Director, Project Unleaded

Director, Project Unleaded 🔍Doerr School of Sustainability, Stanford, California, United States 📁Administration📅Nov 06, 2025 Post Date📅107694 Requisition #

This position has been deemed critical by the Stanford Doerr School of Sustainability Dean’s Office and is exempt from the hiring pause.

This position is based on Stanford’s main campus with consideration given to the option for a hybrid work schedule (partially onsite and offsite), subject to operational need. Interested candidates must include a resume and cover letter to be considered for this position.

Applicants must be authorized to work for any employer in the U.S. We are unable to sponsor or take over sponsorship of an employment visa.

About Us

The Stanford Doerr School of Sustainability strives to create a future when humans and nature thrive in concert and in perpetuity. The school is made up of a three-part structure to drive global impact : Our academic departments and programs educate students and create new knowledge across areas of research that are crucial for advancing the long-term prosperity of the planet and people; Institutes bridge scholarship at Stanford and beyond, bringing multiple viewpoints to bear on urgent challenges; The Sustainability Accelerator drives new policy and technology solutions through a worldwide network of partners who work with our teams to develop solutions at a global scale. The school is dedicated to creating and supporting a community with the richness of experience and background needed to create solutions that benefit all people, particularly those most affected by environmental damage and climate change.

For more information on the school, click here .

The Stanford Woods Institute for the Environment works to advance global sustainability through new knowledge and practical, fair solutions to pressing environmental challenges. As part of the Stanford Doerr School of Sustainability, the Woods Institute provides an interdisciplinary research hub for scholars from all seven schools at Stanford. Offering targeted research incentives as well as convening, education, and leadership programs, the Woods Institute supports faculty, researchers, and students as they investigate and advance solutions to critical climate, environment, and sustainability challenges. Working on campus and around the globe, the Woods Institute and its hosted centers and programs combine cutting edge scholarship, diverse partnerships, and deep engagement across sectors and disciplines to advance just, practical solutions for people and the planet.

The Center for Human and Planetary Health , launched in October 2024, is the newest Center hosted at the Woods Institute, in close collaboration with the Center for Innovation in Global Health at the Stanford School of Medicine. The Center advances research, solutions, and education to improve health and sustainability. The Center’s lead contamination research initiative, now called Project Unleaded, is a critical part of the new Center. Project Unleaded’s efforts began in 2020 and have spanned 6 countries with 7 external partners. Project Unleaded prioritizes policy-relevant research and deep engagement with local partners in affected countries to achieve lasting change. Project Unleaded’s mission is to create a healthier world by addressing lead poisoning at the source. Research priorities center around 3 goals :

• To identify critical lead exposure sources linked with the human lead burden
• To develop, test, and scale-up interventions to eliminate sources of lead
• To advance lead detection techniques

Project Unleaded and the Center for Human and Planetary Health are seeking a founding Director for Project Unleaded to provide leadership and management for all aspects of the expanding program. Project Unleaded recently secured $11 million in funding, and the founding Director will be responsible for implementing and managing all aspects of the global program and its impact. The role will act as a scientific subject matter expert and will be responsible for shaping and implementing strategy, managing a large team, designing and leading a robust program of global research, obtaining and overseeing program funds, engaging a global network of partners, ensuring project success and impact, and providing overall vision and leadership. This position reports to Dr. Steve Luby and requires some international travel and a flexible work schedule to accommodate meetings with a large global network of partners.

Your Responsibilities will include :

To be successful in this position, you will need :

Education & Experience :

Bachelor’s degree and eight years of relevant experience, or combination of education and relevant experience.

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities :

In addition, our preferred qualifications include :

The expected pay range for this position is $162,809 to $197,109 per annum.

Stanford University provides pay ranges representing its good faith estimate of what the university reasonably expects to pay for a position. The pay offered to a selected candidate will be determined based on factors such as (but not limited to) the scope and responsibilities of the position, the qualifications of the selected candidate, departmental budget availability, internal equity, geographic location and external market pay for comparable jobs.

At Stanford University, base pay represents only one aspect of the comprehensive rewards package. The Cardinal at Work website ( https : / / cardinalatwork.stanford.edu / benefits-rewards ) provides detailed information on Stanford’s extensive range of benefits and rewards offered to employees. Specifics about the rewards package for this position may be discussed during the hiring process.

How to Apply

We invite you to apply for this position by clicking on the “Apply for Job” button.

The job duties listed are typical examples of work performed by positions in this job classification and are not designed to contain or be interpreted as a comprehensive inventory of all duties, tasks, and responsibilities. Specific duties and responsibilities may vary depending on department or program needs without changing the general nature and scope of the job or level of responsibility. Employees may also perform other duties as assigned.

Consistent with its obligations under the law, the University will provide reasonable accommodations to applicants and employees with disabilities. Applicants requiring a reasonable accommodation for any part of the application or hiring process should contact Stanford University Human Resources by submitting a contact form .

Stanford is an equal employment opportunity and affirmative action employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, protected veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by law.

Additional Information