Health-focused Research Scientist – IPA

About the role

The Research Scientist joins IPA’s Applied Research & Methods team to lead health‑focused coverage surveys, data audits, and impact evaluations for large‑scale infectious disease prevention programs in Sub‑Saharan Africa.

Key responsibilities

• Design coverage survey protocols, sampling strategies, questionnaire development, and quality‑control procedures.
• Serve as principal investigator for evaluations, surveys, data audits, and health‑facility data extraction and validation.
• 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.
• Manage relationships with government health partners and program stakeholders to secure access for data collection.
• Supervise and mentor field research staff, including enumerators 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 related social science.
• Substantive expertise in health systems and facility‑level data quality.
• Demonstrated experience conducting research or fieldwork in Sub‑Saharan Africa.
• Experience writing research proposals and managing culturally diverse research teams.
• Publications in public health, malaria, measurement, or survey research methods.

Required skills

• Survey design and sampling methodology.
• Randomized controlled trial (RCT) design and implementation.
• Health systems analysis and data validation.
• Technical guidance on health‑facility operations.