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LSHTM Research Fellow and Fully Funded PhD Studentship Opportunities 2026–2027: Data Science, Statistics, Epidemiology and Maternity Inequalities

Nana Safo
LSHTM Research Fellow and Fully Funded PhD Studentship Opportunities 2026–2027: Data Science, Statistics, Epidemiology and Maternity Inequalities
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The London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine (LSHTM) and the NIHR Maternity Disparities Consortium (MDC) are offering exciting opportunities for researchers and aspiring doctoral scholars interested in data science, statistics, epidemiology, public health, health inequalities and maternity research.

These opportunities provide applicants with the chance to contribute to major research programmes focused on improving health outcomes, addressing inequalities and using large-scale routinely collected healthcare data to generate evidence that can influence policy and practice.

There are two closely related opportunities to consider. The first is for Research Fellows in Data Science, Statistics or Epidemiology at LSHTM, while the second is a funded PhD studentship under the NIHR Inequalities Challenge: Maternity Disparities Consortium.

Both opportunities are particularly relevant to candidates with strong quantitative research skills who are interested in using advanced analytical methods and large datasets to tackle important public health challenges.

1. LSHTM Research Fellow in Data Science, Statistics or Epidemiology

The London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine is recruiting two Research Fellows to join the Department of Health Services Research & Policy.

The successful researchers will work within the DELTA core function of the NIHR Maternity Disparities Consortium, a major national programme designed to improve maternity and neonatal outcomes across the United Kingdom and reduce inequalities before, during and after pregnancy.

The position presents an excellent opportunity for researchers who want to develop or advance a career in big data research, healthcare analytics, epidemiology, statistics or health services research.

About the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine

LSHTM is internationally recognised for its work in public health, tropical medicine, epidemiology, health policy and global health research.

Its mission is to improve health and health equity in the UK and worldwide through research, education, partnerships and the translation of evidence into policy and practice.

Researchers joining LSHTM can therefore expect to work in an academically strong environment where research findings can contribute to real-world health and policy decisions.

2. What the Research Fellow Role Involves

The Research Fellows will be involved in analysing routinely collected linked national datasets covering mothers and babies in England.

This means the researchers will have the opportunity to work with large-scale healthcare data and conduct sophisticated analyses to better understand maternity outcomes and disparities.

The role is particularly suited to someone who wants to develop expertise in:

The successful candidate may come from a background in large observational healthcare studies, although experience analysing clinical trials may also be relevant.

The position is therefore not restricted exclusively to applicants whose previous research has focused on maternity care. Candidates with strong methodological and quantitative research experience may also be suitable.

3. Research Fellow Positions and Working Arrangement

There are two positions available.

The posts are:

One position is available immediately, while the second position is scheduled to become available from 1 September 2026.

This flexibility may make the opportunity particularly attractive to researchers who are looking for either a full-time research career or a part-time research appointment.

4. Research Fellow Salary and Benefits

The salary is on the LSHTM Grade 6 salary scale:

£45,728 to £51,872 per annum pro rata, inclusive of London Weighting.

Because the positions can be part-time, the salary is paid on a pro-rata basis depending on the individual’s FTE appointment.

Additional benefits include:

The role could therefore provide valuable experience for researchers seeking to build a long-term career in academic research, health data science, epidemiology, statistics or public health.

5. Who Should Consider the Research Fellow Position?

The role is particularly appropriate for applicants with strong expertise in data science, statistics or epidemiology.

The successful applicant is expected to have a postgraduate qualification, with a doctoral degree ideally preferred, in a relevant field.

Candidates with experience in analysing large observational healthcare datasets would be especially relevant, although applicants with experience analysing clinical trial data may also be considered.

Applicants should be able to demonstrate strong quantitative and analytical capabilities and an interest in using research evidence to understand healthcare outcomes and inequalities.

6. NIHR Maternity Disparities Consortium PhD Studentship

The second opportunity is part of the NIHR Inequalities Challenge: Maternity Disparities Consortium.

