GOVERNMENT SOCIAL RESEARCH: Sandwich student Placements 2020-21

JOB DESCRIPTIONS

Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy (BEIS)

LOCATION: London, 1 Victoria Street

NUMBER OF PLACEMENTS: 8

SALARY: £24,300

Job description

BEIS is a department at the heart of the government’s agenda, with a vision of an economy that works for everyone. We are responsible for developing and delivering a comprehensive industrial strategy and leading the government’s relationship with business; we work to tackle climate change and ensure that the country has secure energy supplies that are reliable and affordable and clean. Our role is vital to the government’s vision in a context of momentous change, responding to both the short-term domestic impact of the UK’s withdrawal for the European Union and working to define the next stage.

This is an exciting opportunity to join an expanding research community of over 60 Government Social Research members working across BEIS. Successful applicants will gain experience of applying the range of different research methods studied in university to high profile areas such as energy and climate change policy, business frameworks, sector analysis, and the business implications of the UK’s withdrawal from the EU.

As part of the placement, you will have an opportunity to develop skills in:

applying quantitative and qualitative data collection methods in evaluation and primary research research design, analysis, synthesis and reporting project management and contract management working closely with a policy and multidisciplinary analytical teams

Eligibility Requirements

Normal civil service residency status applies

Cabinet Office (CO)

LOCATION: LondonNUMBER OF PLACEMENTS: OneSALARY: Band B1 - £24,759

Job Description

The GEO is a team of over 100 people, sitting within the Economic and Domestic Secretariat of Cabinet Office. Our Ministers are in the Department for International Trade and the Home Office. We operate across Government and are responsible for promoting equality for women and LGBT people, putting equality considerations at the heart of Government policy-making and service delivery. GEO lead on an exciting agenda, with a track record of delivering ground-breaking legislation and policy including same-sex marriage and gender pay gap reporting. We are responsible for equality legislation (which includes religion and belief, race, disability, age, and pregnancy and maternity), for sponsorship of our national equality body, the Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC), and for leading Government’s engagement with the Women and Equalities Select Committee (WESC).

The GEO Analysis team comprises ten people, covering a mix of analytical professions. We work closely with policy, communications and strategy colleagues to ensure that the work of the GEO is based on accurate, up-to-date evidence and analysis, and to influence equalities policy across government and internationally. Our research and analysis informs high-profile policy and legislation, including the cross-government LGBT Action Plan, the Gender Pay Gap reporting regulations, and the introduction of opposite-sex Civil Partnerships.

The post holder will have an interesting and varied portfolio of work, and the opportunity to. You will have the chance to apply and develop quantitative and qualitative research methods to inform policy decisions. Previous sandwich students have worked on high profile projects such as the national LGBT survey and the development of an equalities advertising barometer. Your analysis will be seen and used at high levels, with opportunities to report to Ministers and contribute directly to important social changes. As such, the role offers significant development potential.

College of Policing (CoP)

LOCATION London / Harrogate

NUMBER OF PLACEMENTS 2

SALARY London £20,802 / Harrogate £16,772

About us

The College was established in October 2012 as the first professional body for all in policing in England & Wales. We work in the public interest.

Our vision is to be a world class professional body, equipping police officers and staff with the skills and knowledge to prevent crime, protect the public and secure public trust. The quality of our services, the support for policing and a reputation for cutting-edge research and teaching will have a significant effect on the future development of policing in the UK and overseas for years to come.

We have three complementary functions: Knowledge: developing the research and infrastructure for improving evidence of 'what works'.

Over time, this will ensure policing practice and standards are based on knowledge, not custom and convention.

Education: supporting the development of individual members of the profession. We set educational requirements to assure the public of the quality and consistency of policing skills, and facilitate academic accreditation and recognition of our members' expertise.

Standards: drawing on the best available evidence of 'what works' to set standards in policing for forces and individuals, for example, through Authorised Professional Practice and peer review.

