysis developed by the Group have become
widely used, and are freely accessible via its webpages. More information about
the Cancer Survival Group and its research can be found at:
http://www.lshtm.ac.uk/eph/ncde/cancersurvival/
THE POST
Job Description
Post: Clinical lecturer
Responsible to:
Professor Michel P Coleman
We seek an experienced clinical lecturer with wide experience in survival
analysis. S/he will contribute clinical, epidemiological and public health insights to
the CONCORD programme for global surveillance of cancer survival; contribute
to the analyses of cancer survival; draft and otherwise contribute to publications,
and contribute to the CONCORD capacity-building programme. The post-holder
will be expected to have a good understanding of the advanced, established
methodologies to explore international variations in cancer survival, and of the
factors that contribute to such variations. It is intended that this research will
inform both national and international policy for cancer control.
The successful applicant will have clinical experience, preferably in cancer;
significant, proven research experience in epidemiology and/or biostatistics,
preferably in international cancer survival studies; an excellent understanding of
the principles and methods of survival analysis, and the capacity to understand
programs in STATA (or similar software). S/he will be expected to undertake
independent research and to contribute to research grant proposals.
Under the supervision of the CONCORD Principal Investigator, Professor Michel
Coleman, and in collaboration with the Lecturer in Cancer Epidemiology, Dr
Claudia Allemani, and with other epidemiologists and statisticians working in the
Cancer Research UK Cancer Survival Group, the post-holder will be expected to
perform a number of tasks, including:
1.
Provide expert clinical, epidemiological and public health advice on the
design, analysis and interpretation of international comparisons of cancer
survival for the CONCORD programme.
2.
Provide expert clinical and epidemiological advice on the preparation, quality
control and analysis of cancer registry data sets, and on the supervision of
their documentation and maintenance.
3.
Propose (or advise on) the development of innovative approaches to the
display, presentation or publication in print or on the web of results from the
CONCORD programme.
4.
Initiate and/or contribute to the drafting of scientific publications arising from
the CONCORD programme.
5.
Contribute to the drafting of reports to funding agencies on progress with the
CONCORD programme.
6.
Contribute to the development of new research ideas.
7.
Initiate and/or contribute to new grant applications in collaboration with
colleagues.
8.
Contribute to the development and delivery of the CONCORD programme
for capacity-building in cancer survival.
9.
Contribute to the annual short courses on cancer survival run by the Cancer
Survival Group, and to the wider teaching programme of the Faculty of
Epidemiology and Population Health.
10. Make oral or poster presentations at scientific conferences, and assist
colleagues with such presentations as appropriate.
11. Work on other cancer epidemiology projects compatible with the Cancer
Research UK-funded Cancer Survival Programme, either under supervision
or independently.
12. Participate in meetings of the Cancer Survival Group.
13. Attend meetings of the Department of Non-Communicable Disease
Epidemiology and other meetings, seminars, workshops etc, as necessary.
PERSON SPECIFICATION
Essential attributes

Clinical experience, preferably in cancer.

Significant proven research experience in epidemiology and/or biostatistics.

An excellent understanding of the concepts of epidemiology and biostatistics,
especially for survival analysis.

Research experience in international cancer survival studies.

Good understanding of modern statistical packages, particularly STATA.

Proven experience in analysing epidemiological data, preferably with STATA.

Publications in peer-reviewed journals that are commensurate with research
experience.

Proven ability to write clear scientific prose in English.

Ability to present scientific material clearly to a professional audience.

Proven ability to work as a collaborative team member, to work effectively
under pressure, and to meet tight project deadlines.

Strong interest in teaching, and proven ability to develop and deliver effective
teaching.

Fluency in spoken English.
Desirable attributes

Experience in scientific project management.

Experience in performing survival analysis, preferably with Stata.

Experience with Geographical Information Systems.

Oral and written competence in one or more languages other than English.
SALARY AND CONDITIONS OF APPOINTMENT
This is a new full-time position, available immediately until 31 December 2016.
The salary will be on the Academic Pathway clinical scales £43,425 - £51,943
per annum depending on qualifications and experience and will be subject to
LSHTM terms and conditions of service. Membership of the Universities
Superannuation (USS) Pension Scheme is available.
APPLICATIONS
Applications should be made on-line at our website at jobs.lshtm.ac.uk. The
closing date is 06 November 2013 and the reference for this post is CC10. 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
jobs@lshtm.ac.uk or telephone 0207 927 2201.
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.