Call for PhD Candidate
Air Pollution and Build Environment Terms of Reference
I. Post Details
Primary Institution: Lund University (LU), Sweden & Jimma University (JU,) Ethiopia
Supporting institutions: Ethiopian Public Health Institute (EPHI), Ethiopia, Norwegian Institute
of Public Health (NIPH), Norway
Location: Ethiopia and Sweden
Expected duration: 48 months (36 months in Ethiopia, 12 months in Sweden)
Number of PhD candidates: 1
II. About the ENABLE Project
The “Enabling Environments for NCD Risk Reduction in Ethiopia” (ENABLE) project is funded
by the European Union under Horizon Europe (Grant agreement ID: 101137232). ENABLE aims
to reduce the burden of non-communicable diseases (NCDs) in Ethiopia by reducing the lifelong prevalence of major NCD risk factors among pregnant women through multi-level actions
to promote healthy diets, and physical activity and reduce exposure to air pollution in a clean
and supportive urban environment.
The project is coordinated by the Norwegian Institute of Public Health (NIPH) and the
Ethiopian Public Health Institute (EPHI), and the consortium is comprised of 9 more
international and Ethiopian partners. From Ethiopia, Jimma University (JU), Haramaya
University (HU), and Addis Continental Institute of Public Health (ACIPH), along with
international partners from the University of Oslo (UiO), Lund University (LU), Uppsala
University (UU), Wageningen University (WU), Vital Strategies, and Nigerian Institute of
Medical Research (NIMR).
IV. Research Questions:
The ENABLE project is dedicated to the implementation of pragmatic and effective
interventions for promoting healthy diets, and physical activity and reducing exposure to air
pollution within a health-promoting urban environment for pregnant women and their
families from the antenatal care entry point, as well as from the community. In line with this,
the goal of this specific PhD research is to understand, assess, and promote healthy urban
environments among pregnant women in four Ethiopian cities, namely Harar, Jimma, Adama,
and Addis Ababa. This endeavor underscores a comprehensive approach encompassing
context understanding, adaptation, and tailoring, along with robust implementation and
continuous monitoring. To do this, the PhD candidate will engage in the following activities:
1. Context understanding and needs assessment:
• Identify stakeholders’ attitudes and perspectives on air pollution, build environment
and other environmental determinants of NCDs in the four Ethiopian cities.PhD Candidate-
Stakeholders can include pregnant women and other family members, community
leaders, health care providers and their supervisors.
• To understand current awareness and perceptions about environmental determinants
of health, including air pollution (household and ambient pollution).
• To assess the main challenges and opportunities related to pregnant mothers and
other stakeholders’ access to the safe cooking and living environment.
2. Innovative adaptation of interventions:
• Review evidence-based interventions and strategies in air pollution and built
environments and adapt these to the specific needs and preferences of the target
population. A focus will be given to health systems interventions to understand the
context.
3. Implementation and facilitation of behavior change
• Develop the implementation plan and training modules for health workers to deliver
tailored interventions at the facility level and community level.
• Implement the ENABLE Program, incorporating tailored and evidence-based
interventions designed to enhance awareness, and accessibility to clean cooking and
living environment options for pregnant women and their families.
4. Monitoring and evaluation
• Develop a monitoring and evaluation framework to assess the impact of the
intervention on behaviors, knowledge, and improved practices among pregnant
women and their families as part of implementation research.
• Collect and analyze data on key indicators, such as level of ambient and indoor air
pollution, awareness of the risk of air pollution, facilitators, and barriers to the adapted
behavior, to measure the success of the program.
