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Background

The Centre for Innovative Drug Development and Therapeutic Trials for Africa (CDT- Africa) is a World Bank supported centre of excellence for education and research at Addis Ababa University, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. The main aim of CDT-Africa is to serve as a platform for equitable access to interventions (drugs, vaccines, diagnostics, and complex interventions) and bring about sustainable development in Africa through high quality capacity development for innovative therapeutic discovery. The centre partners with the Brighton and Sussex Medical School and its parent universities (University of Sussex and University of Brighton), one of the top universities in the United Kingdom. The Department of Global Health and Infection at Brighton & Sussex Medical School, in collaboration with CDT-Africa, has obtained a grant from the National Institute for Health Research to conduct a research project on developing and implementing diagnostic and treatment tools for people affected by skin-NTDs and other conditions in Ethiopia. As part of this partnership, we will be able to offer three PhD fellowships; the first one in the area of complex intervention/implementation research the second one in drug development and the third one in Scabies Geospatial Mapping

Successful PhD candidates will register for their PhD with the Brighton and Sussex Medical School but will be based within CDT-Africa and conduct their research in Ethiopia and have joint supervisions.

Eligibility

Applicants must meet the requirements of the Brighton and Sussex Medical School entry into a PhD program as well as the requirements of Addis Ababa University. There will also be an interview in which colleagues from the Brighton and Sussex Medical School and CDT-Africa will participate.

Entrance Requirements

The PhD candidate will function as a member of the CDT-Africa team to advance research priorities, particularly in complex intervention, drug development and Geospatial Mapping  to advance health equity, innovative methodologies, medical discovery and complex intervention research.

Day-to-day activities include, but are not limited to:

• Conducting literature reviews and synthesizing scientific content
• Analyzing the research portfolio and aiding in the development of emergent research areas Performing data analyses and contributing to scientific manuscripts, reports, and presentations
• Interpreting results from analyses and presenting those data
• Leading or assisting with the planning and execution of scientific workshops, sessions, meetings, and webinars
• Helping to coordinate research tool development with internal and external partners
• Developing methodologies for drug discovery for scabies and other NTDs
• Developing testing methodologies, including clinical trial approaches
• Developing an optimal strategy for mapping scabies prevalence
• Synthesise evidence on NTD prevalence surveys and methods of costings analysis used in NTD mapping
• Develop survey methodology for integrated and standalone scabies surveys
• Contribute towards planning and implementation of an integrated trachoma and scabies survey, and then lead implementation of a standalone scabies survey for comparison, considering the direct financial costs and reliability of the surveys.

Qualifications

• For PhD in Complex Intervention: MSc degree in Implementation Science, Clinical Trials, Research Methodology, MA in Anthropology, MPH, or a related field
• For PhD in Drug Development: should have background in Medicinal Chemistry, Organic Chemistry, Pharmacology with thesis in experimental (Lab based) research or related fields
• Scabies Geospatial Mapping: Masters degree in Field Epidemiology, Public health and other related fields.

Personal qualities

Candidates must demonstrate strong organizational, planning, oral and written communication skills, scientific writing, and project management skills. Effective interpersonal skills and an openness to working in new areas are required, as activities frequently involve novel interdisciplinary, collaborative, team-based efforts. The successful applicant must be a self-starter who is comfortable taking initiatives and who can play a major role in completing several projects. Working in a Center of Excellence, the successful candidate is expected to live the live the values of the Center.

Application

 Application Requirements

• Cover letter describing research interests, professional background, and career development goals
• Resume or curriculum vitae
• Scientific writing samples
• MSc degree, official transcripts, and/or proof of good academic standing on official letter head and signed by graduate program director, advisor, or equivalent.

Other requirements

•  English Language Requirement: Applicants will need to demonstrate IELTS qualification with 7 overall and not less than 6.0 in each section (or equivalent).

Timetable

• The deadline for applications is two weeks after the advertisement is published. Shortlisted applicants will be interviewed at the CDT-Africa office in Addis Ababa with UK partners joining remotely. The shortlisting and interview after the closing date of application will be within three weeks.