Job description

Context

The College’s Knowledge, Research and Practice Unit is a dynamic team of social researchers, statisticians, analysts, information specialists and practice developers, who work directly with police officers and staff to build and share the evidence base for policing. Due to its unique position in government as a professional body, the College of Policing provides an exciting opportunity to not only undertake new research but to also support the practical application of the findings to make a real difference for the public. The team uses a range of research methods including experimental and quasi-experimental evaluation design and are currently conducting research on, amongst other topics, domestic abuse, entry routes into the profession, police officer wellbeing, and vulnerability and violent crime.

The Knowledge, Research and Practice Unit is also responsible for the What Works Centre for Crime Reduction, part of the world-leading UK network of Centres set up by the Cabinet Office to provide robust and comprehensive evidence of what works to strategic and operational decision-makers.

The role

Professional standards: Display a professional approach to research that complies with the Government Social Research and Statistical Standards and Competencies.

Research development: Conduct in-house research projects, applying appropriate research methods for the research question, to inform policing practice. Examples include evaluating the impact of national programmes; undertaking systematic reviews of the evidence to identify what works, informing national decision making and action with robust analysis. Support line managers to design, commission and manage external research to answer customer’s information needs.

Communications: Support team leaders in ensuring that College colleagues and external stakeholders understand the evidence being provided and how to take an evidence-based approach.

Outreach: Support managers and team leaders to run workshops and conferences to improve understanding of and confidence in using evidence amongst non-specialist colleagues in the College, our customers and stakeholders.

Analysis: Provide briefing and analysis as required by customers and other colleagues. Can use a range of analytical techniques to carry out quality, timely and relevant in-house analysis and briefing work.

Eligibility Requirements

This post is open to UK nationals, Commonwealth citizens, EEA nationals of other member states and certain non-EEA family members. There must be no employment restriction or time limit on your permitted stay in the UK. You should normally have been resident in the United Kingdom for at least three years preceding your application due to the requirement to have a checkable history for security vetting purposes.

Department for Education (DfE)

LOCATION: Sheffield, Manchester or Nottingham

NUMBER OF PLACEMENTS: One

SALARY: £19,370 pro rata

ABOUT US The Department for Education is responsible for education, children’s services, higher and further education policy, apprenticeships and skills in England. We work to achieve a highly educated society in which opportunity is equal for all, no matter what their background or family circumstances.

JOB DESCRIPTION Our Social Researchers are involved at all stages of the policy making process, from contributing evidence to inform policy design, to formative action research to understand how changes are being implemented, and ultimately evaluating the impact of our interventions to understand what difference they make and how we can improve. Examples of what DfE social researchers do include:

Ensuring the views of pupils and teachers are known and understood, through the regular Teacher and Pupil omnibus surveys.

Large, fascinating cohort studies such as the Longitudinal Study of Young People in England 2 – one of the largest and most challenging studies of young people ever commissioned, which tracks a sample of over 13,000 young people from the age of 13/14 annually through to the age of 20.

International research to benchmark our educational performance against other countries, through the commissioning, management and analysis of studies such as the Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA).

This placement will be based in the Research Commissioning and Engagement team in the Research Knowledge and Insight Unit (RKIU). The role is likely to include: undertaking literature reviews and primary research, analysing and presenting survey data, supporting the research commissioning process from approval to publication and working on our knowledge management system, all within a fully supportive and friendly team.

BENEFITS 25 days annual leave. In addition, all staff receive the Queen’s Birthday privilege holiday and 8

days’ bank and public holidays (pro rata) Flexible working arrangements Employee Discount scheme through our Employee Benefits Portal, offering access to over 2000

discounts; As an organisation, which exists to support education and lifelong learning, we offer our staff

excellent professional development opportunities.

In the DfE we have a strong culture of inclusion and diversity and are committed to being an equal opportunities employer. We aim to develop all our staff to enable them to make a full contribution to meeting the Department's objectives, and to fulfil their own potential. We promote and support the use of a range of flexible working patterns to help staff to balance home and work responsibilities and we treat people fairly, irrespective of their working arrangements.

We support this culture though our 11 staff networks, including the BAME, LGBT+ networks to the Carers and EU/EEA Nationals networks. We are recognised by leading diversity organisations for promoting diversity in the workplace. We have achieved the status of becoming a Disability Leader employer and continued to be a member of the Business Disability Forum. We have also earned a spot in the 2018 Stonewall Top 100 employer Index and the Business in the Community’s Best employers for Race 2018 list.

Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra)

Number of vacancies: 4.0 FTE

Location of vacancies: London / York / Bristol

The salary payable: Inner London £23,195, National pay £20,033 per annum.

Job descriptions

We are recruiting for 4.0 Sandwich Student Placements in Defra. One placement is in the Central Social Science Team within the Analysis and Insight Directorate, and three are embedded in the department working on Future Farming and Countryside (2 posts) and Air Quality (1 post).

Defra is responsible for protecting and improving our environment, providing support to our food and farming industries and supporting our rural economy. Our vision is to create a great place for living for people in this country. Defra’s large and wide-ranging remit is made even more interesting by the added requirements of EU Exit. Social researchers in the Defra group play an essential role in helping Defra understand the context in which policy is delivered and its likely impact. We help by framing and contextualizing the policy challenge, identifying “what works”, developing policy solutions, and measuring and understanding the impact of government action.

We work in all the policy directorates in Defra and are involved in the challenges which are important to the Defra group. These include reducing air pollution, planning the future of farming, and addressing marine pollution. This is a brilliant opportunity to join the social research community in Defra and our vibrant Social Research Group. We are a close professional cohort with a strong identity, who support each other and share our expertise to deliver high-quality, impactful research. As a department, Defra is committed to developing strong professional capabilities, providing rewarding professional roles, and supporting excellent career and personal development opportunities.

Within the Future Farming and Countryside Insight and Evaluation Team the post holders (2 posts) will assist the team in producing and communicating evidence to policy makers; using behavioural insight to inform the design of new policies and the way they are delivered.

Within the Air Quality teams (1 post) the post holder will help deliver a large-scale evaluation of the government’s plans to combat exceedances of nitrogen dioxide, ensuring that the outcomes of the measures being implemented are fully understood. This will provide both accountability and an improved evidence base to help other areas grappling with similar problems. In addition, the post holder will work to improve how air quality information is communicated to the public.

Finally, within the Central Social Science Team (1 post) you will work with Strategic Behavioural Insights Team and the Strategic Evaluation Team. These teams work across a range of high priority areas for the department, and undertake cross-cutting projects focused on understanding, influencing and, measuring behaviour; and building an understanding of the effectiveness of Defra’s policies. On a day to day basis, this will mean the post holder will have the opportunity to work on key strategic projects designing or undertaking behavioural projects and evaluations, and potentially leading on end-to-end smaller projects during the placement.

Eligibility Requirements: Successful candidates must meet the security requirements before they can be appointed.

DEPARTMENT FOR WORK AND PENSIONS (DWP)

NUMBER OF PLACEMENTS: 7

SALARY: London £24,498, outside London £20,499

LOCATION: London, Sheffield, Leeds, Newcastle and Manchester. Please note that Newcastle and Manchester are currently smaller hubs for Social Researchers and so a smaller number of placements will be available there.

Job Description:

DWP has an excellent reputation for ensuring its work is underpinned by robust evidence and analysis. As a GSR placement student you will have the opportunity to apply your social research skills to the real world and experience what it’s like to work as a Government Social Researcher. At DWP you will have the chance to work on high priority areas and distinct projects.

You will work as part of the largest analytical community in Government, amongst Social Researchers, Statisticians, Operational Researchers, Economists, and Data Scientist who all work together to provide support, challenge, and advice to colleagues and Ministers right across the Department, its delivery bodies, and beyond. There are also plenty of opportunities beyond the day job to undertake corporate activities, benefiting your own analytical profession or the analytical community as a whole.

DWP has a variety of job roles across the organisation in areas such as Labour Markets, Pensions, Housing, Working Age Benefits, Disability, and Performance Analysis.

About DWP:

Everything we do in the Department for Work and Pensions is about providing security, extending opportunity, and giving people the support, they need to transform their lives. We are helping the most vulnerable people in our society by addressing the root causes of disadvantage and supporting them to turn their lives around. We are ensuring that everyone who is able to work is given all the support they need to do so, while those who cannot are – quite rightly – protected.

