Laboratory Specialist, Lead (Pb) Testing and Capacity Building at Resolve to Save Lives

Overview

• The Cardiovascular Health (CVH) unit at Resolve to Save Lives (RTSL) provides technical assistance in developing cardiovascular disease prevention programs to help countries improve their people's heart health.
• Working with our partners to improve the control of high blood pressure, reduce salt intake, and eliminate trans fat from the global food supply, the CVH team has helped save countless lives from cardiovascular disease.

Background

• Lead (Pb) poisoning is a critical public health concern, particularly in communities exposed to artisanal mining, contaminated consumer products, and environmental pollutants.
• Accurate and timely laboratory testing is central to detecting, managing, and preventing lead exposure and its health consequences.
• RTSL is supporting the Government of Nigeria to strengthen national and sub-national laboratory systems to support high-quality Pb testing services in line with national and global best practices.

Position Summary

• The Laboratory Specialist will lead the design, implementation, and monitoring of laboratory capacity building activities for Pb testing.
• This includes strengthening infrastructure, supporting quality assurance, training laboratory personnel, and establishing referral networks for blood and environmental Pb testing.

Duration and Location

• The Laboratory Specialist is a 12-month Independent Consultant position based in Abuja, Nigeria. The chosen individual will be required to travel to implementation sites within Nigeria as needed.

Contract Deliverables

• Provide technical guidance on laboratory testing for Pb in biological (e.g., blood) and environmental samples (e.g., soil, dust, water, paint etc.).
• Lead the needs assessments and gap analyses of laboratories at national and sub-national levels in order to determine laboratory capacities for Pb testing.
• Advise on the selection, procurement, and maintenance of appropriate laboratory equipment and supplies for Pb analysis.
• Facilitate integration of Pb testing into existing laboratory networks and disease surveillance systems.
• Support the development and implementation of training programmes for laboratory personnel on Pb testing methodologies (e.g., AAS, ICP-MS, portable XRF).
• Support the development and dissemination of SOPs, job aids, and quality control protocols in testing laboratories
• Support laboratories in establishing internal quality control and participating in external quality assurance schemes for Pb and other heavy metals testing
• Monitor compliance with biosafety, data management, and diagnostic standards for Pb in human, food, consumer and environmental samples
• Collaborate with government and partners to establish referral systems for confirmatory testing of Pb in human, food, consumer and environmental samples.
• Support the development of data reporting tools and dashboards for laboratory results on Pb analysis.
• Engage with national regulatory bodies, professional associations, and international partners to harmonize protocols and standards for Pb testing.
• Develop performance indicators for laboratory testing of Pb in human, food, consumer and environmental samples and contribute to Pb elimination programme monitoring and evaluation activities.
• Prepare technical reports, training summaries, and documentation of best practices and lessons learned.

Contract Management

• The Independent Contractor will submit all deliverables to the Senior Technical Advisor, Lead Prevention, who will manage this contract and monitor progress towards deliverables.

Qualifications

• Advanced Degree (Master’s or higher) in Analytical Chemistry, Environmental Health, Medical Laboratory Science, or related field.
• Minimum of 5 years of relevant experience in analytical chemistry laboratory diagnostics, with at least 2 years in heavy metal testing and/or environmental samples testing.
• Proven experience in capacity building and training laboratory personnel.
• Familiarity with laboratory quality management systems and accreditation standards (e.g., ISO 17025, 15189, 9001 etc.).
• Excellent communication, coordination, and problem-solving skills.

Other:

• Able to travel within Nigeria for lab assessment at the national and sub-national levels or other convenings, as needed.