Ebola Vaccine Trials

SOCIAL SCIENTIST: SIERRA LEONE

EBOLA VACCINE TRIALS

The Department of Global Health & Development in the Faculty of Public Health & Policy is seeking to appoint a Research Fellow responsible for conducting social science research for the EBOVAC1 Phase III Ebola vaccine trial in Sierra Leone. The person appointed will be a member of the APP (Anthropology, Politics and Policy) group in the Department which is structured around three research groups.

This is an exciting opportunity to be involved in the EBOVAC1 project that comprises a set of clinical trials to evaluate safety and immunogenicity of two Ebola vaccines. The project is a collaboration between LSHTM, Janssen Crucell, University of Oxford, INSERM and collaborating research partners in Africa, including the Medical Research Council/Uganda Virus Research Institute (MRC/UVRI), Kenya AIDS Vaccine Initiative (KAVI) and the Mwanza Intervention Trials Unit (MITU) in Tanzania.

The post-holder will be employed as a staff member of the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine within the Faculty of Public Health & Policy and will be based full-time in Sierra Leone. Applicants should have a post graduate qualification in medical anthropology or a related field. The post-holder will work in close collaboration with senior social scientists and will supervise a social science team in Sierra Leone; conduct high quality social science utilising anthropological approaches including data collection, analysis and dissemination; provide rapid feedback to senior investigators on findings emerging from the research and support the development of effective community engagement with the trial.

The post is available from September 1st 2016 and the contract duration will until 30th November 2017. The appointment will be made on LSHTM’s Academic Pathway scale at Grade 6 (£37,477 - £42,560 per annum inclusive). Applications should be made on-line via our website at jobs.lshtm.ac.uk. The reference for this post is ITD-CRD-XXX. Any queries regarding the application process may be addressed to or . The closing date for applications for this post is ???.

Applications should include the names and email contacts of two referees who can be contacted immediately if shortlisted. Interviews are expected to be held shortly after the closing date. 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

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 10 research institutions in the country in the Times Higher Education’s 'table of excellence', which is based on the 2014 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 3,500 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 1,600 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.

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 100+ 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 Faculty Head is appointed in a similar manner but for an initial period of up to five years.

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). Master's 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. In the current year the Faculty is responsible for about 271 students on the MScs mentioned above, and 545 distance based students.

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 & 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 and are organised around three research groups: Health Economics and Systems Analysis; Social and Mathematical Epidemiology; Anthropology, Politics and Policy (APP). Academically, there are strong links among these groups with individuals often belonging to more than one group. The post advertised will be located in the Anthropology, Politics and Policy (APP) group. The group conducts 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.

- See more at:

Members of the Department also edit the journal Health Policy and Planning

JOB DESCRIPTION

Post:Social Scientist: Sierra Leone

Responsible to:Dr Shelley Lees, Co-Investigator, EBOVAC1 Project

Grade:Research Fellow, full-time (based in Sierra Leone)

Overall Purpose of the job

Based in Sierra Leone, the post-holder will conduct social science research with trial participants and people from the communities in which the trials will be conducted. This research will examine understandings and experiences of Ebola Virus Disease (EVD) and vaccines, perspectives of the vaccine and the trials as well as rumours and concerns. Traditional social science methods will be used to ensure an in-depth exploration is conducted and wider lessons can be learned from the recent Ebola outbreak and any future outbreaks of this and other new infectious diseases.

Key Responsibilities for Post Holder

Recruit and manage a national social science team in Sierra Leone.

Work in close liaison with senior social scientists at LSHTM to conduct high quality social science research during all stages of the trial

Lead and/or assist in the development of publications and other outputs arising from the research.

Engage with members of the wider academic community, especially anthropologists through the Ebola Response Anthropology Platform, on the emerging issues related to the Ebola outbreak and responses to it.

Respond to internal and external requests for information about the research.

Contribute to the schools’ postgraduate teaching programme, as feasible (normally 10% to 15% of time).

Contribute to the academic life of the Global Health & Development Department and the Faculty of Public Health & Policy.

Undertake other duties as may be required that are consistent with the nature and grade of the post.

PERSONAL SPECIFICATION

Essential

Masters level qualification in medical anthropology or a closely-related field.
Experience working as a social scientist with at least time based in sub-Saharan Africa.
Practical experience in the management of social science research teams.
Proven experience of conducting analysis and experience with qualitative data analysis software.
Willingness to be based in Sierra Leone.
Evidence of having worked effectively both independently and as a member of a multidisciplinary scientific team.
Proven ability to use initiative and judgement to anticipate potential issues and solve problems.
High level of personal motivation and flexibility.
Display a professional attitude towards colleagues, students and others.
Excellent interpersonal skills and a willingness to work with others to overcome problems as and when they arise.
Evidence of having worked effectively in a multicultural environment.
Excellent written and oral communication skills in English.
Ability to start work for LSHTM as soon as possible.

Desirable

Proven experience of conducting social science research of or within clinical trials.
Publications commensurate with research fellow level.
Good knowledge of social perspectives of Ebola Virus Disease.

SALARY AND CONDITIONS OF APPOINTMENT

The post is available from 1st September 2016 and the contract duration will be until 30th November 2017. The appointment will be made on LSHTM’s Academic Pathway scale with a starting salary at Grade 6 (£37,477 - £42,560 per annum inclusive). The post will be subject to LSHTM terms and conditions of service. Membership of the Universities Superannuation Scheme (USS) 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.

The advertisement of this post does not meet the resident labour market test, therefore the School would not be able to apply for a Certificate of Sponsorship. Thus, it is unlikely that the School 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 via our website at jobs.lshtm.ac.uk. The reference for this post is ITD-CRD-XX. Any queries regarding the application process may be addressed to or .

The closing date for applications for this post is ??. Interviews are expected to be held shortly after the closing date.

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.