Research Manager - Lead Research for Action

Summary of the organization

LeRA is a high-impact nonprofit working to identify and eliminate major sources of childhood lead exposure in low- and middle-income countries.

Lead poisoning affects one in three children globally. Yet in most countries, the primary sources of exposure remain unknown. LeRA generates decision-relevant evidence to enable elimination of the most important, tractable sources.

We were incubated by Ambitious Impact’s Charity Entrepreneurship program in 2024 and received the largest seed grant in the program’s history.

Our values include

Impact: Our guiding mission is to improve people’s lives by reducing the harm caused by lead exposure.

Transparency: We openly share our methods and findings to maximize the usefulness of our work. We emphasize honesty in all communications.

Cooperation: We partner with others in pursuit of shared goals, and cultivate a culture that is collaborative and low-ego.

Cost-effectiveness: We prioritize strategies that maximize impact while using resources efficiently.

Summary of the role

Research is LeRA’s core product. We focus on questions that will drive the elimination of childhood lead exposure. The quality of our work determines whether governments, NGOs, and other stakeholders can rely on our findings to inform mitigation efforts.

As Research Manager, you will substantially increase the volume of research LeRA is able to execute while maintaining high standards. You will work closely with the cofounders as a thought partner, contributing ideas on prioritization and methodology while taking primary responsibility for implementing and managing studies. You will be the third or fourth member of a growing team.

This role requires both analytical rigor and practical problem-solving: our research must be methodologically sound, but also efficient and feasible in real-world contexts. The research that you manage will identify sources of lead exposure; contribute to our understanding of the causes and relative importance of those sources; and explore possible avenues for mitigation.

This role carries significant responsibility and autonomy. The scope may evolve as LeRA grows.

Responsibilities 

Make recommendations about which projects to pursue, prioritizing using both qualitative data and cost-effectiveness analyses.

Design study protocols in consultation with LeRA cofounders and advisors, balancing rigor, feasibility, and budgets.

Select local implementation partners and manage relationships.

Oversee study execution, including conducting interviews, training data collectors, and testing samples as needed.

Solve the operational challenges that make research possible, including those that may be unglamorous. On any given day, you may find yourself troubleshooting a pXRF; cutting up plastic foodware for lab analysis; arranging in-country transportation; or procuring supplies.

Conduct quantitative analysis.

Translate findings into clear, decision-relevant conclusions while highlighting key uncertainties.

Communicate findings clearly to governments, NGOs, and other stakeholders.

Ensure research outputs are designed to motivate real-world change such as regulation, reformulation, or enforcement.

Qualifications 

At least three years of relevant work experience, and possibly many more.

Strong grounding in research methodology and comfort with data analysis.

Fieldwork experience in low- and middle-income countries.

Excellent written and verbal communication skills, whether presenting to colleagues, government officials, data collection partners, or other NGOs.

Very strong attention to detail.

Comfortable taking on a wide variety of responsibilities, from high-level strategy to detailed practicalities.

Proficiency in languages other than English, especially French, is a plus.

Strong candidates may have extensive research management experience, but we are also open to exceptional earlier-career researchers.