Mahidol-Oxford Tropical Medicine Research Unit (MORU) is a medical research collaboration between the Faculty of Tropical Medicine, Mahidol University, the University of Oxford, and the Wellcome Trust (UK). Our main research interests are the epidemiology, diagnosis, pathophysiology and treatment of malaria, scrub typhus, melioidosis, leptospirosis and other tropical infections which impose a substantial disease burden on rural populations throughout this populous region. It’s objectives are to conduct research in tropical diseases with the aim of supporting the identification and treatment of these diseases in Thailand and other countries.

Our main administrative office and laboratories are embedded within the Faculty, though most of our clinical studies and much of our laboratory work takes place in ‘up-country’ study sites. MORU is looking for an enthusiastic person to join our team.

Mathematical or Economic Modeller (Trainee)

Train as an epidemiological or economic modeller with Mahidol-Oxford.

We are offering a training positions for talented individuals interested in public health and epidemiology. Specifically, we offer training in two fields i) infectious disease mathematical modelling and ii) heath economics, or a combination thereof. Trainees will join an international team of researchers based primarily at Mahidol-Oxford Tropical Medicine Research Unit (MORU) in Bangkok, Thailand. The trainees will join projects to model strategies formalaria elimination in Bangladesh, Myanmar, Thailand and Cambodia, where each country has parallel training posts. The aim is to train individuals who will work with national disease control programmes and offer decision support analysis on disease control options both during the course of the project (3 years) and beyond.

One trainee will be recruited in Myanmar and will be based in Yangon. Depending on training requirements may spend some or all of the first year based at MORU in Bangkok, Thailand. Options for formal training including Masters or PhD programmes will depend on the trainee.

Mathematical Modelling

This uses detailed understanding of the biology, clinical aspects and epidemiology of infectious disease to build computer-based mechanistic models of disease transmission in populations. These models can be used to forecast future disease burden and to simulate the effects of possible disease control interventions.

Healthcare Economic Evaluation

Economic evaluation or cost effectiveness analysis aims to understand how benefits of a health programme or technology compare with the resources required to implement it. Healthcare economic evaluation seeks to answer the question “How can healthcare funds make the maximum improvements to health for the amount of money that is available? These are complimentary fields and mathematical models can also be developed for economic evaluation and combined with mechanistic mathematical models.

Responsibilities:

  • Understand the background of the studied disease from literature review and published journals
  • Work in collaboration to develop model equations which describes the epidemiology of the disease and test the model
  • Work in collaboration to validate the model using existing data
  • Maintain detailed records of the developing methods, results and discussions and report on progress both verbally and in writing as required
  • Take part in the research related activities in MORU andpresent research results in progress meetings, journal clubs and conferences
  • Prepare to publish the work in an international journal
  • Performs tasks as required by the supervisor

Qualifications:

  • Relevant undergraduate degree in public health or epidemiology or applied mathematics orcomputer programming
  • Enthusiastic and able to work in a team
  • Excellent communication skills in Myanmar and proven ability in English
  • Ability to take responsibility for project workflow
  • Myanmar national

Desired Criteria:

  • Postgraduate degree or equivalent in mathematical modelling or health economics or epidemiology
  • Experience in database design and database maintenance
  • Proven ability in numerical programming in R, C++ or Berkeley Madonna
  • Proven ability to follow programming and code documentation best practice
  • Publication record in mathematical modelling, health economics, epidemiology or a related subject

Salary will be competitive and depend on the experience of the applicant. To apply please send a CV and covering letter to . Deadline for applications is 23rd January 2015. Interviews 28-30th January 2015 in Yangon.