PhD Opportunities in Population Health
Job No:
BI58
Location:
Melbourne
THE OPPORTUNITY
The Burnet Institute Centre for Population Health implements novel, multidisciplinary scientific programs that use cutting-edge epidemiology, high quality laboratory science, excellent clinical and social research, and strong public health principles to address major health problems in Australia, in Asia and the Pacific, with a particular focus on highly vulnerable populations.
The Centre is offering a number of full-time 3-year PhD scholarships with an anticipated start date in 2017. The scholarships provide an opportunity to undertake a PhD working with a dynamic, interdisciplinary team working at the forefront of population health research.
PhD candidates will receive support and mentoring to enrol in a PhD at an eligible university. Candidates will have access to appropriate coursework, in addition to opportunities to attend conferences and a range of professional development activities.
These PhD positions will be tailored to meet the skills, experience, interests, and goals of successful applicants. Applicants are welcome to apply for multiple projects.
Hepatitis C elimination
The Burnet is running several national and world-first clinical trials and implementation projects to enhance hepatitis C testing and treatment. Programs include the development of a community-based nurse-led model of HCV care, scale up of HCV treatment in hospitals and primary care to eliminate HCV/HIV co-infection, and providing directly acting antiviral therapy in the community to people who inject drugs (treatment as prevention). The goal of these studies is to help guide hepatitis C elimination locally and internationally. Within these projects, there are opportunities for two PhD candidates to explore key questions around hepatitis C elimination in key affected populations. One PhD opportunity will focus on testing, treatment, and reinfection among people who inject drugs. The other PhD candidate will focus on testing, care and treatment of people living with HIV and hepatitis C co-infection.
Justice health
The PhD in justice health would suit an applicant interested in complex quantitative analyses of prospective cohort and record linkage data and or a mixed/methods approach. Prospective data are available from a large sample of prisoners with a history in injecting drug use recruited prior to release from prison and followed for two years post-release (and beyond for record linkage data). A range of areas of enquiry are able to be pursued, especially those related to understanding the individual, service access and structural factors associated with the avoidance of potentially harmful health (e.g., a return to problematic drug use) and criminogenic (e.g., re-incarceration, arrest) outcomes post-release and topics related to the improvement in public policy and practice in justice health.
Epidemiology of blood borne viruses and sexually transmitted infections
The PhD in the epidemiology of blood borne viruses and sexually transmitted infections would be suited to an applicant with strong skills and interests in epidemiology and biostatistics. Data for this PhD are available through the national ACCESS surveillance network. Extensive retrospective and prospective individually linked data on clinic consultation, diagnostic testing, risk behaviour and post-diagnosis care are available for HIV, viral hepatitis, chlamydia, gonorrhoea and syphilis for key risk populations. A range of research areas are available for interrogation, including but not limited to understanding the drivers and prevention and care outcomes associated with specific disease cascades of care.
Global health modelling
A PhD in global health modelling would involve joining the interdisciplinary Burnet Institute and the dynamic ‘Optima’ team working at the forefront of infectious disease modelling and health systems financing (http://optimamodel.com/). In close partnership with national and international health agencies, governments, and universities, this research project involves the development and application of mathematical models of diseases, health and financing systems to assist governments and their partners allocate health finances in the most cost-effective manner. Application areas include HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis, malaria, viral hepatitis, sexually transmitted infections, child malnutrition and other areas.
Alcohol epidemiology
A PhD in alcohol epidemiology would focus on alcohol consumption behaviours among young people in Australia. The project will seek to understand changes in young people’s drinking over time, as well as identifying and understanding young people who continue to drink at high risk levels. The applicant will investigate research questions around the role of socio-demographic characteristics, alcohol policies, alcohol marketing, social media, and transport on alcohol-related harms in young people. The applicant will have the opportunity to work with a range of novel epidemiological and biostatistical methods on several projects, including; a cohort of young risky drinkers, online surveys, and ecological momentary assessment data collected via mobile phones during drinking events.
Epidemiology of injecting drug use
The PhD in injecting drug use research is centred around understanding health service utilisation by people who inject drugs (PWID). Linked to Australia’s largest prospective study of injecting drug use, data will be available on how PWID engage with key health services such as general practitioners as well as their use of medications. Alternatively, a study on key health outcomes such as drug overdose could also be pursued. For either type of study an interest in complex analyses of quantitative longitudinal data will be required.
CRITERIA
Essential:
- An Honours bachelor’s degree (First Class), medical degree (MBBS or MD) or a Master’s degree in Epidemiology, Public Health or a related discipline
- Well-developed written and oral communication skills
Desirable:
- Evidence of research experience and in preparing manuscripts for publication
- Prior experience working in public health or epidemiology
International students (i.e. students who are not Australian/New Zealand citizens or permanent residents) are welcome to apply, but would be required to successfully apply for a Monash University tuition fee scholarship to cover annual tuition fees. Please note, it would not be necessary to apply for the scholarship until you were the successful incumbent. If you were successful, we would then help you with your scholarship application.
Burnet Institute is committed to providing our people with a supportive working environment. We value diversity and gender equity at the institute and provide flexible working arrangements for our staff. Burnet is participating in the Science in Australia Gender Equity (SAGE) Pilot of the Athena SWAN Charter in Australia.
REMUNERATION
AUD $26,289 (equivalent to the NHMRC stipend) per annum for living expenses, tax exempt, for three years, and exempt from tuition fees. Medical/dental applicants may be eligible for a higher stipend rate. Applicants will be expected to apply for national competitive PhD scholarships, including NHMRC Postgraduate Scholarships for funding in 2018. Remuneration level will be increased if the applicant is successful in receiving additional University or NHMRC scholarships.
APPLICATIONS
To apply for these position, please complete the details below and attach the following documents:
- Letter of application that addresses the selection criteria outlined above and specifies the projects(s) of interest
- Resume including the names and contact details of three referees
- A copy of your academic transcript(s)
Applications close 17th February 2017 at midnight AEDT (GMT+11)
Burnet is a child safe organisation. The successful applicant may be required to apply for a Working with Children check and/or criminal record check from the Australian Federal Police.