Malawi Liverpool Wellcome Research Programme

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Climate Health Lead

  • Blantyre
  • Contract (Full-Time)
  • Closing Date: 15/12/2025

Job Description

Malawi Liverpool Wellcome Research Programme (MLW) seeks a highly experienced Climate Health expert to establish, develop and lead our new research area in Climate Health who shall report to the Deputy Director-Research Strategy. The prospective post holder is expected to deliver, a climate health research initiative that will improve outcomes in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs).

 

We are therefore looking for candidates with backgrounds from areas such as health sciences, populations sciences, social sciences, climate sciences, geo-spatial sciences among others who must lead research and translate science on climate change, health and equity. Further their expertise should cover areas in research and education in climate-health policy, intervention research, biological mechanisms of health impacts from climate change and climate change epidemiology among others.

 

The candidate should be knowledgeable about interdependence of the health of humans, animals and plants which might affect the health of the ecosystems, this is in addition to their being highly regarded in their discipline and able to;

  • Provide strategic leadership in their speciality by having a strong track record of interdisciplinary, team-based science including publications in peer reviewed journals,
  • Demonstrate success in obtaining external funding
  • Demonstrate strong ability to communicate research findings to media and key audiences including decision makers
  • Lead the Climate Health research portfolio with focus on high impact research and translational science, identifying new strategic trans-disciplinary research opportunities and broadening funding sources to ensure long term success in climate change and impact on health.
  • Strengthen and develop partnerships in this field across the region and beyond
  • Championing on the subject area to MLW, national, regional and global collaborators,

SCOPE

 

In the current seven-year core grant, MLW is keen to establish and develop a strong Climate Health research portfolio based on the following key areas;

  1. Leadership and Coordination where the position holder will take a leading role in leading MLW’s Climate Health agenda and participate through established partner working groups to ensure strategic integration of cross- disciplinary research efforts. The efforts should culminate into developing the Climate Health as an independent research theme in the foreseeable future.
  2. Funding and Partnerships where the expectation is to ensure the holder actively seeks external funding through several collaborative efforts and partnerships to assist with sustainability and success of the portfolio.
  3. Regional and Global Influence: the position holder will be the face of MLW in all matters to do with Climate Health at Regional or Global forums adding value to the global climate healthy policy and public health preparedness strategies.
  4. Preparedness and Sustainability; the role holder will enhance public health preparedness and resilience to climate sensitive health risks in the targeted research zones (low- and medium-income resource settings). This shall be achieved by among other things build MLW (local capacity), supporting Early and Mid-Career Researchers into this subject area.

 

 

Responsibilities

KEY ACCOUNTABILITIES/RESPONSIBILITIES:

 

The major duties and tasks of this job include the following.

 

RESEARCH AND PARTNERSHIPS

  1. Develop evidence-based interventions for climate sensitive health risks.
  2. Support the establishment of the Climate and Health group with a forward-looking strategy of developing a Climate and Health theme.
  3. Collaborate with public authorities and other key stakeholders to develop sustainable health systems tailored to climate adaptation and mitigation in LMICs.
  4. Foster international, regional and in-country partnerships to enhance MLW’s research impact and capacity.
  5. Actively and professionally represent the work of MLW at national, regional and global levels.
  6. Collaborate across research disciplines to initiate opportunities for more funding and generating grant income.
  7. Liaise at high level with external stakeholders and actively participate in high level negotiations to help influence outcomes.

LEADERSHIP AND MANAGEMENT

  1. Take a leadership role in in policy dialogue at national, regional and global level that help effect change based on reliable research led evidence.
  2. Lead and mentor the Climate and Health team at MLW and elsewhere when opportunity allows.
  3. Influence high level internal and external collaborators /partners and demonstrate a record of positive change.
  4. Lead the development and implementation of MLW’s agenda and strategy on climate, environment and health.
  5. Demonstrate an understanding of and influence upon global factors affecting the discipline and work of MLW.
  6. Participate in the overall management of MLW by contributing to relevant committees either internally or externally within country or outside (regional or global).
  7. Ensure that all relevant legal, health, and safety requirements are adhered to by all climate team health members.
  8. Lead and ensure that MLW climate and health is strategically integrated with cross-interdisciplinary research efforts.
  9. Plan and implement climate and health strategies to meet future challenges within MLW and across partner institutions and key stakeholders.

PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT

  1. Establish evidence of a reputation at global level in respect of expertise, innovation and delivery of outcomes.
  2. Maintain broad knowledge of up-to-date research.
  3. Ensure team development through continuous professional development.
  4. Ensure that the team attends all institutional mandatory.
  5. Develop a succession pipe-line by building local capacity at MLW.

HEALTH & SAFETY AND SAFEGUARDING

  1. To follow safe practice, always respecting the safety of fellow workers as laid out in the MLW Health and Safety Guidelines, and any specific departmental safety protocols.
  2. To attend at least once a year, the quarterly scheduled Health and Safety sensitizations.
  3. To immediately notify the Health and Safety team of all accidents, and potential hazards.
  4. To be aware of MLW safeguarding policy/provisions and act in accordance with these at all times.
  5. Promote equality of opportunity and inclusive practice in all aspect of work understanding.

Requirements

Suitably qualified candidates should forward their applications with copies of relevant certificates, 3 traceable professional referees and a detailed CV to vacancies@mlw.mw not later than 15th December 2025. Please ensure that documents are in one (1) pdf file format and to be marked, “CLIMATE HEALTH LEAD-MLW”.

Posted on December 5, 2025

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