Research Assistant (WCPP)

Co-funded by the Welsh Government, Economic and Social Research Council and Cardiff University, the Wales Centre for Public Policy bridges the gap between academic research and policy makers/practitioners by generating and mobilising evidence that improves policy decisions and public services. The staff come from a range of backgrounds including academia, the civil service, health service, local government, think tanks and the voluntary sector.

The Centre is a member of the UK’s What Works network and the International Public Policy Observatory. It collaborates with leading researchers from across the UK and internationally to generate, synthesise and mobilise research evidence that can be applied to tackle pressing economic, environmental and social challenges. Staff enjoy excellent access to senior policy makers and public service leaders which enables them to achieve research impact at national and local level.

We are seeking to recruit an outstanding individual to contribute to our work with public services and the Welsh Government. The post offers a unique opportunity to manage and conduct high quality, policy research, working closely with leading researchers and policy makers who are at the heart of current policy developments and debates including how to achieve net-zero, tackle poverty and inequalities, and support community wellbeing.

You must have a good understanding of public policy; the ability to work directly with public service leaders; a commitment to high quality policy relevant research; excellent communication and organisational skills; and the ability to work as part of the Centre’s wider team. 

The Wales Centre for Public Policy is pleased to invite applications for the role of Research Assistant to conduct research on the use of evidence in policy-making and practices of evidence mobilisation. You will work alongside experienced researchers in the Centre on studies that help to inform its approach to working with public services and the Welsh Government and assess its impact.

This post offers a unique opportunity to conduct research that will contribute directly to the growing academic literature on evidence-informed policy making as well as helping to improve understanding on how the Centre can improve its’ impact. The successful candidate will broaden their understanding of key academic debates in these areas working within a Centre that is acknowledged to be at the leading edge of both research and practice in the field.
 
Co-funded by the Economic and Social Research Council and Welsh Government, the Wales Centre for Public Policy bridges the gap between academia and policy makers/practitioners by generating, synthesising and mobilising evidence from research. The Centre has more than 20 full-time staff who are drawn from a range of backgrounds - including academia, the civil service, health service, local government, think tanks, and the voluntary sector. It is a member of the What Works network, was a finalist in the prestigious ESRC Celebrating Impact Prize, and is recognised internationally for its pioneering, demand-led approach to evidence use, and knowledge mobilisation. Further details are available at www.wcpp.org.uk.

The Centre provides a stimulating and supportive working environment with flexible working arrangements; a generous pension scheme and a range of other benefits; a wealth of training opportunities; and offices in the world’s first Social Science Research Park (SPARK), located on Cardiff’s £300 million Innovation Campus.

The post is full time (35 hours) from 15th April 2024 or as soon as possible thereafter. We are open to a job share and flexible working arrangements, such as compressed hours. The post is for a fixed term for two years. The university will consider applications which propose secondments of a minimum of one year.

For further information and an informal discussion about the role please contact the Centre’s Director of Research, Professor James Downe at: James.Downe@wcpp.org.uk

Salary: £32,332 - £34,980 per annum (Grade 5).

Closing date: Wednesday, 3 April 2024

Cardiff University is committed to supporting and promoting equality and diversity and to creating an inclusive working environment. We believe this can be achieved through attracting, developing, and retaining a diverse range of staff from many different backgrounds who have the ambition to create a University which seeks to fulfil our social, cultural and economic obligation to Cardiff, Wales, and the world.  In supporting our employees to achieve a balance between their work and their personal lives, we will also consider proposals for flexible working or job share arrangements. Cardiff Business School is particularly looking to recruit from under-represented groups within the School.

Applications may be submitted in Welsh, and an application submitted in Welsh will not be treated less favourably than an application submitted in English.

Cardiff University is a signatory to the San Francisco Declaration on Research Assessment (DORA), which means that in hiring and promotion decisions we will evaluate applicants on the quality of their research, not publication metrics or the identity of the journal in which the research is published. More information is available at:  Responsible research assessment - Research - Cardiff University