LONDON SCHOOL OF HYGIENE & TROPICAL MEDICINE
Faculty of Epidemiology & Population Health
Department of Infectious Disease Epidemiology
SENIOR APPOINTMENT IN VACCINE EPIDEMIOLOGY
We are seeking an outstanding individual to take a leading role in vaccine-related
research at LSHTM. This is a core-funded post. The School is a centre of
excellence in the global enterprise of developing, deploying and evaluating
vaccines as public health tools in both developed and developing countries. The
candidate will develop and extend our thriving research programme in vaccinerelated epidemiology, and will lead a vaccine centre to catalyze, coordinate, and
integrate the School’s diverse intellectual resources in research and training.
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 almost 4000
students from 100+ countries following 22 taught masters courses delivered
either in London (~650) or through distance learning (~2700), and undertaking
research degree training (~400). Over 40% of these students are from nonEuropean countries. The largest growth has been in distance learning students
(>40% over 3 years), though the London-based student population (where
accommodation limits growth) is at its highest level ever. Alumni are working in
more than 180 countries. The School has about 1500 staff drawn from over 60
nationalities.
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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 five research departments.
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Department of Population Studies
Department of Infectious Disease Epidemiology
Department of Medical Statistics
Department of Non-communicable Disease Epidemiology
Department of Nutrition and Public Health Intervention Research
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
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studying for an MPhil, PhD or DrPH degree. The Head of Faculty is Professor
Laura Rodrigues.
THE DEPARTMENT
The Department of Infectious Disease Epidemiology (head: John Edmunds)
conducts research on the epidemiology and control of infectious diseases of
public health importance. Work is carried out both in developing countries and in
industrialized 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 Department also has an active research degreetraining programme, with more than 40 PhD students.
THE POST
Background
LSHTM conducts research on vaccines across its three faculties (Epidemiology &
Population Health, Infectious & Tropical Diseases and Public Health & Policy)
including development and early testing of new human and animal vaccines;
biological questions relevant for vaccines (e.g. on nutrition, genetics, immune
correlates); evaluation of efficacy of vaccines (through methodological work, field
studies and modelling); and the impact of vaccines (through field work,
mathematical modelling and economic evaluations). We are well represented on
national and international committees.
The post will be held in the Department of Infectious Disease Epidemiology (IDE)
but extensive collaboration with members of staff in other Departments in the
School is expected. The candidate will take a leading role in this area, to develop
and extend our thriving research programme, and to create and lead a Vaccine
Centre, to help create the synergies inherent in the bench to field paradigm, and
to catalyze, coordinate, and integrate the School’s diverse intellectual resources
in research and training.
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Job Description
The specific aims of the post are:
Research
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To conduct internationally recognized research in vaccine related
epidemiology
To secure funding in support of this work
Vaccine Centre
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To lead a School wide Vaccine Centre involving
a) promoting the development at LSHTM of innovative, collaborative and
multi-disciplinary research programmes, focusing on both upstream and
downstream issues facing the discovery, development, and deployment of
new vaccines.
b) facilitating exchange of information and creation of collaborations
among faculty and students working in vaccine related science at LSHTM.
Teaching
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To lead the short course “Epidemiological evaluation of vaccines: efficacy,
safety and policy "
To expand training on vaccine science targeted to students both inside
and outside LSHTM.
To teach on our postgraduate teaching programme and supervise PhD
students
Citizenship
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To contribute to general activities of the Department, Faculty and School
that help to promote the objectives of the School
To contribute to the management of the Department and Faculty as
appropriate
To contribute to international research through external committee
membership and other appropriate external activities.
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Person Specification
Essential
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International or national recognition in the area of vaccine epidemiology
Established reputation in research in the area of epidemiology of vaccine
preventable diseases, including substantive high quality publications in
peer-reviewed journals
Record of raising research funds
Evidence of a capacity to work collaboratively with other researchers and
to provide constructive intellectual leadership
Ability to communicate complex methods to a non-specialist audience
Desirable
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Experience of teaching or research supervision
Research in more than one disease/vaccine area
SALARY AND CONDITIONS OF EMPLOYMENT
The post is funded by the School on a permanent contract and is available
immediately. Annual leave entitlement is 30 working days per year. In addition to
this there are 6 fixed-date "Director's Days". Membership of the USS Pension
Scheme is also available.
APPLICATIONS
Applications should be made on-line via our website at jobs.lshtm.ac.uk. The
closing date is 31 May 2012 and the reference for this post is xxxx. Online
applications will be accepted by the automated system until midnight of the
closing date. Any queries regarding the application process may be addressed
to jobs@lshtm.ac.uk.
Short listed candidates will be invited to give a seminar at the School.
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. Applications should include the names and email contacts of 3
referees who can be contacted immediately if short-listed
The London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine is committed to being an equal
opportunities employer
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