Research Assistants

LEEP (Lead Exposure Elimination Project) is a global non-profit organisation focused on reducing childhood lead exposure. We are looking for research assistants in two Indian states to collect data on public drinking water points and take samples of drinking water over 5-7 days. The aim of the project is to understand the prevalence of heavy metals in tap water points, their locations, and the plumbing around the water point. The cities and states we are interested in potentially hiring an RA for are (one or two people per state):

Patna, Bihar
Tamil Nadu

What the work involves

Advising on which districts within a state might make most sense to do a water sampling survey in
Identifying public tap water points in various areas/districts, up to 30
Collecting water samples from public water points
Documenting the following per water point (in a Google form):
Location – Note the exact location of each tap water point (GPS coordinates or a clear address/landmark description).
Water quality observations — Is the water running continuously? Does it appear relatively clear (i.e., not yellow, cloudy, or visibly contaminated)?
Water source verification — Does the tap water appear to be connected to a municipal piped water supply (as opposed to groundwater, a borehole, or a well)? Please provide photographic evidence supporting your assessment.
A few other short questions to answer, which will be shared later on

Time period

A period of 5-7 days between August 24 and September 18, 2026 (exact weeks to be determined)

What we’re looking for

Fluency in English
Experience with research, field work, or similar work
Preferably a local with knowledge of your state’s cultural and social context, as well as languages spoken locally (e.g. Tamil)
Proactive, reliable, and able to work independently
Able to travel within inside the state you are in
Preferred but not required: experience with water research in India

Compensation