PhD Graduate Fellow - Exploring barriers to livestock vaccination in smallholder systems in sub-Saharan Africa: A Mixed Methods Study of PPR Control in Small Ruminants in Mali and Ethiopia.

International Livestock Research Institute (ILRI) seeks to recruit a PhD Graduate Fellow under the Health program to work on a PhD project titled Exploring barriers to livestock vaccination in smallholder systems in sub-Saharan Africa: A Mixed Methods Study of PPR Control in Small Ruminants in Mali and Ethiopia.

The International Livestock Research Institute (ILRI) works to improve people’s lives in low- and middle-income countries through livestock science that contributes to equitable and resilient livestock systems to deliver food systems transformation with climate and environmental benefits. It is the only one of 15 CGIAR research centers dedicated entirely to animal agriculture research for the developing world. Co-hosted by Kenya and Ethiopia, it has regional or country offices and projects in East, South and Southeast Asia as well as Central, East, Southern and West Africa. www.ilri.org

The Health program’s goal is to enhance the health and welfare of farmed livestock, improve human well-being, and protect the shared environment by strengthening control measures for animal and agriculture-associated health risks. The program adopts a One Health approach, recognizing the interconnectedness of human, animal, and environmental health. By addressing disease risks at this interface, the program aims to prevent the spread of zoonotic and emerging infectious diseases that threaten public health and food security. Read more here: https://www.ilri.org/index.php/research/themes/health

The position:

This PhD project will investigate the persistent barriers to effective and equitable livestock vaccination in low-resource settings. Using PPR vaccination in small ruminants in Mali and Ethiopia as a case study, the project will generate insights applicable to other livestock vaccines and settings.

One of the key conditions for the success of the global rinderpest eradication programme was the use a rinderpest vaccine that was highly efficacious in protecting animals against all rinderpest virus strains. Effective vaccines also exist for the prevention and control of major livestock diseases such as CBPP, PPR and ND. Despite the enormous progress made in boosting vaccination coverage, over the past few decades, recent estimates show that coverage for diseases such as PPR and ND are far below the levels needed for population disease control. Many livestock especially in remote areas continue to miss out on vaccines, mainly due to vaccine hesitancy, lack of tools for quality assurance during delivery, logistical and social constraints, including gender inequalities that limit women’s uptake of vaccines, weaknesses in the supply chain with lack of infrastructure including reliable cold chains, and information management as well as vaccine distribution and planning shortfalls, often with an overdependency on underfunded government systems. Furthermore, there are often restrictions on vaccine imports and insufficient domestic capacity to produce quality vaccines in the quantities needed.  All these challenges lead to patchy coverage and poor herd immunity, which translates into ineffective vaccination programmes, resulting in not just uncontrolled disease but also loss of community trust in vaccination programs at large.

Peste de Petits Ruminants (PPR) causes massive losses and mortality across most of Africa and has been targeted for global eradication. Effective vaccines exist for PPR, yet, countries are struggling to achieve PPR control. Focusing on vaccination of small ruminants in Mali and Ethiopia this work will provide insights that will address the universal barrier present throughout development, which is how to get known effective solutions implemented and resourced at scale.

Responsibilities: 

1. To identify barriers to livestock vaccination and propose sustainable solutions, using PPR control as a model in Mali and Ethiopia, two countries with high PPR burden and contrasting systems.
2. Assess the cost-effective delivery of quality vaccines, identifying constraints that affect both national vaccination programmes and smallholder access, with relevance to broader vaccine delivery systems.
3. Evaluate vaccine coverage and immunity levels through field-based household surveys and serological assessments.
4. Investigate farmer-level barriers, including vaccine hesitancy and behavioural determinants of vaccine uptake, using mixed methods approaches.
5. Identify system-level constraints, including supply chain, policy, and regulatory challenges affecting national vaccine delivery and scale-up.
6. Explore investment dynamics, assessing what drives or deters governments, the private sector, and donors from financing livestock vaccination.

Position Requirements:

1. Doctor of Veterinary Medicine (DVM) or bachelor’s in veterinary medicine (BVM), MSc in veterinary epidemiology or agricultural/livestock economics.
2. Good knowledge of livestock systems and animal health delivery models in sub-Saharan Africa
3. Experience with running field work activities, at times under difficult conditions. Engaging and working with smallholder farmers, livestock value chains, or veterinary service delivery in sub-Saharan Africa.
4. Basic knowledge of vaccine coverage assessment or behavioural analysis is desirable.
5. Proven communication and writing skills in English.
6. Working knowledge of French (for fieldwork in Mali) or willingness to strengthen French skills if needed.
7. Familiarity with local languages in Ethiopia (e.g. Amharic) is an asset but not required.
8. Capacity for independent work and critical thinking within a larger interdisciplinary team.

Post location: The position will be based in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.

Fellowship Duration: 3 years.

Terms of appointment and benefits: ILRI will offer a monthly stipend to cover living expenses in the project location, medical insurance, university tuition fees and meet research expenses. The fellow will be co-supervised by ILRI and academic supervisor(s) and receive various capacity development opportunities at ILRI.

How to apply:

All applications MUST include the following (applications not containing these documents will not be considered):

• a cover letter addressed to the Senior Manager – Capacity Development ILRI, expressing interest in the fellowship position and the motivation. The position title and reference number (REF: ILRI PhD/GF/Health/02/2025) should be clearly marked on the subject line of the cover letter.
• CV, including names and addresses (including telephone and email) of three referees who are knowledgeable about the candidate’s professional qualifications and work experience.
• academic qualification certificates/transcripts.

Applications must be submitted by clicking on the “APPLY NOW” tab on or before 26th September 2025.

We thank all applicants for their interest in working for ILRI. Due to the volume of applications, only shortlisted candidates will be contacted.

ILRI does not charge a fee at any stage of the recruitment process (application, interview meeting, processing or training). ILRI also does not concern itself with information on applicants' bank accounts.

To find out more about ILRI visit our websites at http://www.ilri.org

 ILRI is an equal opportunity employer.