Research Associate

Each year, millions of people take qualifications that help them to progress in their lives – to the next stage of their studies, into employment or in their enjoyment of a leisure pursuit. Ofqual has a key role in ensuring that public confidence in qualifications is secured for the future, and that qualifications have the confidence of all stakeholders. 

We are looking to recruit high calibre researchers and a data analyst to our Research, Standards and Data & Analytics teams. Research and data are at the heart of our approach to intelligent, evidence-based regulation. The work we do strengthens our regulatory decision-making, supporting our position as a credible authority by adopting innovative, critical approaches to research and business intelligence. Our research has a direct impact on education, informing approaches to the assessment and maintenance of standards in vocational and national qualifications.

We investigate a range of issues relating to how qualifications, exams and other assessments are designed, delivered and awarded. Some recent examples of our research and statistical production can be found here:

Teacher assessed grades in 2021 - student and teacher experiences - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)

Reformed functional skills mathematics: evaluation of difficulty - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)

Student-level equalities analyses for GCSE, A level and VTQs, 2022 - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)

How 'CASLO' qualifications work - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)

https://analytics.ofqual.gov.uk/

For the role of Research Associate, we are looking for an individual with strong quantitative and qualitative analysis skills, along with experience of conducting and writing up research studies that apply a range of methodologies. You will be happy to work independently or as part of a team, and will be comfortable prioritising multiple strands of work and meeting challenging timescales. You’ll be supporting crucial work  to evaluate and improve educational assessments and qualifications.

Duties and responsibilities will include, but are not limited to:

• Performing research in the field of assessment and qualifications.
• Working independently to manage the on-going delivery of research projects.
• Providing statistical and analytical support to the research and standards teams and across the Directorate, as required.
• Contributing to the publication of reports, articles and data.
• Line managing research staff and other team members as required.

If you are keen to find out more about our exciting research, standards and data analyst roles, please join us for a Teams Seminar.

This event will be held on Tuesday 7 February 2023, between 5.30 and 6.30pm.

This will be via Microsoft Teams and the link can be found here. Please save and join us at 5:30pm.
 
Ofqual Research Seminar 5:30-6:30

• Copy and paste the link into Google Chrome
• When prompted select ‘watch on the web instead’
• Click ‘Join anonymously’

There will be guest speakers from all areas of Ofqual’s research, standards and analysis community, along with HR colleagues.

You’ll have an opportunity to meet members of the team and ask any questions you might have.

We look forward to seeing you!

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