Principal Investigator at Laterite

The Principal Investigator will be a critical part of our research team, combining the responsibilities of technical leadership in quantitative public health research, mentorship of junior investigators, and business development. This role is designed for a seasoned researcher, preferably with a deep understanding of public health or related sectors and a passion for advancing rigorous quantitative (survey) research in the countries where we work, including Ethiopia, Kenya, Peru, Rwanda, Sierra Leone, Tanzania, or Uganda. The Principal Investigator will help shape our research portfolio, support the professional growth of our team, and ensure the quality and impact of our work.

What you will do:

Technical Leadership:

• Serve as a primary technical expert, providing guidance and leadership in public health-focused research on health systems, epidemiology, disease control, health policy, and implementation science.
• Lead the technical development and implementation of a portfolio of research projects in the public health sector.
• Provide oversight and review of technical reports and outputs to ensure high-quality research deliverables.
• Provide hands-on support in the design, pre-analysis, analysis, and writing stages of research projects.
• Continuously contribute to company-wide improvements by designing and implementing trainings and policies that enhance the quality of our research and increase the efficiency of our research processes.

Mentorship and Supervision:

• Offer sustained mentorship and technical supervision of junior researchers throughout the research cycle, fostering their professional growth and ensuring they receive the guidance needed to excel.
• Work closely with the senior management team to develop and implement professional development plans for junior investigators/researchers.

Business Development:

• Actively contribute to proactive and reactive (tender-based) business development by identifying new research opportunities and leading the technical components of proposals.
• Grow our portfolio of research projects by working closely with our business development and communications team to identify new opportunities, growing our network of academic partnerships, and representing Laterite at research/policy events.
• Develop and manage a pipeline of research projects by turning internal research ideas into externally funded initiatives.

Requirements

What you will bring:

• Significant work experience in leading one or more of the following:
• Impact evaluations.
• Large-scale survey-based data collection.
• Implementation science research.
• Quantitative research using advanced statistical methods
• A Master’s degree in public health, epidemiology, biostatistics, health economics, global health, demographics, health policy or a related field is required. A Doctorate is preferred (ABD candidates considered).
• Demonstrated in-country experience conducting research
• Previous work experience in Sub-Saharan Africa or Latin America and a commitment to equitable practices in global research.
• Applicants with local knowledge and experience are highly encouraged to apply.
• Proven ability to secure competitive research funding.
• A strong publication track record of publishing peer-reviewed or gray literature.
• Demonstrated success in research mentorship or teaching.
• Excellent organizational and interpersonal skills with a self-motivation and drive to flourish in a fast-paced environment.
• Proficiency in Stata, and/or R, and/or python.