LONDON SCHOOL OF HYGIENE AND TROPICAL MEDICINE
FACULTY OF PUBLIC HEALTH AND POLICY
JOB DESCRIPTION
POST:
Reader in Medical Anthropology
HOURS:
1.0 FTE
DEPARTMENT:
Global Health and Development
Description of the post
We are seeking a Reader in Medical Anthropology to lead on the development of
ethnographic and qualitative research in global health, focused on low- and middle-income
countries. The aims of the post are to work with anthropologists and other social scientists
across the Faculty to strengthen the anthropological work carried out in, and of, global public
health at LSHTM; to raise the profile of the School as a world leading centre in social
science and health research; and to work collaboratively with colleagues from a range of
public health disciplines to generate funding for and conduct social science research on
health, health interventions and health policies.
We are looking for an applicant with a track record of funded and published collaborative
work in anthropology and global public health. The post-holder would contribute to our MSc
teaching programme, particularly face-to-face and distance learning modules in Medical
Anthropology. They would also contribute to the Research Degree programme, as
supervisor, member of advisory committees and through teaching on the Transferable Skills
programme as appropriate.
The appointment will be full time, commencing on or before 1st January 2014. The post will
be based in London. Starting salary is £60,000 and including London Weighting.
Appointment will be subject to LSHTM terms and conditions, including membership of the
Universities Superannuation Scheme, an annual leave allowance of 30 days pro rata plus 6
fixed ‘Director’s Days’ and season ticket loan.
The post-holder will be based in the Department of Global Health and Development.
Background
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.
Organisation and Management
There are three academic faculties, one principally concerned with infectious and tropical
diseases (Faculty of Infectious and Tropical Diseases) and two with public health (Faculty of
Epidemiology & Population Health and Faculty of Public Health & Policy).
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 50 - 70 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 Dean of Faculty is appointed in a similar manner but for an initial period of up to five
years.
The Faculty currently has a staff of 23 professors, 2 readers, 31 senior lecturers, 60
lecturers, 106 research fellows and assistants, about 34 computing, administrative and
secretarial staff, and a number of honorary staff.
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).
Masters 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 and Global
Health Policy, introduced in 2011/12.
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 and 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 low- and 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. Members of the Department also edit the
journal Health Policy and Planning
The Department is structured according to three research groups, ie: Health Economics and
Systems Analysis (HESA); Anthropology, Politics and Policy (APP) and Social and
Mathematical Epidemiology (SaME). The advertised post will be within the Anthropology,
Politics and Policy group.
The Anthropology, Politics and Policy group strives to conduct world-class 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. We currently work in four thematic areas: The political nature of health
policy issues; Governance of health; Decision making processes in health policy;
Anthropological research on public health and policy issues.
Duties of the post
Research

to develop and lead, in collaboration with others in the LSHTM, GHD and APP, a
major programme of research in anthropology and global public health.

to lead, in collaboration with other anthropologists in the faculty, in the development
of anthropologically led research in the field global public health research

to promote anthropological approaches to public health in GHD, PHP and across
LSHTM through the organisation of seminars, an active role in Centres at LSHTM
and overseas.

to provide leadership and mentorship to anthropologists working at LSHTM through
organising regular meetings and discussion groups and through remote
communication with anthropological staff based overseas as well as by representing
the interests and requirements of anthropologists at management levels

to publish high-impact peer-reviewed journal articles, books and other appropriate
media, including conference presentations nationally and internationally

to develop collaborative research activities with staff in the Department, Faculty, and
School, as well as nationally and internationally

to obtain external funding through research grants, fellowships and consultancies

to contribute towards the School’s strategic aims, particularly to understand social
factors that influence health; to work constructively with other disciplines and across
faculties; and to strengthen the School’s work in evaluation that informs policy and
practice
Teaching

to participate in the teaching programme of the Faculty of Public Health & Policy,
LSHTM (up to 15% of available time).

to supervise up to three research degree (MPhil/PhD; DrPH) students and be an
advisory board member for other students registered at LSHTM who are undertaking
a social research.
Citizenship

to undertake a management task at Departmental, Faculty or School level (eg
Department Research Degrees Coordinator, Chair of a School Working Group,
Department Head)

to contribute to the life and reputation of the Department, Faculty and School by
participating in committees and other group activities, within the School as well as
nationally and internationally.

to facilitate any other activities that will help to achieve the Department's objectives.

to contribute to the income of the Department and Faculty.

to provide and update quarterly a personal page on the School’s website.
Person specification
Essential:

a higher research degree in Anthropology

an established international reputation in anthropology with expertise in its
application to global public health

proven ability to obtain major research funding, and to initiate and manage research
projects

active and ongoing engagement in anthropological field research in relation to global
public health

established links with field sites and institutions in low and/or middle income
countries

experience of the design and conduct of empirical studies in anthropology as applied
to public health

proven ability to lead and strengthen anthropology in an academic environment

proven ability to work successfully across disciplinary boundaries

evidence of contributions both to theoretical developments in anthropology and the
development of applied anthropological approaches to public health

evidence of high quality published research

proven ability in teaching anthropology at post-graduate level

experience in the supervision of research degree students to successful completion
Desirable:

proven ability to develop, lead and manage an academic group

proven ability to teach anthropology to graduates in other disciplines
Accountability
The post-holder will work collaboratively with the Head of APP and will be formally
responsible to the Head of the Department of Global Health and Development (Prof Kara
Hanson), and, through him/her to the Dean of the Faculty of Public Health & Policy (Prof
Richard Smith) and, ultimately, the Director of the School.
Salary and conditions of appointment
In accordance with current LSHTM policy, the post will be a full-time appointment. A review
will be undertaken in the fourth year of the initial contract in accordance with the School’s
performance review policy.
Salary will be £60,000 including London weighting. Relocation expenses will be payable in
accordance with School policy.