V. REQUIREMENTS AND QUALIFICATIONS of the PhD candidate
Education:
Candidates must meet one of the following educational requirements:
• A minimum of 2 years Masters’ degree in a relevant field, such as Public Health,
Environmental Health and Environmental Engineering
Professional experience:
• Minimum of two years’ experience of work after postgraduate study
• Excellent methodological skills (including data analysis, big data analysis), using
statistical software like STATA or R software or others
• Experience in designing, conducting, and analyzing both qualitative and quantitative
researchPhD Candidate-
• Excellent presentation skills, and ability to engage technical and non-technical
audiences including policy stakeholders in interpreting research findings.
• Proven track record in academia or research mainly with Environmental health
• Ability to interact in different cultural and professional environments and to create
good working relationships at local and (inter)national levels.
• Fluent in English (both reading, writing, and speaking) and able to speak, read and
write in Amharic and Afaan Oromo
VI. Desirable skills and competencies
▪ Experience with methods of implementation of science and research projects or
implementation of interventions in the field could be very beneficial
▪ Have the capacity to work in a diverse multidisciplinary team.
▪ Knowledge of digital data collection platforms like ODK, CSPro, etc., data management
skills
▪ Experience in undertaking fieldwork including supervision of field teams
▪ Handle and analyze data to provide high-quality technical reports, briefs, and
publications.
▪ Scientific article writing skills
IX. Required documents:
• Motivation letter (1 page) (detailing eligibility for the position & experience and skills
the candidate brings to the project)
• Resume (CV) with all degree credentials (max 3 pages)
• Concept note on PhD research proposal, with ideas for the project and work plan (max
2 pages)
• A forwarding letter from the employer allowing study leave for the duration of the
project
• 3 referees (at least 2 professional)
XI. ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
The PhD candidate will be supervised by a team of scientists from both Ethiopia and Sweden
and is expected to start within 6-8 weeks after selection. The majority of the time (36 months)
will be spent in the field or at Jimma University on the ENABLE project. The project is also in
collaboration with Lund University, Sweden, hence visits and possibly enrollment will also be
part of the program. Graduation is expected within 48 months of enrollment after successfully
completing and defending a PhD thesis and publishing scientific articles. All qualified
candidates, especially female candidates are encouraged to apply. All applications will be
reviewed, and only qualified applicants will be directly contacted for interviews by the hiring
office and contacted again if selected. Candidates should be willing to relocate and travel to
the study areas in Ethiopia as well as to Sweden. The project does not provide remuneration
to fellows for more than 48 months. Internal candidates from EPHI, Jimma, and Haramaya
Universities are urged to apply.PhD Candidate-
XII. Selection Criteria:
A committee will review all related documents based on the above requirements and invite
shortlisted candidates for an interview and a presentation of their project ideas in an online
interview in April 2024.
XII. Value/Fee of the award:
Fellowship for the duration of time spent on fieldwork in Ethiopia will be covered by Jimma
University. At LU, the fellowship awarded will be in line with LU guidelines for sandwich PhD
candidates during the stay in Sweden for 12 months at different times. In addition, a laptop
and travel-related costs from Ethiopia to LU, Sweden will be covered.
XIV. HOW TO APPLY
Interested and qualified candidates should send their motivation letter, CV, and concept note,
along with the names of three referees by 10 April 2024 to Prof. Gudina Terefe Tucho
(guditerefe@gmail.com), Dr. Ebba Malmqvist (ebba.malmqvist@med.lu.se), Dr. Christina
Isaxon (christina.isaxon@design.lth.se) and Mrs. Tara Kelly Dolgner
(TaraKelly.Dolgner@fhi.no) with the subject line mentioning “PhD Candidate – Air Pollution,
and Build Environment”. The personal information provided in your application may be
shared within the project team and with others acting on behalf of this project to provide
employment support services such as pre-screening of applications, assessment tests,
background checks, and other related services. Applicants submitting after the deadlines will
not be considered for evaluation.
