Deputy Director of Design Research (YLabs) – Remote Role Paying $48,500 to $72,143 (Africa Salary Band)

Overview & Description

If you are a seasoned design research leader passionate about youth health and economic empowerment, finding senior remote roles that directly influence global strategy and field methodologies can be challenging. Many research directors want to balance high-level systems building with real-world field engagement. This senior leadership role at YLabs bridges that exact gap—offering a flexible remote work setup while driving ethical, youth-centered design across Africa and beyond.

Quick Summary: YLabs is officially recruiting a Deputy Director of Design Research to help lead its global design research strategy. This full-time remote role (P6 level within YLabs’ Africa salary band) involves shaping research frameworks, managing multidisciplinary research teams, and synthesizing field data to improve health and economic outcomes for young people aged 10–24.

Overview / What This Opportunity Entails

YLabs is a leading global design and research organization focused on co-designing health and economic solutions with and for young people.

The Deputy Director of Design Research will work closely with executive leadership to establish, standardize, and scale qualitative and quantitative research methodologies across multi-country projects. The role balances strategic oversight—such as building organizational research toolkits and mentoring research leads—with active field oversight and senior stakeholder engagement across public health, donor, and government networks.

Core Details & Key Responsibilities / Benefits

Selected candidates will drive critical organizational and research objectives:

• Competitive Remote Compensation: Salary range of $48,500 to $72,143 USD benchmarked against YLabs’ P6 Africa salary band for a 40-hour workweek.
• Methodological Leadership: Standardize research toolkits, ethical frameworks, and operational systems across international teams.
• Field Research Oversight: Lead complex field activities across Africa, requiring up to 50% travel for field immersion and partner workshops.
• Strategic Synthesis: Translate complex qualitative and quantitative research data into actionable recommendations for program design and global advocacy.
• Team Management: Directly mentor, supervise, and build capacity among senior design researchers and field teams.

Self-Qualification: Do You Match the Profile?

Review these key criteria before submitting your application package:

• Professional Experience: Minimum 7+ years of professional experience leading design research, user research, qualitative field research, or ethnographic research.
• Governance & Ethics: Proven experience preparing and managing Institutional Review Board (IRB) applications and collaborating with local Principal Investigators (PIs) or ethics approval boards.
• Field Readiness: Willingness and ability to travel up to 50% internationally for field research sprints across Sub-Saharan Africa.
• Tool Proficiency: Mastery of collaborative research tools such as Miro, Mural, Figma, Dedoose, or NVivo.
• Location Eligibility: Remote, but candidates must be located within African time zones (GMT+0 to GMT+4) with East Africa being ideal.

AI Application Prompts (Use ChatGPT / Claude)

Copy and paste these custom AI prompts to quickly draft your application materials:

• Prompt 1: Tailor My CV for This Role“Act as an executive recruiter for international health NGOs. I am applying for the Deputy Director of Design Research role at YLabs. Below is my current work experience and background. Tailor my CV bullet points to highlight my leadership in design research, IRB ethics compliance, qualitative analysis, and team management to directly match YLabs’ P6 role requirements:\n\n[PASTE YOUR CV / WORK EXPERIENCE HERE]”
• Prompt 2: Draft My Cover Letter Using My Work History“Act as a career consultant. Using my work background pasted below, write a compelling, tailored 300-word cover letter for the YLabs Deputy Director of Design Research position. Focus on my experience running human-centered design field research in Africa, managing research teams, and communicating with public health donors:\n\n[PASTE YOUR WORK HISTORY / ACCOMPLISHMENTS HERE]”

How to Apply (Step-by-Step)

Follow these instructions to submit your application package:

1. Prepare Application Documents: Update your CV/Resume, design research portfolio link/document, and cover letter highlighting relevant HCD leadership in youth health.
2. Access YLabs Portal: Click the Apply Now button below to access the official YLabs job portal.
3. Submit Early: Complete the online portal fields and submit your materials promptly, as applications are reviewed on a rolling basis until filled.

How to Submit Your Application

Click the Apply Now button below to access the official portal and submit your details directly.