The Consortium is offering up to 13 funded PhD studentships across a range of projects hosted by universities within the Consortium.

The programme is designed to develop the next generation of researchers capable of addressing persistent inequalities in maternity and neonatal health.

The studentships are particularly focused on strengthening research capacity in methodological areas where additional expertise is needed.

These areas include, but are not limited to:

The PhD programme is therefore broader than maternity clinical research alone. Applicants with methodological expertise who can apply their skills to maternity inequalities are encouraged to consider the opportunity.

7. About the Maternity Disparities Consortium

The NIHR Maternity Disparities Consortium is a UK-wide collaboration involving:

The Consortium aims to improve outcomes for women and babies before, during and after pregnancy while developing a new generation of research leaders.

Its capacity development programme focuses on building long-term research expertise and strengthening the workforce required to deliver sustainable improvements in maternity health.

Particular emphasis is placed on research capacity in underrepresented disciplines, professions and underserved communities.

8. The Featured PhD Research Project

One of the available projects is titled:

“Developing a unified conceptual and measurement framework of maternity inequalities to inform policy using routinely collected national data.”

The project is based at LSHTM and is identified by the project code:

D1.2_LSHTM

The research will investigate how different forms of disadvantage contribute to inequalities in maternity outcomes.

The project recognises that maternity inequalities can be influenced by multiple interacting factors rather than by a single characteristic.

While existing UK research has extensively examined factors such as ethnicity and area-based deprivation, there is comparatively less research examining other determinants and how multiple disadvantages interact.

The project therefore aims to develop better ways of identifying and measuring these factors using routinely collected national data.

9. Why This Research Matters

Understanding maternity inequalities requires more than identifying which groups experience poorer outcomes.

Researchers also need to understand:

At present, routinely collected national datasets do not always contain standardised or reliable measurements for all relevant determinants of disadvantage.

The proposed PhD will therefore attempt to improve how these factors are measured and analysed.

This could help researchers and policymakers identify vulnerable populations more accurately and design interventions that are better targeted to their circumstances.

10. Main Aim of the PhD Project

The overall aim is to develop a conceptual and measurement framework for maternity inequalities.

The framework will seek to provide a better understanding of:

The research will combine theoretical approaches with data-driven methods and applied studies using routinely collected national datasets.

11. Research Objectives

The PhD project has three major research objectives.

Objective 1: Conduct a realist review and framework synthesis

The first stage will involve a comprehensive review of existing evidence.

The researcher will conduct a realist review and framework synthesis to identify determinants of inequality and develop an understanding of the plausible pathways through which these factors influence maternity outcomes.

This will help establish the theoretical foundation for the project.

Objective 2: Develop standardised measurement and coding frameworks

The second objective involves developing standardised and validated coding frameworks that can be used to measure determinants of disadvantage in routinely collected national datasets.

The project will use data science methods to improve the identification and measurement of factors that may currently be poorly captured.

Particular attention will be given to under-researched factors including:

This component could involve significant data management, coding, statistical analysis and methodological development.

Objective 3: Apply the frameworks to maternity research

The third objective will involve applying the newly developed frameworks in up to three studies.

These studies may examine:

This stage will allow the researcher to demonstrate how the framework works in practical research settings.

12. Expected Impact of the PhD

The project is expected to contribute to maternity health equity research by combining theory-driven and data-driven approaches.

The research could help demonstrate both the strengths and limitations of routinely collected healthcare data when conducting equity-focused research.

A major intended outcome is to improve the identification of populations experiencing multiple or intersecting forms of disadvantage.

Better measurement could ultimately help researchers and policymakers:

  1. Identify populations at increased risk more accurately.
  2. Understand the mechanisms behind maternity inequalities.
  3. Design more targeted interventions.
  4. Evaluate policies aimed at reducing inequalities.
  5. Improve the evidence available to national studies.
  6. Support the development and scaling of effective interventions.
  7. Strengthen maternity health policy.
  8. Apply the resulting methodological approaches beyond maternity care.
  9. Potentially adapt the methods for use in other countries and healthcare systems.