Call for PhD Candidate
Physical Activity and Built Environment Terms of Reference
I. Post details
Primary Institution: Lund University (LU), Sweden & Jimma University (JU,) Ethiopia
Supporting institutions: Ethiopian Public Health Institute (EPHI), Ethiopia, Norwegian Institute
of Public Health (NIPH), Norway
Location: Ethiopia and Sweden
Expected duration: 48 months (36 months in Ethiopia, 12 months in Sweden)
Number of PhD candidates: 1
II. About the ENABLE Project
The “Enabling Environments for NCD Risk Reduction in Ethiopia” (ENABLE) project is funded
by the European Union under Horizon Europe (Grant agreement ID: 101137232). ENABLE aims
to reduce the burden of non-communicable diseases (NCDs) in Ethiopia by reducing the lifelong prevalence of major NCD risk factors among pregnant women through multi-level actions
to promote healthy diets, and physical activity and reduce exposure to air pollution in a clean
and supportive urban environment.
The project is coordinated by the Norwegian Institute of Public Health (NIPH) and the
Ethiopian Public Health Institute (EPHI), and the consortium is comprised of 9 more
international and Ethiopian partners. From Ethiopia, Jimma University (JU), Haramaya
University (HU), and Addis Continental Institute of Public Health (ACIPH), along with
international partners from the University of Oslo (UiO), Lund University (LU), Uppsala
University (UU), Wageningen University (WU), Vital Strategies, and Nigerian Institute of
Medical Research (NIMR).
IV. Research Questions:
The ENABLE project is dedicated to the implementation of pragmatic and effective
interventions for promoting healthy diets, physical activity, access to green space, and
reducing exposure to air pollution and heat stress within a health-promoting urban
environment for pregnant women and their families from the antenatal care entry point, as
well as from the community. In line with this, the goal of this specific PhD research is to
understand, assess, and promote healthy urban environments among pregnant women in
four Ethiopian cities, namely Harar, Jimma, Adama, and Addis Ababa, with a special focus on
the promotion of physical activity among pregnant women. This endeavor underscores a
comprehensive approach encompassing context understanding, adaptation, and tailoring,
along with robust implementation and continuous monitoring. To do this, the PhD candidate
will engage in the following activities:
1. Context understanding and needs assessment:PhD Candidate – Physical Activity and Build Environment Page 2 of 4
• Identify stakeholders’ attitudes and perspectives on physical activity and their
interaction with build environments in the four Ethiopian cities. Stakeholders can
include pregnant women and other family members, community leaders, health care
providers and their supervisors.
• To understand current awareness and perceptions about physical activities and built
environment and their association with NCDs risks in pregnancy and early life.
• To assess the main challenges and opportunities related to pregnant mothers’ access
to physical activities and safe urban environments.
2. Innovative adaptation of interventions:
• Review evidence-based interventions and strategies in physical activities, heat
exposure, and access to greenspace for better health and adapt these to the specific
needs and preferences of the target population (pregnant women). Special focus is
given to measures and interventions on health promotion delivered through public
health systems.
3. Implementation and facilitation of behavior change
• Develop the implementation plan and training modules for health workers to deliver
the tailored intervention at the facility level and community level.
• Implement the ENABLE Program, incorporating evidence-based interventions
promoting an active lifestyle within a health-promoting environment.
4. Monitoring and evaluation
• Develop a monitoring and evaluation framework to assess the impact of the
intervention on behaviors, knowledge, and improved physical activities and reduced
heat stress among pregnant women and their families as part of implementation
research.
• Collect and analyze data on key indicators, such as level and type of physical activities,
duration and intensity of physical activities, Physical activities knowledge, and
acceptance of physical activities to measure the success of the program.
• Collect data on maternal addresses and analyze data related to access to green spaces
and meteorological data and health.
V. Requirements and Qualifications of the PhD candidate
Education:
Candidates must meet one of the following educational requirements:
• A minimum of 2 years Master’s degree in a relevant field, such as Public Health,
Environmental Health and Environmental EngineeringPhD Candidate – Physical Activity and Build Environment Page 3 of 4
Professional experience:
• Minimum of two years’ experience of work after postgraduate study
• Excellent methodological skills (including data analysis, big data analysis), using
statistical software like STATA or R software or others.
