LONDON SCHOOL OF HYGIENE & TROPICAL MEDICINE
(University of London)
FACULTY OF EPIDEMIOLOGY & POPULATION HEALTH
DEPARTMENT of INFECTIOUS DISEASE EPIDEMIOLOGY
Research Assistant (1.0 FTE)
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 (head; Carine Ronsmans) conducts
research on the epidemiology and control of infectious diseases of public health importance
and also on maternal and neonatal health. 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 has major field research programmes in Malawi, Tanzania, Zambia,
Ghana, Brazil and Europe and numerous collaborative projects in other countries in Africa,
Asia and Latin America. Major interests are in the epidemiology and control of HIV and
other sexually transmitted diseases, tuberculosis and other mycobacterium, malaria and
other tropical parasites, hepatitis, measles and other vaccine-preventable diseases,
respiratory diseases and gastro-intestinal infections. The Department is home to the
Tropical Epidemiology Group, and a large research programme on maternal and neonatal
health. The Department includes both medical and statistical epidemiologists, and there is
considerable interest in methodological work, including research on statistical methods,
transmission models, genetic epidemiology and immuno-epidemiology. There are strong
collaborative links with other departments within the Faculties of Infectious and Tropical
Diseases, particularly the Clinical Research and Immunology Departments.
THE POST
Job Description
Post:
Research Assistant in Perinatal Epidemiology (Global estimates of
low birth weight and stillbirth rates)
Grade:
G5 Research Assistant
Responsible to:
Professor Joy Lawn, IDE, EPH
Job summary
The post holder will be a Research Assistant in Perinatal Epidemiology, undertaking work
relating to estimates of low birth weight and stillbirth rates, within the Department of
Infectious Disease Epidemiology at LSHTM. The post-holder will be based at LSHTM
working closely with Professor Joy Lawn and Dr Hannah Blencowe, and also collaboratively
with other members of the low birth weight and stillbirth global estimates teams, including
UNICEF, WHO and the Saving Newborn Lives (Save the Children) teams.
The successful applicant will work on supporting the technical work of the low birth weight
and stillbirth global estimates team, including undertaking systematic reviews, updating the
low birth weight and stillbirth databases, and supporting in the analysis, write-up and
dissemination of the work.
Responsibilities
Research






Work as part of the low birth weight and stillbirth global estimation team, and support the
technical work of Professor Joy Lawn and Dr Hannah Blencowe.
Conduct systematic reviews of published and unpublished data sources, to update
prevalence data relating to low birth weight and stillbirth rates.
Help update and finalise the global low birth weight and stillbirth prevalence databases.
Contribute to drafting and reviewing reports, presentations, and communications outputs
as required.
Assist with drafting manuscripts for peer reviewed journals to be published in a range of
target journals.
Collaborate with the line manager as required.
Teaching

Contribute to teaching of epidemiological methods for our post-graduate students and
short courses by assisting with practical classes.
Citizenship


Contribute to the general activities of the Department, Faculty and School that help
promote the objectives of the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine.
To act at all times in accordance with the highest professional standards, and to ensure
that these are maintained in the delivery of all aspects of research and teaching.
Any other work considered appropriate by the Department Head and Dean of Faculty.
Person Specification
Essential Criteria
 MSc in Epidemiology or equivalent
 Interests in reproductive, maternal and newborn health
 Previous experience in undertaking systematic reviews
 Experience in database management, including the use of EXCEL
 Previous experience in the use of Endnote referencing software.
 Good inter-personal skills with an ability to work co-operatively in a multidisciplinary
setting
 Excellent written and oral communication skills in English
 Meticulous and accurate in all aspects of work
 Resourceful and able to act on own initiative
 Interested in research and a commitment to quality in the research process
Desirable Criteria
 Demonstrated productivity in public health research, including publications in peerreviewed journals
 Excellent presentation skills
 Statistical programming experience, particularly in STATA
 Other relevant post-graduate qualifications
SALARY AND CONDITIONS OF APPOINTMENT
The post is full time and is available immediately up to 31 st December 2014 in the first
instance, with potential for extension dependent on further funding. The appointment will be
made on LSHTM’s Research Assistant scale (£31,690-£33,394 pro rata per annum)
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. Candidates will be required to bring their passport (and visa if
applicable) to interview so that it can be copied and verified.
For this vacancy, it is not likely that the School would be able to make a successful
application for a Certificate of Sponsorship. It is therefore unlikely that we would be able to
appoint an individual who is not currently eligible to work in the UK.
Further information about Certificate of Sponsorship and eligibility to work in the UK, can be
found at: www.ukba.homeoffice.gov.uk/employers/points
APPLICATIONS
Applications should be made on-line at our website at jobs.lshtm.ac.uk. The closing date is
10pm, Wednesday 02 July and the reference for this post is RA-LBW. Online applications
will be accepted by the automated system until midnight on of the closing date. For informal
enquiries about the post please contact Dr Hannah Blencowe
(Hannah.Blencowe@lshtm.ac.uk ) or Professor Joy Lawn (joy.lawn@lshtm.ac.uk). Any
queries regarding the application process may be addressed to jobs@lshtm.ac.uk.
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.