Interdisciplinary Researcher, Project Unleaded

This position is fixed-term for two years with the possibility of extension based on funding availability and programmatic need. It is based on Stanford’s main campus with consideration for a hybrid work schedule (partially onsite and offsite), subject to operational need. Applicants must be authorized to work for any employer in the U.S.

About Us

The Stanford Doerr School of Sustainability strives to create a future when humans and nature thrive in concert and in perpetuity. The school is structured to drive global impact through academic departments, institutes, and the Sustainability Accelerator, which develops policy and technology solutions with worldwide partners. The school prioritizes a diverse community to address environmental challenges, particularly those affecting vulnerable populations.

The Stanford Woods Institute for the Environment, part of the Stanford Doerr School of Sustainability, serves as an interdisciplinary research hub. It supports faculty, researchers, and students in advancing solutions to critical climate, environment, and sustainability challenges through scholarship, partnerships, and engagement across sectors.

The Center for Human and Planetary Health, launched in October 2024 and hosted at the Woods Institute, focuses on research, solutions, and education to improve health and sustainability. Its lead contamination research initiative, Project Unleaded, spans six countries and prioritizes policy-relevant research and engagement with local partners to address lead poisoning at the source. Project Unleaded’s mission is to create a healthier world by:

• Identifying critical lead exposure sources linked with the human lead burden
• Developing, testing, and scaling interventions to eliminate sources of lead
• Advancing lead detection techniques

Project Unleaded seeks a flexible, collaborative interdisciplinary scientist to work both independently and as part of a team. The ideal candidate is an interdisciplinary global environmental health researcher with experience in supply chain investigation, environmental or market-based sampling, and behavior or mixed-methods research.

Responsibilities

• Develop and adapt research protocols for cohort, supply chain, and source identification studies.
• Design, recommend, and oversee implementation of survey instruments and sampling strategies; ensure compliance with IRB, data governance, and international regulatory standards.
• Conduct and coordinate international fieldwork, including spice and product sampling and incentive mapping across supply chains through surveys, sampling, structured field interviews, and observation.
• Develop recommendations to translate research findings into actionable policy and support implementation of evidence-based interventions to reduce lead exposure.
• Coordinate scientific operations, including field logistics, procurement, staffing, training, and quality assurance across international study sites.
• Develop and refine survey instruments and interviewer guides to ensure consistent, high-quality data collection.
• Maintain rigorous quality tracking and chain of custody documentation for all samples collected across supply chain and field sites.
• Engage with quantitative findings from sampling, survey, and supply chain data to support interpretation and reporting of results.
• Contribute to grant writing, fundraising, and donor reporting activities to support the long-term sustainability of the research portfolio.
• Support preparation of peer-reviewed publications, technical reports, and public communication materials for both technical and non-technical audiences.

Qualifications

• Master's or PhD in a relevant field (e.g., environmental or global health, social sciences, or public policy) or equivalent combination of education and field research experience.
• Experience conducting fieldwork in international or resource-limited settings.
• Demonstrated experience designing and implementing survey instruments, interviewer guides, and conducting structured or semi-structured interviews with households, community members, vendors, or supply chain actors.
• Experience with environmental or product sampling protocols, including quality tracking, chain of custody documentation, and coordination with analytical laboratories.
• Ability to work independently across complex, multi-site research contexts with limited on-the-ground supervision.
• Comfort with extended international travel (trips of 2–6 weeks).
• Strong organizational and scientific communication skills, including experience contributing to peer-reviewed publications or technical reports.
• Comfort navigating both rigorous research environments and the practical realities of working with government, NGO, and community partners in low-resource settings.

Skills

• Familiarity with lead contamination, heavy metals, or environmental exposure science.
• Experience with supply chain research.
• Familiarity with IRB processes and international research ethics standards.
• Basic data visualization and summarization skills.
• Proficiency in a relevant language (e.g., Urdu, Hindi, Nepali, Bangla, or others depending on country scope).
• Experience contributing to grant writing or donor reporting.

Core Duties

• Assist principal investigators with designing experiments for research projects with few precedents; conduct experiments involving complex protocols.
• Independently identify and modify standard procedures based on project goals; develop, test, and evaluate new methods.
• Lead or participate in multidisciplinary teams across academia, industry, or different faculties/schools.
• Co-author reports for publication or professional presentation, reviewed by the principal investigator or faculty.
• Present ongoing work and findings at academic conferences.
• Collaborate with the principal investigator to design research approaches and integrate project results.
• Complete project-related administrative and budgetary responsibilities of limited scope.
• Formally supervise and train new staff or students, including hiring, performance management, and instruction on techniques.

Minimum Education and Experience

• Graduate degree in an applicable social science field and five years of relevant experience, or a combination of education and experience.

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities

• Expert-level knowledge and skills in the field of science related to the research project.
• General computer skills and ability to quickly learn new programs.
• Strong analytical skills and excellent judgment.
• Ability to work under deadlines with general guidance.
• Excellent organizational skills and demonstrated ability to complete detailed work accurately.
• Demonstrated oral and written communication skills.
• Ability to work with human study participants.
• Supervisory skills.

Pay

The expected pay range for this position is $100,347 to $124,074 per annum.