Research Scientist (Health-focused)

About the role

The Research Scientist joins Innovations for Poverty Action’s Applied Research & Methods (ARM) team to lead health‑focused surveys, audits, and impact evaluations for large‑scale infectious disease prevention programs in Sub‑Saharan Africa. The role combines technical survey design, health‑systems expertise, and field research management to produce credible evidence for program partners and funders.

Key responsibilities

• Design coverage survey protocols, sampling strategies, questionnaire content, and quality‑control procedures.
• Serve as principal investigator for surveys, data audits, and health‑facility data extraction, validation, and interpretation.
• Provide technical guidance on health‑system contexts in Nigeria and other West African countries.
• Collaborate with the Survey Delivery Unit on data‑collection platforms, field protocols, and quality‑assurance processes.
• Manage relationships with government health partners and program stakeholders to secure data‑collection access.
• Supervise and mentor field research staff, including enumerators and field coordinators.
• Write and review research proposals, budgets, and funder‑facing narratives.

Required profile

• PhD or equivalent in epidemiology, biostatistics, public health, health economics, or a related social science.
• Substantive expertise in health‑systems operations and facility‑level data quality.
• Demonstrated experience conducting research or fieldwork in Sub‑Saharan Africa.
• Proven ability to design and lead large‑scale surveys and impact evaluations.

Required skills

What we offer

• Opportunity to lead high‑impact health research that influences policy and program design.
• Collaboration with a global network of researchers, practitioners, and funders.
• Professional development in advanced impact‑evaluation methods.