The Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine (LSTM) is an internationally recognised leader in global health research and education. We are seeking an experienced Reader or Professor in Anthropology in Global Health to lead world-class research and teaching aligned with LSTM’s mission: “Improving health outcomes in disadvantaged populations globally through partnership in research and education.”
This is an exceptional opportunity for a research leader in applied anthropology who is passionate about advancing health equity, particularly in the Majority world. The role focuses on expanding interdisciplinary research, mentoring researchers, and strengthening global partnerships, especially across Africa and the Global South.
You will join a vibrant and multidisciplinary environment at LSTM, working alongside clinicians, epidemiologists, social scientists, entomologists, and health systems researchers. This is a strategic academic leadership role with significant responsibility for research, teaching, and institutional influence.
Key Responsibilities
Research and scholarship
1. Formulate and deliver a strategic vision for anthropology in global health
2. Undertake and lead internationally excellent research with high translational impact
3. Develop research on themes such as resilience in fragile settings, indigenous knowledge, decolonisation, digital health, and lived experience
4. Contribute to LSTM’s Research Excellence Framework (REF) return
5. Secure major research grants and lead multi-disciplinary programmes
6. Supervise and examine PhD and MSc students
7. Support capacity strengthening and career development for early- and mid-career researchers
Academic leadership and capacity strengthening
8. Develop LSTM’s reputation in applied anthropology through innovation and thought leadership
9. Mentor junior staff and lead cross-disciplinary research initiatives
10. Collaborate with academics globally to build research capacity and infrastructure
11. Support equity and inclusion in research and education
12. Contribute to strategic planning, policy development, and institutional governance
Partnership and programme development
13. Build and strengthen collaborations with partners in Africa and the Majority world, including LSTM global hubs in Malawi, Kenya, Uganda, and Zimbabwe
14. Lead grant consortia and engage with international collaborators
15. Generate research income through strategic bids and contracts
16. Work in partnership with communities and people with lived experience
Research uptake and stakeholder engagement
17. Translate research findings into policy and practice
18. Contribute to public discourse on anthropology and global health
19. Support development of technical briefs, guidelines, and strategic communications
Research governance and operations
20. Ensure ethical, safe, and inclusive research practices
21. Promote good governance in programme delivery and financial management
22. Contribute to LSTM-wide strategies, including those focused on safeguarding and EDI
23. Represent LSTM in external policy, academic, and stakeholder networks
Dissemination
24. Publish high-quality research in peer-reviewed journals
25. Present at international conferences and policy forums
26. Lead thought pieces and influence global debates in anthropology and global health
Qualifications & Experience
27. PhD in anthropology or closely related discipline
28. Established international reputation in applied anthropology and global health
29. Outstanding record of high-impact peer-reviewed publications
30. Extensive research experience in the Majority world
31. Proven success in generating significant external research income
32. Demonstrated strategic leadership in research and partnerships
33. Experience of mentoring academic staff and supervising doctoral students
34. Proven ability to influence policy through evidence-based research
35. Knowledge of resilience, mental health, decolonisation, and related global health themes
36. Excellent communication, negotiation, and interpersonal skills
37. Commitment to equity, diversity, and inclusive practice
38. Willingness to travel internationally
In Return, We Offer
39. 30 days annual leave, plus bank holidays and Christmas closure days
40. Generous pension schemes
41. Cycle to work scheme
42. Discounted University of Liverpool Sports Centre membership
43. Supportive, inclusive working environment