Research Scientist (Health Focus)

About the role

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

Key responsibilities

• Design coverage survey protocols, sampling strategies, questionnaires and quality‑control procedures.
• Serve as principal investigator for surveys, data audits and impact evaluations, including extraction and validation of health‑facility data.
• Provide technical guidance on health‑systems context in Nigeria and other West African countries.
• Collaborate with the Survey Delivery Unit on data‑collection platforms, field protocols and quality assurance.
• Manage relationships with government health partners and program stakeholders to secure data‑collection access.
• Supervise and mentor field research staff such as enumerators, coordinators and research associates.
• 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.
• Experience writing research proposals, including study design and budgeting.

Required skills

• Survey design and implementation
• Sampling methodology
• Questionnaire development
• Data quality control and validation
• Health‑systems analysis
• Field research management