Salary: £39,906 - £42,254 annum
Full-Time, Fixed-term appointment to 30th September 2027
Based in Liverpool with occasional international travel
The Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine (LSTM) is a world-leading centre for research and training in global health.
We are seeking a Post Doctoral Research Associate to co-lead the qualitative research components within the THRIVE project: Transforming Health, community Resilience, and Inclusion in Vulnerable Environments affected by extreme weather events in Malawi - shaping local policy and action to improve nutrition, mental health and well-being among smallholder farming and fishing communities in Mangochi and Zomba.
Main Duties of the role:
1. Design the qualitative research component of THRIVE (work package 1): lead protocol co-development incl. sampling, tools for in-depth interviews, focus group discussions that include storytelling and mapping.
2. Obtain and maintain ethical approvals (Malawi and UK); uphold safeguarding and ethical standards (informed consent, confidentiality, sensitive topic protocols, referral pathways).
3. Co-develop training materials and standard operating procedures (SOPs) for local research assistants and citizen ethnographers with KUHeS/MLW colleagues.
4. Manage transcription/translation workflows and data quality assurance across multiple field sites.
5. Lead thematic analysis, grounded in complexity theory and systems thinking.
6. Contribute to programme reports and cross-work-package evidence summaries.
7. Translate findings into policy briefs and engagement materials; participate in policy dialogues with key partners.
8. Support other activities within the Institute for Resilient Health Systems (IRHS), for example, scientific paper and grant writing.
Additional benefits of joining LSTM:
9. 30 days annual leave, plus bank holidays, plus Christmas closure days
10. Generous occupational pension schemes
11. Government backed “cycle to work” scheme.
12. Affiliated, discounted staff membership to the University of Liverpool Sports Centre
13. A range of additional family friendly policies