Laboratory Specialist, Lead (Pb) Testing and Capacity Building

Job title : Laboratory Specialist, Lead (Pb) Testing and Capacity Building

Position Summary

• 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 in strengthening national and sub-national laboratory systems to provide high-quality Pb testing services in line with national and global best practices.
• RTSL Nigeria is seeking a Laboratory Specialist for its Lead Poisoning Prevention project. The Laboratory Specialist will sit within the Healthy Foods and Environments team of the Cardiovascular Health Program. The role holder would lead the design, implementation, and monitoring of laboratory capacity building activities for Pb testing, including biological, environmental, and consumer product samples. This includes strengthening infrastructure, supporting quality assurance, training laboratory personnel, and establishing referral networks for blood and environmental Pb testing to advance the effort to eliminate lead exposure in Nigeria.

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.) and consumer goods.
• Lead the needs assessments and gap analyses of laboratories at the national and sub-national levels.
• Advise on the selection, procurement, and maintenance of appropriate laboratory equipment and supplies for lead (Pb) analysis.
• Support the integration of lead (Pb) testing into existing laboratory networks and public health surveillance systems
• Support the development and implementation of training programs 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
• Monitor compliance with biosafety, data management, and diagnostic standards
• Collaborate with governments, regulatory bodies, professional associations, and international partners to establish referral systems and harmonize laboratory standards.
• Support the development of data reporting tools, dashboards, and performance indicators to improve laboratory result tracking and program evaluation.
• Prepare technical reports, training materials, and documentation to capture 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
Education:

• Advanced degree (Master's or higher) in Medical Laboratory Science, Analytical Chemistry, Environmental Health, or related field.

Experience

• Minimum of 5 years of relevant experience in laboratory diagnostics, with at least 2 years in heavy metal testing or environmental health.
• Proven experience in capacity building and training laboratory personnel.
• Familiarity with laboratory quality management systems and accreditation standards (e.g., ISO 15189).

Skills & Abilities

• Ability to clearly convey complex technical information to diverse stakeholders, including government officials, lab personnel, and partners.
• Strong interpersonal skills to build partnerships across agencies, organizations, and cultural contexts.
• Ability to align technical support with broader public health goals and surveillance systems

Other

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