Postdoctoral in Qualitative Assessments of Health System Resilience During Crises

The International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) is the specialized cancer agency of the World Health Organization (WHO).

Mission: Coordinate and conduct research on the causes of human cancer, mechanisms of carcinogenesis, & develop scientific strategies for cancer control. IARC promotes international collaboration in cancer research, particularly in low- and middle- income countries, with the aim of reducing the global cancer burden.

In the Cancer Surveillance Branch (CSU) at IARC, we perform systematic and ongoing collection, collation and analysis of global cancer data and its timely dissemination for cancer control. The goal of this project is to provide a surveillance framework for the evaluation of the potential impact of pandemics and other crises or emergencies on the cancer continuum in the short and longer term using the most up-to-date population level data. It also includes the collation and review of policies, practices and mitigation strategies implemented in countries in response to the pandemic. More specifically CSU will:

• Estimate and describe the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on cancer prevention, diagnosis and care and, ultimately, on cancer-related outcomes.
• Examine health policy and system responses to the COVID-19 pandemic and identify best practices to derive recommendations for a more resilient health system.
• Model how mitigation strategies can positively impact cancer services during future crises and use this to develop a tool for countries to plan cancer control activities.

We are actively seeking a highly motivated Postdoctoral Scientist to join our team at IARC in Lyon, France. The successful candidate will contribute to the above-mentioned goals to examine health policy responses to the COVID-19 pandemic and control measures put in place, notably in lower resource settings. This research will involve collecting and analysing data from diverse sources to assess the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic across the cancer continuum, including prevention, screening, diagnosis, and treatment, in low-and middle-income countries (LMICs). The Postdoctoral Scientist will undertake activities within a multidisciplinary team of researchers to develop qualitative assessments of strategies that could reduce disruptions on cancer services in future health crises. The Postdoctoral Scientist will contribute to the dissemination of research findings through peer-reviewed publications and oral presentations.

Desired selection criteria:

• PhD in Health Systems Research, Health Services Research, Epidemiology, Statistics, or Public Health.
• Strong qualitative research and quantitative analysis skills.
• Experience working with mixed-methods studies, qualitative research, and statistical software such as NVivo, R, or Stata.
• Excellent written and oral communication skills, with the ability to convey complex concepts to diverse audiences.
• Ability to be independent while participating collaboratively in the activities of a multicultural team with international partners.
• Strong English language skills (spoken and written). Other language: desirable.
• Prior experience in cancer research or global health: desirable but not required.

Interviews: 18 and 19 June 2024.

Duration: 1 year (expectation of renewal).

Current IARC stipend: 2950 euros/month (net).

Cost of travel for the postdoctoral scientist (and in certain circumstances for dependents) will be met. Dependence and health insurance allowances will be paid, if applicable.

More info: Postdoctoral charter; FAQs.

Motivation letter, CV, list of publications, description of previous research experience, names and addresses of two academic referees to be sent to: Ms Katiuska Veselinovic (veselinovick@iarc.who.int) with reference “CSU-C19-KV” in the subject line of the email.

Application deadline: 9 June (inclusive).

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