The project’s impact therefore extends beyond the immediate maternity research setting.

13. Funding Package for the PhD Studentship

The PhD studentships provide substantial financial support.

Successful students will receive:

Full tuition fees

Full home tuition fees will be covered at the applicable 2026/27 UK rates.

Annual tax-free stipend

The studentship provides a tax-free annual stipend at UKRI rates.

The stated rates are:

The London rate applies from 1 October 2026 as stated in the opportunity information.

Research and training allowance

Each award also includes a:

£5,000 contribution towards research, travel, training and consumables.

This can provide valuable additional support for activities required during the doctoral research.

14. Duration and Start Date

The PhD programme is scheduled to begin in:

January 2027

The duration can be:

Students will be required to meet the regulations and registration requirements of their host university.

15. International Students Can Apply

International applicants are welcome to apply for the PhD studentships.

However, there is an important financial condition for international candidates.

The studentship covers full home tuition fees at the relevant UK rate, but international applicants must secure alternative funding to cover the difference between UK and overseas tuition fees.

International candidates must also be prepared to provide proof of funding for international fees and immigration costs before their interview if they are shortlisted.

This is an important consideration for applicants from Africa, Asia, Europe, North America, Latin America, the Caribbean, Oceania and other regions outside the UK.

Applicants should therefore carefully assess the total cost of overseas tuition and immigration requirements before submitting an application.

16. Eligibility Requirements for the PhD

Applicants should meet the essential eligibility criteria.

Academic qualification

Applicants must normally hold:

Relevant disciplines may include:

An overseas qualification equivalent to the required UK academic standard is acceptable.

Master’s degree

A Master’s degree or equivalent in a relevant field is recommended.

While the information describes the Master’s as recommended rather than an absolute essential requirement, applicants should assess their academic profile against the specific requirements of the host institution.

Research experience

Applicants should have relevant previous research experience.

This experience may relate to either:

Therefore, applicants do not necessarily need to have previously specialised in maternity research if they can demonstrate strong methodological expertise and explain how their background can contribute to research on maternity inequalities.

Quantitative research skills

Applicants should have strong quantitative research skills and experience analysing complex datasets.

Experience with routinely collected data would be particularly advantageous.

Commitment to maternity inequalities

Applicants should demonstrate an understanding of and commitment to tackling maternity inequalities.

This is particularly important because the project is designed to address disparities in health outcomes and access to care.

Communication

Applicants should demonstrate excellent:

Independence and teamwork

Candidates should be:

17. Who Is Particularly Encouraged to Apply?

The NIHR Maternity Disparities Consortium states that it particularly encourages applications from people who are passionate about maternity health equity and who can contribute relevant methodological knowledge and experience.

The programme specifically encourages applications from:

Applicants should not assume that they are unsuitable simply because their previous academic discipline is not explicitly labelled “maternity research.”

If the connection between their academic background and maternity inequalities is not immediately obvious, applicants are encouraged to clearly explain that connection in their cover letter.

18. Application Process for the PhD Studentship

The PhD application process takes place in several stages.

Stage One: Initial Application

Applicants must submit their application by:

5:00 PM, Monday 7 September 2026

Candidates may apply for a maximum of two projects.

If applying for more than one project, applicants may either submit:

Applicants are required to submit:

The application documents must follow the specified naming convention:

Surname_CV_project code

and

Surname_CL_project code

Applicants should pay close attention to these instructions because failure to provide the required documents or information could affect the application.

APPLY HERE

19. Stage Two: Interview and LSHTM Registration Application

Candidates who are shortlisted will progress to the interview stage.

Shortlisted candidates will also be required to complete the LSHTM RD application process by 1 October 2026.

The national panel interviews are scheduled for:

Thursday 15 and Friday 16 October 2026

The interviews will take place in Newcastle.

Candidates who apply for two projects and are selected to interview for both will, where possible, be scheduled so that they only need to attend one interview.

