How to apply for Senior New Areas Researcher

About GiveWell

GiveWell is a nonprofit that researches cost-effective giving opportunities in global health and development. It directed more than $400 million in 2025 and anticipates grantmaking approaching or exceeding $1 billion this year. Working there means your research directly shapes where large amounts of donor money go.

About the role

As a Senior New Areas Researcher, you will help direct tens of millions of dollars annually to the most cost-effective interventions. The New Areas team splits grantmaking into core cause areas (family planning, maternal and newborn health, tuberculosis, HIV) and emerging cause areas. You will develop subject-matter expertise, build networks, and manage a portfolio of grants.

A typical day

A typical day might involve reading and synthesizing research on a potential new intervention, meeting with external experts to gather information, and drafting a cost-effectiveness analysis or grant recommendation. You would also collaborate with other researchers on the New Areas team to compare findings and refine GiveWell's funding priorities.

Who GiveWell is looking for

• Has experience conducting rigorous research and cost-effectiveness analysis, ideally in global health or development.
• Can build subject-matter expertise in new cause areas and evaluate interventions without pre-existing deep knowledge.
• Is comfortable managing a portfolio of grants and making funding recommendations with large budgets.
• Works well remotely and can collaborate with a team across time zones.

Tips for this application

• Read GiveWell's published research on cost-effectiveness and its current core cause areas before writing anything. Reference specific interventions or reports in your application.
• Explain how you would assess a new cause area from scratch, including what evidence you would look for and how you would compare cost-effectiveness across different programs.
• Give examples of past work where you made funding or resource allocation decisions based on research. Quantify the budget or impact where possible.
• Address the remote nature of the role directly. Describe how you have managed research projects and collaborated remotely in previous positions.
• Avoid generic statements about wanting to do good. GiveWell cares about specific, evidence-based reasoning. Show that you understand their approach to cost-effectiveness.

What to cover in your cover letter

Focus on your ability to conduct independent research and build expertise in unfamiliar areas. Highlight any experience with grantmaking, cost-effectiveness analysis, or global health interventions. Explain why GiveWell's specific approach to directing donations appeals to you, using details from their published work. Mention your comfort with remote work and managing large portfolios.

Research before applying

• Read GiveWell's latest research on cost-effectiveness, including their cost-effectiveness analyses and intervention reports.
• Review GiveWell's current core cause areas and any public updates on emerging cause areas to understand the scope of the New Areas team.
• Look into GiveWell's grantmaking history and the size of grants they have made in recent years to understand the scale of funding you would help direct.
• Check GiveWell's blog or annual reports for updates on their research priorities and any changes in strategy.

Likely interview topics

Based on the job description, expect questions about:

• How would you evaluate a new intervention in a cause area you know nothing about? Walk through your process.
• Describe a time you made a funding recommendation or resource allocation decision. What evidence did you use and what was the outcome?
• How do you compare cost-effectiveness across different programs when the evidence base varies in quality?
• What do you think are the most promising emerging cause areas in global health and why?
• How would you build a network of experts and organizations in a new cause area from scratch?

Common mistakes to avoid

• Being vague about your research experience. GiveWell values specific, evidence-based examples over general claims.
• Ignoring the cost-effectiveness angle. Do not talk about impact without connecting it to how you would measure and compare it.
• Not addressing the remote work aspect. Since the role is remote, failing to show you can work independently and collaborate remotely is a mistake.