Qualitative Researcher

• Hours:Full time (will consider requests for part time working).
• Contract: Fixed term contract for 2 years
• Location: We are London based (Farringdon). Our staff have the option to work part of the week from home.
• Closing: 09:30am (GMT), Wednesday 26^th November 2025.

The Ada Lovelace Institute is hiring a qualitative Researcher to support our research on the impacts of AI and data on people and society.    

Working closely with our Public Participation and Research Practice Lead, this researcher will help to design, deliver, and support the development and impact of Ada’s qualitative and participatory research, looking deeply at how technologies are affecting people and communities across the UK, to support Ada’s mission that data and AI works for everyone in society. They will work on a range of multi-methods and mixed methods research projects, in close partnership with civil society organisations, communities and publics, and collaborating with colleagues from Ada’s other Directorates.

We are looking for a researcher with excellent qualitative research skills and a strong interest / background in topics related to AI, data, and the social or ‘everyday’ impacts of technology. We are interested in candidates who are familiar with a range of qualitative approaches or methodologies, which may include forms of interview research, deliberative methods, or any techniques included under the participatory action research umbrella. We welcome new forms of expertise, experience and understanding, including practice-based knowledge and research experience gained through alternative routes.

You’ll enjoy working in a team environment, willing to jump into projects and keen to explore new social domains and emerging technologies that you may not be familiar with. You’ll appreciate the importance of rigorous research but also want to think creatively about communicating and influencing in novel ways.

This role is an excellent opportunity for an early career researcher to shape emerging policy and practice around AI and data-driven technologies.

About us

The Ada Lovelace Institute is an independent research institute funded and incubated by the Nuffield Foundation since 2018. Our mission is to ensure data and artificial intelligence work for people and society. We do this by building evidence and fostering rigorous debate on how data and AI affect people and society.  We recognise the power asymmetries that exist in ethical and legal debates around the development of data-driven technologies and seek to level those asymmetries by convening diverse voices and creating a shared understanding of the ethical issues arising from data and AI. Finally, we seek to define and inform good practice in the design and deployment of AI technologies.   

The Institute has emerged as a leading independent voice on the ethical and societal impacts of data and AI. We have built relationships in the public, private and civil society sectors in the UK and internationally. Please find details of our 2025-2028 strategy here.  

Our research takes an interconnected approach to issues such as power, social justice, distributional impact, and our team have a wide range of expertise that cuts across policy, technology, academia, industry, law and human rights.   

Further information and how to apply

For further information about the role, please click on the 'Apply' button above.

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