Applicants should nevertheless make appropriate arrangements to attend the interview dates if shortlisted.

20. Stage Three: University Placement

Successful candidates will be required to register for a PhD at the relevant host institution.

Being selected through the Consortium does not remove the requirement to satisfy the individual university’s postgraduate admission requirements.

Applicants should therefore check the relevant university’s:

Candidates should also contact the lead supervisor if they need clarification about the project or their suitability.

21. English Language Requirement

Applicants must satisfy the stated LSHTM Band B English language requirement.

Candidates should check the applicable LSHTM requirements carefully, particularly if their previous education was conducted outside an accepted English-language framework.

22. Important Dates

Applicants should take note of the following dates.

PhD Studentship

Application deadline: 5:00 PM, Monday 7 September 2026

LSHTM RD application deadline for shortlisted candidates: 1 October 2026

Interview dates: Thursday 15 and Friday 16 October 2026

Expected PhD start date: January 2027

Research Fellow Position

Application deadline: Thursday 27 August 2026

The LSHTM automated application system will accept online applications until 10:00 PM on the closing date.

The Research Fellow position carries the reference:

PHP-HSRP-2026-15

Applicants should quote this reference when making enquiries about the position.

23. How to Apply for the Research Fellow Position

Applications for the Research Fellow position should be submitted online through the LSHTM jobs website Here

The supporting statement is an especially important part of the application.

Applicants must use the supporting statement to demonstrate how their:

meet each of the selection criteria.

Applicants should provide one or more paragraphs addressing each criterion.

Simply writing “Please see attached CV” is not considered an acceptable response.

Because the supporting statement is an essential part of the selection process, applicants should treat it as a central component of the application rather than as an administrative formality.

24. How to Strengthen Your Application

Applicants can improve their chances by making their application highly specific to the opportunity.

For the Research Fellow position

Your application should clearly demonstrate:

Avoid submitting a generic research CV or generic supporting statement.

Instead, explicitly connect your previous research to the DELTA function and the NIHR Maternity Disparities Consortium.

For the PhD studentship

Your two-page CV should prioritise:

Your cover letter should clearly explain:

  1. Why you are interested in maternity inequalities.
  2. Why this particular project interests you.
  3. What methodological skills you bring.
  4. How your previous research prepares you for the project.
  5. Why routinely collected national data is an important area of research.
  6. How your background could contribute to the project’s objectives.
  7. Why you are prepared for doctoral-level research.

25. Research Areas That Could Make an Applicant Stand Out

Applicants with experience in areas such as the following may find their skills particularly relevant:

However, applicants should not assume that possessing one specific technical skill guarantees eligibility.

The Consortium explicitly welcomes applicants with a range of methodological backgrounds, provided they can demonstrate how their expertise can contribute to research on maternity inequalities.

26. Why Routinely Collected Data Is Central to These Opportunities

One of the most important themes running through both opportunities is the use of routinely collected healthcare data.

Routine data can provide researchers with information about very large populations and can allow researchers to examine health outcomes across different demographic, geographic and social groups.

However, such datasets can also have limitations.

Some important characteristics may be incompletely recorded, inconsistently coded or difficult to identify.

This is particularly important when studying health inequalities.

For example, researchers may need better ways of identifying:

The proposed PhD therefore addresses an important methodological challenge: improving the ability of researchers to measure complex and intersecting forms of disadvantage using existing national data.

27. A Major Opportunity for International Researchers

The PhD programme is particularly noteworthy for international applicants because the Consortium explicitly states that international students are welcome to apply.

However, international applicants should understand the financial arrangement before applying.

The studentship provides funding at the home-fee level, meaning international applicants must identify additional funding to cover the difference between UK and overseas tuition fees.

They may also need funding for immigration-related expenses.

International candidates who are shortlisted must be able to provide evidence of the necessary additional funding before their interview.

This makes early financial planning essential for applicants outside the UK.

28. Location and Research Environment

The Research Fellow positions are based at LSHTM in London.

The PhD studentship is part of a wider UK Consortium, meaning the host university and location will depend on the selected project.

