24 May Vacancy: PhD Candidate for the SPRINGS Project (Epidemiology/Global/Public Health related)

Posted at 17:59h in All News by

PhD Candidate – M/ F/ X (40 hours)
Interactions between climate change and diarrheal disease, supporting evidence-based policy making
The SPRINGS project, https://www.springsproject.eu

Introduction

This 4-year, fully funded PhD position is embedded in the EU project SPRINGS “Supporting Policy Regulations and Interventions to Negate aggravated Global diarrheal disease due to future climate Shocks” (https://www.springsproject.eu).  SPRINGS aims to better understand the impact of climate change on the burden of water-borne diarrheal disease. It is an extensive international and multidisciplinary project, with involvement of, for example, climate scientists, hydrologists, global and public health researchers, economists, infectious disease specialists, and social scientists from all over the world. Diarrheal disease is a leading cause of morbidity and mortality in young children globally. Climate change threatens to reverse decades of global health progress in reducing diarrheal disease burden. The pathways by which climate hazards, including increased precipitation, flooding, and drought will alter diarrheal disease incidence in the coming years are insufficiently understood, hindering prioritization of future policies and interventions.

What are you going to do?

Aim: To improve our understanding of the relationships between climate change hazards and diarrheal disease to support evidence-based policy making

The candidate will conduct epidemiologic, public health and clinical research to support policy-orientated modelling of the relationships between climate change, diarrheal diseases and interventions, including:

Conducting systematic literature reviews

  • Scoping reviews to identify climate-sensitive mechanisms driving pathogen-specific exposures and diarrheal disease burden.
  • Reviewing and collating literature on the efficacy of existing (environmental and public health) interventions to prevent diarrheal disease morbidity and mortality globally to support evidence-based decision making for policy makers.

Supporting the implementation and analysis of microbial wastewater and diarrheal disease surveillance for each case study site

  • Test climate-sensitive associations between climate parameters, microbial water quality and diarrheal disease incidence.

Working together with modellers to forecast future diarrheal disease burden, population-level vulnerability and the effectiveness of interventions by:

  • Using above scoping reviews and local data collection to help structure, parameterise and build diarrheal disease burden models.

Responsibilities include:

  • Research visits to case study sites to collaborate with partners.
  • Contributing to the preparation and reporting of deliverables of the SPRINGS project related to PhD research.
  • Active participant of the SPRINGS PhD network with regular meetings and with consortium members, participation in consortium meetings and case study meetings
  • Presenting the project results at national and international conferences and symposia.
  • Contributing to the department education programmes and SPRINGS educational network by mentoring and supervising Bachelor and Master theses and tutoring students.
  • Writing and successfully defending a PhD thesis.

Supervision

  • You will be hired by the Amsterdam Institute for Global health and Development and supervised by global health and infectious disease specialists at the Amsterdam University Medical Centers (Dr. Harris and Dr. Voskuijl).

 

  • You will be co-supervised by researchers from the London School of Health and Tropical Medicine (LSHTM) focusing on Public Health and Policy.

What do you have to offer?

Your experience and profile:

  • MSc in medicine (preferred but not required), epidemiology, public or global health.
  • a strong understanding of infectious disease transmission and pathophysiology, public and global health and/or environmental health
  • Programming skills with R (preferred)
  • Flexibility, curiosity, openness and readiness to participate in interdisciplinary cooperation and multidisciplinary development (focused on collaboration with other disciplines) across multiple geographic settings.
  • Critical and independent thinker with commitment to global health equity
  • Ability to learn, assess and integrate key medical and global health concepts in pathogen transmission, host immunity, and sociodemographic determinants of disease.
  • Professional command of English.
  • Ability to work independently, pro-actively and in collaboration with others.

AIGHD Offers

We offer a PhD candidate position within a creative and interactive team for 40 hours per week for 4 years.

We believe in the strength of an inclusive culture and think it is important that everyone can be themselves.

  • A gross monthly salary is in accordance with CAO-VSNU, on a scale with a range between EUR 2.867 and EUR 3.676 based on a full-time contract (40 hours per week), depending on year of work experience and expertise.
  • An excellent job opportunity in a cutting-edge working environment in global health and development
  • 27 holidays per year based on a full time workweek of 40 hours.
  • Yearly holiday allowance of 8%.
  • An attractive collective pension plan.
  • A comprehensive collective health insurance scheme.
  • Working 50% hybrid: completely equipped ergonomic home workplace with a screen and chair.
  • Training & development opportunities.
  • The possibility to work a few weeks remotely
  • Reimbursement of living and work permit (VISA) costs.
  • The opportunity to attend research meetings with interesting topics.

About Us

The Amsterdam Institute for Global Health and Development (AIGHD) strives for equal opportunities for health and well-being for all.

The Amsterdam Institute for Global Health & Development (AIGHD) is a collaborative institute of various faculties and schools of the Universiteit of Amsterdam and Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam with a mission to address challenges in global health and development through research and education. AIGHD conducts collaborative interdisciplinary research on major health themes of global importance in relation to human development and aims to educate and inspire the next generation of global health leaders at undergraduate, post-graduate, and professional levels. AIGHD aspires to accelerate progress on global health objectives by sharing knowledge and insights with global agencies, governments, NGOs, and the scientific community.

Do you recognize yourself in the profile and do you want to contribute to AIGHD’s mission? Please send your motivation letter and resume to Cindy Sardjoe, hrsupport@aighd.org, before Friday 26 June 2024. We will only process applications that include a motivation letter.

More information on AIGHD and our projects can be found on www.aighd.org.

Contact

Do you have any questions, or do you require additional information? Please contact:

  • E: Vanessa Harris, MD PhD, Assistant Professor, v.c.harris@amsterdamumc.nl
    T: +31 20 566 9111, secretariat infectious diseases or +31 20 210 3960, AIGHD

 

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