At the Faculty of Business and Economics (FEB) at KU Leuven, the Access-To-Medicines (ATM) Research Centre is involved in offering insights and decision support on topics like access to vaccines, medicines, diagnostics, and information to improve health and wellbeing (SDG3) in an equitable and sustainable way. Our transdisciplinary research team led by dr. Catherine Decouttere and Prof. Nico Vandaele aims to contribute to public health and One Health challenges with a focus on infectious diseases, neglected tropical diseases, pandemic preparedness, and chronic diseases in Africa and Europe. The ATM’s team of PhD- and post-doc researchers represents a diversity of backgrounds that are applied to the modeling of health systems, medicine development and manufacturing, health-seeking behavior, and health impact. Our research approach is based on systems thinking, stakeholder engagement, and simulation modeling of complex systems in order to reach health impact.
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Responsibilities
You will work in a small team on the design and creation of a System Dynamics simulation model for decision support of vaccine development, service delivery, and implementation of a novel humane vaccine against Rabies and Yellow fever in Africa (Kenya). Global and local stakeholders from both the demand and the provider’s side have been engaged in the project. Your responsibilities will encompass managing the project and ensuring its successful delivery. This includes tasks like data gathering, constructing and validating the model, engaging with stakeholders and topic experts, and disseminating project outcomes, including paper writing.
We are looking for a highly motivated candidate with a strong spirit for systems modeling and transdisciplinary research applied to One Health challenges.
The candidate will contribute to multiple projects in terms of proposal development, model development, model validation, and identifying or connecting to relevant data sources or stakeholders. Furthermore, the individual that we are looking for is comfortable with project management such as leading work packages and tasks, writing deliverables, organizing international workshops, as well as coaching PhD researchers.
Profile
We are looking for a highly motivated, enthusiastic, and communicative researcher with a PhD degree in bio(medical) engineering, business engineering, medicine or a related field.
Candidates should have a strong interest in public health (Health Technology Assessments) and One Health as well as proven experience in systems modeling. Experience with stakeholder engagement techniques and participatory research is a plus.
Additionally, knowledge of Julia/Python or GIS is also considered a plus.
Applicants should have an excellent academic record, writing skills, work ethics, and a strong proven interest in systems thinking, sustainability challenges, and transdisciplinary research.
Excellent English communication skills are required.
Offer
We offer employment as a full-time research associate for one year with an extension option or further study and development trajectory.
Starting date: as soon as possible.
You will find yourself in a dynamic and motivating working environment in a growing multi-disciplinary team.
The historic university, founded in 1425, has a top research and teaching standard (http://www.kuleuven.be/english). KU Leuven features consistently in Europe’s top-15 universities and has been elected by Reuters as the most innovative university in Europe for four years in a row.
Interested?
For more information please contact dr. Catherine Decouttere (Catherine.decouttere@kuleuven.be) and Prof. Nico Vandaele (nico.vandaele@kuleuven.be).
KU Leuven seeks to foster an environment where all talents can flourish, regardless of gender, age, cultural background, nationality or impairments. If you have any questions relating to accessibility or support, please contact us at diversiteit.HR@kuleuven.be.
KU Leuven seeks to foster an environment where all talents can flourish, regardless of gender, age, cultural background, nationality or impairments. If you have any questions relating to accessibility or support, please contact us at diversiteit.HR@kuleuven.be.
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