• Experience in designing, conducting, and analyzing both qualitative and quantitative
research.
• Excellent presentation skills, and ability to engage technical and non-technical
audiences including policy stakeholders in interpreting research findings.
• Proven track record in academia or research
• Ability to interact in different cultural and professional environments and to create
good working relationships at local and (inter)national levels.
• Fluent in English (reading, writing, speaking) and able to speak, read, and write in
Amharic and Afaan Oromo
VI. Desirable skills and competencies
▪ Experience with methods of implementation science and research projects or
implementation of interventions in the field could be very beneficial.
▪ Have the capacity to work in a diverse multidisciplinary team.
▪ Knowledge of digital data collection platforms like ODK, CSPro, etc., data management
skills
▪ Experience in undertaking fieldwork including supervision of field teams.
▪ Handle and analyze data to provide high-quality technical reports, briefs, and
publications.
▪ Scientific article writing and presentation skills.
▪ Experience in health promotion and reproductive health services.
IX. Required documents:
• Motivation letter (1 page) (detailing eligibility for the position & experience and skills
the candidate brings to the project)
• Resume (CV) with all degree credentials (max 3 pages)
• Concept note on PhD research proposal, with ideas for the project and work plan (max
2 pages)
• A forwarding letter from the employer allowing study leave for the duration of the
project
• 3 referees (at least 2 professionals)
XI. ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
The PhD candidate will be supervised by a team of scientists from both Ethiopia and Sweden
and is expected to start within 6-8 weeks after selection. The majority of the time (36 months)
will be spent in the field or at Jimma University on the ENABLE project. The project is also in
collaboration with Lund university, Sweden, hence visits and possibly enrollment will also be
part of the program. Graduation is expected within 48 months of enrollment after successfullyPhD Candidate – Physical Activity and Build Environment Page 4 of 4
completing and defending a PhD thesis and publishing scientific articles. All qualified
candidates, especially female candidates are encouraged to apply. All applications will be
reviewed, and only qualified applicants will be directly contacted for interviews by the hiring
office and contacted again if selected. Candidates should be willing to relocate and travel to
the study areas in Ethiopia as well as to Sweden. The project does not provide remuneration
to fellows for more than 48 months. Internal candidates from EPHI, Jimma, and Haramaya
Universities are urged to apply.
XII. Selection Criteria:
A committee will review all related documents based on the above requirements and invite
shortlisted candidates for an interview and a presentation of their project ideas in an online
interview in April 2024.
XII. Value/Fee of the award:
Fellowship for the duration of time spent on fieldwork in Ethiopia will be covered by Jimma
University. At LU, the fellowship awarded will be in line with LU guidelines for sandwich PhD
candidates during their stay in Sweden for 12 months at different times. In addition, a laptop
and travel-related costs from Ethiopia to LU, Sweden will be covered.
XIV. HOW TO APPLY
Interested and qualified candidates should send their motivation letter, CV, and concept note,
along with the names of three referees by 10 April 2024 to Prof. Gudina Terefe Tucho
(guditerefe@gmail.com ), Prof. Demisew Amenu Sori (demisame5@gmail.com), Dr. Ebba
Malmqvist (ebba.malmqvist@med.lu.se), Ass. Professor Kristoffer Mattisson
(kristoffer.mattisson@med.lu.se) and Mrs. Tara Kelly Dolgner (TaraKelly.Dolgner@fhi.no)
with the subject line mentioning “PhD Candidate – Physical Activity and Build Environment”.
The personal information provided in your application may be shared within the project team
and with others acting on behalf of this project to provide employment support services such
as pre-screening of applications, assessment tests, background checks, and other related
services. Applicants submitting after the deadlines will not be considered for evaluation.