REACT PhD Studentships 2025-2028

Funded by the UK National Institute for Health Research (NIHR), the Resilient and Equitable Health Workforce to Address Climate Threats (REACT) initiative aims to implement a mixed-methods study aimed at strengthening the health workforce in Zimbabwe and Nepal to respond to the current and emerging health impacts of the climate crisis. The study is a collaboration between CeSHHAR Zimbabwe, Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine (LSTM) and HERD International in Nepal. The REACT project is delighted to announce PhD studentship opportunities as detailed below

PhD Studentships

 Students will work as research coordinators on the REACT project in Zimbabwe while they undertake the PhD.
 As research coordinators they will oversee day to day implementation of study activities, including regulatory compliance, fieldwork coordination, community liaison, data collection, data cleaning and assisting with data analysis.
 Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine will be the awarding body of the PhD.
 The REACT project will cover PhD fees, stipend (if not already receiving a salary) and contribution to research support costs. Planned start date is 1 June 2025.
 Applicants should select of one of the proposed PhD topics below and proceed according to the application instructions.

PhD Research topics

Three research topics from within the REACT project have been put forward as PhD projects:

1. A feasibility study to identify attitudes, determine outcome measures, and develop an intervention to inform a definitive trial that will determine the effectiveness of a six-month heat adaptation program for healthcare workers in high-heat environments.
2. Optimizing climate-resilient risk communication: Evaluating the effectiveness of heat messaging and health workforce engagement in rural health systems using a quasi-experimental approach.
3. Gender, climate change, and health workforce dynamics: A comparative study of Zimbabwe and Nepal. Using qualitative methods and gender analysis frameworks, this research will explore the gendered impacts of climate change on health workers in Zimbabwe and Nepal, focusing on how female health workers are disproportionately affected by climate events such as floods, droughts, and heatwaves.

Minimum academic and professional qualification REQUIRED for this job

 Master’s degree in health research, social sciences or related field
 At least three years’ experience in implementation research or health systems research, with demonstrable appreciation of research methods that relate to the chosen PhD topic
 Valid GCP Certificate

If successful, the LSTM admissions board requires

 A copy of highest academic qualifications (certificate & transcript)
 Scanned copy of a current, valid passport, or alternative identification

Please submit:

 CV

 Personal Statement explaining the following:
o Which research topic have you chosen and why?
o Why do you want to study at LSTM?
o What do you hope to gain from your studies?
o How does this application fit with your career plans?
o What skills and/or experience would you bring to the PhD community?
o What long-term benefits do you envisage?

 A proposal related to the topic that you have chosen of a maximum of 1000 words under the following headings:
o Project Title
o Abstract
o Research Context and background
o Specific Research Question(s)
o Research Methods
o Approximate research costs
o References

 2 References

Please submit to vacancies@ceshhar.org