Post Doc Fellow (Social & Environmental Sciences), Pathology and Laboratory Medicine

Post Doc Fellow (Social & Environmental Sciences), Pathology and Laboratory Medicine

Entity: Medical College

Introduction:

Aga Khan University chartered in 1983 as Pakistan's first private international university, is committed to the provision of education, research, and health care of international standards relevant to Pakistan and the region. The affiliated Aga Khan University Hospital provides state-of-the-art clinical facilities and well-equipped diagnostic services. The University currently has teaching sites in Pakistan, East Africa, the United Kingdom, and Afghanistan, and is a major component of Aga Khan Development Network.

As an equal opportunity employer, AKU believes in promoting a diverse and inclusive culture and is committed to adopt appropriate standards for safeguarding and promoting a respectful relationship with and between diverse workforce of its faculty, staff, trainees, volunteers, beneficiaries, wider communities, and other stakeholders with whom it works, including children and vulnerable adults and expects all employees/trainees and partners to share this commitment.

The Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine at the Aga Khan University is a unique/distinguish establishment which serves the clinical laboratory of Aga Khan University Hospital with academic interest. This department is heavily engaged in undergraduate, postgraduate and technologist training programs. It provides professional training for higher degree in four major areas of Pathology (Chemical Pathology, Hematology, Histopathology, and Microbiology). Currently, there are approximately 61 Faculty, including 3 part time, 2 visiting faculty members, and 41 Residents.

Aga Khan University invites applications for the position of Postdoctoral Fellow (Social/Environmental Sciences) in Pathology & Laboratory Medicine, supporting the Fogarty study on Vector Borne Diseases. This study aims to develop sustainable capacity in vector-borne disease research in Pakistan across interconnected fields such as viral genomics, pathogenesis, vector biology, ecology, social and environmental effects, and disease epidemiology, employing a One Health, collaborative, multisectoral, and transdisciplinary research approach.

This is a short-term grant-funded contractual position.

Responsibilities:

You will be responsible to:

• work within well-defined practices and procedures and perform activities with specific objectives and deliverables within the function
• design and undertake scholarly projects, collect quantitative and qualitative data, perform analysis using tools such as R, Python, and GIS, and interpret findings related to environmental or social issues, including climate change adaptation, food systems, and human–environmental interactions, with specific reference to vector-borne disease spread and prevention strategies in Pakistan
• lead and contribute to publications in high-quality peer-reviewed journals, present research findings at academic conferences, and prepare reports or policy briefs for stakeholders or popular media
• work effectively within interdisciplinary research teams, manage project components, collaborate with external partners or community stakeholders, and support the development of research proposals for new funding
• provide mentorship to junior researchers, graduate, and undergraduate students, and contribute to teaching activities or course development where required
• actively build new skills by participating in workshops and develop an individual development plan in collaboration with mentors to support long-term academic or non-academic career goals.

Requirements:

• completed PhD in a relevant field such as environmental sciences, social ecology, population or public health with an environmental focus, political science, sociology, geography, or a closely related discipline
• prior experience with interdisciplinary collaboration, research topics relevant to the position such as climate hazards, water resources, or sustainability governance, and/or working with specific communities or stakeholders
• demonstrated ability to conduct independent and collaborative research, with strong written and oral communication skills in English
• proficiency in relevant methodologies, software, or analytical techniques, such as programming languages, data modelling, interview techniques, or remote sensing
• ability to work independently as well as part of a team, with strong interpersonal and communication skills.

Comprehensive employment reference checks will be conducted.