Research Scientist

Job Details

The Research Scientist is a member of Innovations for Poverty Action's Applied Research & Methods (ARM) team, which designs and leads technical research for IPA's global program portfolio with a focus on randomized controlled trials (RCTs), quasi-experimental impact evaluations, and survey methodology. This health-focused role designs and leads coverage surveys and program audits for a large-scale infectious disease prevention program in Sub-Saharan Africa, combining technical survey design, health systems expertise, and field research management to generate credible, timely evidence for program partners and funders. The role carries intellectual leadership of coverage surveys, data audits, and impact evaluations focused primarily on malaria prevention interventions, along with other health policies and programs across Sub-Saharan Africa. Reports to Chief Research and Methods Officer (CRMO). Location prioritized: candidates based in Nigeria, then Ghana, Sierra Leone, or Cote d'Ivoire, then Kenya, Uganda, Rwanda, or Tanzania; duty station listed as Kampala, Kampala. Requires travel to program and data collection sites across Sub-Saharan Africa. Full-time (8 work hours). Salary not disclosed.

Key Duties and Responsibilities

• Design coverage survey protocols and audit methodologies, including sampling strategy, questionnaire design, and quality control procedures.
• Serve as principal investigator for evaluations, surveys, data audits, and efforts to extract, validate, and interpret health facility-level data.
• Provide technical guidance on health systems context in Nigeria and other West African countries, including health facility operations and data quality constraints.
• Collaborate with the Survey Delivery Unit on data collection platforms, field protocols, and quality assurance procedures.
• Manage relationships with government health partners and program stakeholders to secure access and support for data collection activities.
• Contribute to analysis and reporting of survey and audit results for program partners and funders.
• Supervise and mentor field research staff, including enumerators, field coordinators, and research associates.
• Write proposals for new research, including study design, budgets, and funder-facing narrative; conduct technical quality review of proposals.

Qualifications, Skills and Requirements

• PhD or equivalent in epidemiology, biostatistics, public health, health economics, or related social science (Required).
• Substantive expertise in health systems, including how health facilities operate, the quality and limitations of facility-level data, and methods for working with facility staff to extract and validate data.
• Demonstrated experience conducting research or fieldwork in Sub-Saharan Africa.
• Experience writing research proposals, including study design and budgeting.
• Desired: expertise in malaria or other infectious disease programs; expertise in measurement and data issues related to nutrition, water and sanitation, vaccination coverage, reproductive health and family planning.
• Knowledge of health systems in Nigeria or other West African countries; experience working in Nigeria or DRC.
• Training and hands-on experience in field survey methods, including sampling design.
• Experience managing culturally diverse research teams.
• Ability to design and implement randomized controlled trials (RCTs).
• Publications in public health, malaria, measurement, or survey research methods.
• Experience teaching or leading workshops on measurement, sampling, or monitoring and evaluation.
• Ability to contribute to growing the health portfolio by building connections to partners and funders.
• French language proficiency desired.