Senior Research Scientist – Global Health Full Time

Location: New Delhi, India

Description

Surgo Health is a Public Benefit Corporation building the world’s most comprehensive and insightful AI-powered data platform that reveals the why behind people’s behaviors. We uncover the unseen drivers of health – people’s beliefs, barriers, and behaviors – and transform that intelligence into scalable products that enable healthcare organizations to drive impact, reduce costs, and advance inclusion. From improving clinical trial design to optimizing care delivery and public health strategies, our solutions help decision-makers act on what truly shapes health outcomes. By revealing the human side of healthcare, we’re making it more personal, precise, and effective – for everyone.

We are looking for a Senior Research Scientist to lead a wide array of global health projects that combine data science, research, and behavioural science. You will independently drive multiple projects end-to-end, from internal R&D through to client-facing deliverables and insight dissemination, and you will set direction on the methods we use and the questions we pursue. This is the right role for you if you are passionate about using advanced analytics and health-related data to deliver impactful insights for improving health around the globe, and if you are ready to move from being an excellent individual contributor to shaping a research agenda and growing others behind you.

We are looking for a curious, creative, and rigorous researcher with a strong track record of leading complex projects from conception through to publication or delivery. You will mentor junior researchers, represent the organisation externally, and act as a senior technical voice across the team. The exact portfolio you lead, whether heavier on data, behavioural science, or primary data collection, will depend on your expertise and ambitions.

Based in New Delhi, India but with global reach, this is a rare opportunity for someone who wants to bring innovation, purpose, and rigour to delivering healthcare in low- and middle-income settings. If you believe health is more than biology and want to help systems see the human side of care, then you’ll feel right at home here.

What you’ll achieve:

• Lead and deliver high-impact research end-to-end across a wide range of activities, from advanced data analytics and literature reviews to study and instrument design, development of novel data sources, and creation of compelling reports and presentations that inform global health decision-making
• Set the research agenda and methodological direction of the team, pioneering new analytical approaches, technologies, and data sources that strengthen the scientific foundation of our global health programmes, with particular focus on architecting analytics frameworks and leading end-to-end analysis of data generated through generative AI tools and pipelines
• Mentor and grow junior researchers and analysts, setting quality standards, reviewing their work, and supporting their professional development
• Shape the future of health equity through innovation by taking full ownership of your work, experimenting boldly, and using your creativity and technical expertise to uncover insights that improve health outcomes for under-served populations worldwide
• Lead across disciplines to scale impact, working closely with our Product, Client Engagement, and Data Science & AI teams to design and deliver data- and AI-powered solutions that help solve some of the most pressing health challenges across low- and middle-income countries
• Represent the organisation externally through client engagements, conferences, publications, and partnerships with researchers, funders, and implementers across the global health community

About you:

• 7+ years of hands-on experience conducting end-to-end data analysis and programming with health-related datasets, including in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs), with a clear track record of leading complex research projects independently from design through to delivery
• Demonstrated experience mentoring or managing junior researchers, setting methodological standards, and reviewing the work of others
• Strong proficiency in R (Python is nice to have), including experience with version control and interest in Databricks or other large-scale data platforms
• Strong experience with natural language processing (NLP) and/or qualitative analysis, such as coding open-ended survey responses, thematic analysis, text classification, or transforming unstructured text into structured, analyzable data
• Deep understanding of applied statistics and the ability to translate complex analyses into clear, actionable insights for technical and non-technical audiences, including senior client and funder stakeholders
• A strong grasp of how beliefs, attitudes, and barriers shape health behaviors and outcomes
• A PhD in a relevant field (e.g., public health, health sciences, economics, neuroscience, or engineering) is strongly preferred; equivalent senior-level research or analytical experience will also be considered
• A track record of external research outputs, such as peer-reviewed publications, conference presentations, technical reports, or white papers for clients and funders
• Demonstrated experience in global health research and a willingness to travel as needed
• Fluency in French is a plus
• A collaborative mindset with the confidence to voice well-informed opinions and challenge assumptions constructively, including with senior stakeholders
• Excitement about working in a fast-paced, entrepreneurial environment, where you’ll be both a strategic thinker and a hands-on contributor

Location: This role is based in New Delhi, India.

Travel: Some travel (up to 10%) possible.

Benefits

• Fantastic, fun and collaborative colleagues; opportunity to solve tough challenges in global health
• Ability to be entrepreneurial and tremendous opportunities for growth
• Public Benefit Corporation with an impact and equity mission
• Competitive compensation and health benefits
• Professional Development opportunities

Surgo Health is committed to fair, equitable, and transparent practices. Compensation packages are based on several factors such as skill set, prior relevant experience, education, certifications, and market considerations. In addition to base compensation, individuals may be eligible for annual performance-based bonuses and equity (if applicable). We aim to pay salaries that are competitive, benchmarked against companies that are similar in stage, size, and market to Surgo Health. Our recruiter may be able to share more about our total rewards offerings and the specific salary range for the relevant role during the hiring process.

Our hiring philosophy

We hire for passion and core competencies.

We look for problem solvers and lateral thinkers.

We love it if you have done different things with your time.

If you think you are ideal for this position, write to us even if your experience doesn’t match all the requirements listed above.

Equal Opportunity and Diversity Policy

Surgo believes a diverse, inclusive staff makes a stronger team and more impactful organization and we are committed to building and developing this team and environment. Qualified people of all races, ethnicities, cultures, ages, sex, genders, sexual orientation, gender identities and expressions, languages, social class, marital status, religions, veterans status, and disabilities are strongly encouraged to apply. Please note that Surgo Health is unable to sponsor employment visas at this time.