For the featured D1.2_LSHTM project, LSHTM is the relevant institution and Ipek Gurol-Urganci is identified as the contact supervisor.

The wider Consortium brings together institutions and organisations across the UK, creating opportunities for collaboration between academia, healthcare services, government-related organisations, communities and other partners.

29. Contact Information

For questions relating specifically to the LSHTM Research Fellow position, applicants can contact:

Ipek Gurol Urganci
ipek.gurol@lshtm.ac.uk

Jan van der Meulen
jan.vandermeulen@lshtm.ac.uk

For application-process questions concerning the Research Fellow position:

jobs@lshtm.ac.uk

Applicants should quote:

PHP-HSRP-2026-15

For more information about LSHTM Research Fellow position, visit HERE

For general enquiries concerning the NIHR Maternity Disparities Consortium capacity development programme or reasonable adjustments for the application or interview process:

nihr.mdc.capacitydevelopment@newcastle.ac.uk

For questions about the featured PhD project:

Ipek Gurol-Urganci
ipek.gurol@lshtm.ac.uk

Applicants are encouraged to contact individual supervisors if they want to discuss the research project or their suitability before applying.

Click HERE to view more information about the NIHR Maternity Disparities Consortium capacity development programme

30. Accessibility and Support

The Consortium states that it wants applicants to perform at their best and recognises that some candidates may require reasonable adjustments during the application or interview process.

Examples may include:

Applicants who require support should contact the Consortium’s capacity development team as early as possible.

The programme also has an equality-monitoring process. Applicants may receive an Equality Monitoring Form during the application period.

The information collected through this process is intended to monitor equal opportunities and is handled separately from the application.

31. Which Opportunity Is Right for You?

The two opportunities are aimed at different stages of an individual’s research career.

Consider the Research Fellow position if you:

Consider the PhD studentship if you:

32. Key Takeaways

These opportunities provide several important pathways into public health and health inequalities research.

The Research Fellow positions offer the opportunity to work directly with large-scale linked national datasets involving mothers and babies in England while developing expertise in data science, statistics, epidemiology and health services research.

The PhD studentships provide an opportunity to undertake advanced methodological research while contributing to the broader objective of reducing maternity inequalities.

The featured PhD project is particularly significant because it seeks to improve the measurement of multiple and intersecting forms of disadvantage using routinely collected national data.

For aspiring researchers, the combination of methodological training, large-scale data analysis and real-world health policy relevance makes these opportunities particularly valuable.

Visit the OFY Website HERE for more fellowship and job opportunities

Conclusion

The London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine and the NIHR Maternity Disparities Consortium are providing significant opportunities for researchers interested in using data, statistics and epidemiological methods to address major public health challenges.

The Research Fellow positions offer an opportunity for experienced researchers to contribute to a major national programme examining maternity and neonatal outcomes across England, with a particular emphasis on analysing linked national datasets and understanding health inequalities.

Meanwhile, the NIHR Maternity Disparities Consortium PhD programme offers up to 13 funded doctoral opportunities beginning in January 2027. The featured LSHTM project will investigate how individual, household and place-based factors contribute to maternity inequalities and will use advanced data science and statistical approaches to improve the measurement of disadvantage.

Applicants should pay particular attention to the different deadlines. The Research Fellow application closes on Thursday 27 August 2026 at 10:00 PM, while the PhD studentship application closes at 5:00 PM on Monday 7 September 2026.

Candidates should also ensure that their supporting statements and cover letters directly address the relevant selection criteria rather than relying on their CV alone.

For international PhD applicants, the opportunity is open to applications from outside the UK, but additional funding will be required to cover the difference between UK and overseas tuition fees as well as applicable immigration costs.

Overall, these opportunities are well suited to academically and quantitatively strong candidates who want to build careers in public health research, epidemiology, statistics, data science, health services research and health equity. They also provide an opportunity to contribute to research with the potential to influence policy, improve healthcare and address inequalities affecting women, babies and families.

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