Government Social Research - Newcastle upon Tyne, United Kingdom - Government Economic Service & Social Research Profession

Description

Details:


Reference number:


Salary:

- £31,120

• London minimum 34,410; National minimum 31,120
  Job grade:

• Higher Executive Officer

• Research Officer
  Contract type:
• Permanent
  Business area:
• Social Research
  Type of role:
• Analytical
• Social Research
  Working pattern:
• Flexible working, Fulltime
  Number of jobs available:
• 75Contents

Location

About the job


Benefits:

Things you need to know

Location

• Birmingham, Bristol, Cardiff, Darlington, Edinburgh, Glasgow, Leeds, Liverpool, London, Manchester, NewcastleuponTyne, Pontypridd, Salford, Sheffield, WolverhamptonAbout the job

Job summary:

Government Social Research (GSR) is the analytical profession within Government for Civil Servants who generate and provide social and behavioural research and advice.

GSR members enable government to understand issues relating to society, groups, and individuals; and support policy debate and decision-making through a variety of approaches, advice, and evidence.

We currently have over 2,500 professionally accredited members across 50+ departments/organisations.

Government social researchers play a critical role in gathering analysing and interpreting the information that forms the foundation for decision-making affecting every UK resident.

As a Research Officer working for a Civil Service organisation, you can contribute to the reporting of social trends, the development of government policy and the evaluation of how policies make a difference to public services.

Your work might involve developing surveys, analysing data, producing statistics, reviewing existing research evidence, and working with other analysts in government to provide timely, relevant, and robust briefing for policy colleagues and Ministers.

GSR members come from a wide range of professional backgrounds and disciplines covering the breadth of social and behavioural sciences.

Our work puts people at the heart of government decision making by providing expertise in applied quantitative and qualitative design and analysis approaches, evaluation, and interventions to solve complex problems.

GSR takes a scientific and tailored approach supported by bodies of knowledge and a range of research methods to inform, influence, and provide robust and defensible decision-making at all levels.

Join us, and you will be a valued member of the wider GSR community, where people of all ages, cultures and backgrounds can form lasting friendships with supportive networks.

While these are full-time roles, our flexible working arrangements will give you space to achieve a work-life balance that suits you.

By assessing your distinct skills, knowledge, and experience rather than considering your background, age, or university attended, we eliminate any obstacles in your path.

Job description:


The Government Social Research Profession:
- provides analytical insight to enable decision makers to understand systems, processes and change associated with people, groups, organisations, and society - their attitudes, perceptions, behaviours, and intentions - to inform and improve the quality of strategy, delivery, and policy debate decision-making
- anticipates and evaluates the impact of government decisions, understand 'what works, for whom, to what extent, in what contexts, how and why/why not?'
- provides expert social research advice and evidence to design, challenge, reduce risk, trial, improve quality and implement government strategy and policy
- maintains and grows social research professional skills, knowledge, and expertise
- represents society through our membership profile and the work that we do

For a sense of the roles available across government, please see the Job Descriptions Pack.


Person specification:


To be eligible for a Research Officer Role, there are two entry routes - either the Qualification Route or the Experience Route.

Qualification Route Eligibility Criteria
- the relevant degree must contain a minimum of 30% in social research methods covering all the criteria outlined below (it is not sufficient to hold the majority in one area - coverage across all areas is required)


Experience Route Eligibility Criteria
- social research practice experience consists of experience working in a research agency, market research agency or specialist research team


Social Research Method Degree Content Criteria
It must also include at least three of the following:

• qualitative methods, including research design, data collection (i.e., interviewing, focus groups, ethnographic), data analysis (e.g., thematic analysis)

- study design, hypothesis formation, testing and evaluation
- systematic/literature reviews
- interpretation of data (qualitative and quantitative), presentation of results, provision of recommendations/ conclusions

These two entry routes, the Qualification Route and the Experience Route, also require you to satisfy both the Civil Service Nationality and