Social Researchers in DWP:

DWP Social Researchers carry out research and analysis that influences policy in one of the largest departments in government. The Department’s broad and challenging agenda is rarely out of the newspapers and is studied by academic analysts from across the globe. There is high profile scrutiny of policies that are underpinned by the work of social researchers in the Department.

Social Researchers at DWP work closely with other analysts and policy colleagues. Social Researchers also work with operations colleagues, press officers and with ministerial offices and Ministers.

Social Researchers at DWP:

Work with policy makers to provide research-based advice on issues at the cutting edge of social policy;

Procure, commission and manage research and evaluation projects; Undertake qualitative and quantitative research with DWP colleagues and customers; Analyse and interpret data; Review and synthesise the findings of existing national and international research studies; Play a critical role in gathering, analysing and interpreting information to inform evidence based

policies; Work independently and with other analysts to provide timely, relevant and robust briefing for

policy colleagues and Ministers.

Food Standards Agency (FSA)

LOCATION: London, York, Belfast, Birmingham, Cardiff, multi-site or home based

NUMBER OF PLACEMENTS: OneSALARY: £21,412 LondonTRAVEL REQUIREMENTS Occasional, with weekly travel to LondonFSA DIRECTORATE Science Evidence and Research Directorate

Main Purpose of the Post

The Food Standards Agency is an independent Government department set up by an Act of Parliament in 2000 to protect the public’s health and consumer interests in relation to food safety and standards. The Agency is led by a Board that has been appointed to act in the public interest.

The Social Science team is one of four analytical disciplines that make up the Analytics Unit at the FSA (social science, economics, statistics and operational research). The Analytics Team provides analytical support across the Agency’s business. The social sciences have an important role to play in helping the Agency consider challenging and complex issues alongside research in the natural and physical sciences. In particular, understanding and effecting positive behaviour change is critical in achieving the FSA’s strategic aims, including reducing foodborne disease and improving business compliance. The team provides a Government Social Research (GSR) service to the Agency’s policy Divisions, delivering work within a robust governance framework and engaging with the external social science research community. We provide in-house research as well as research advice, design and management to inform the development, implementation, review and evaluation of government policy across the full range of FSA policies and on high profile projects.

We collect primary data as well as use secondary data sources using the methods of social scientific enquiry – systematic reviews, surveys, controlled trials, case studies, observational research and analysis of administrative and statistical data – to measure, describe, explain and predict and evaluate social and economic phenomena to policy makers. We use multi-method approaches to triangulate data and provide robust evidence to the Board and to policymakers within the FSA and externally. We pride ourselves on openness and innovation.

We work closely with colleagues in Analytics, across the agency, with other Government departments. We also work closely with an in-house hub of research fellows, with the FSA Advisory Committee for Social Science (ACSS), our Register of Experts and people in the science and academic community to ensure that the evidence base that we deliver is high quality, represents the latest thinking and is fit for its purpose.

We operate a matrix management system and you will be required to work flexibly across a wide range of tasks providing exposure to a number of on the job learning and development opportunities.

Examples of recent social science work include:

Publication of the Food & You survey, the FSA’s flagship survey of the public’s reported behaviours, attitudes and knowledge relating to food safety and food issues;

Publication of the public attitudes Tracker, which measures public attitudes to the Agency and food issues of concern;

a study of behavioural drivers of transmission of norovirus in small food business.

Key Responsibilities

The post holder will have the opportunity to contribute to the Agency’s corporate business priorities to deliver the Strategic Plan 2015-20 http://www.food.gov.uk/sites/default/files/FSA%20strategy%20document%202015-2020_April%202015_interactive%20%282%29.pdf

In particular, to help deliver the strategic objectives on behaviour change as required, including the various workstreams that support the Regulating Our Future programme. This may include carrying out internal analysis and reviews of existing evidence and the design, commissioning and management of research, including randomised control trials and evaluation evidence.

Also, to inform and support the Division’s engagement objective to maximise the impact of our evidence. For example, the communication and dissemination of the findings of the Agency’s flagship public survey, Food and You.

List duties and responsibilities: Management of research projects to meet policy requirements in a timely manner Support to tracking survey work, and secondary analysis of data as appropriate Providing cross-Agency analytical advice and support as required Helping to build the Agency’s behaviour change evidence base and methodological expertise Working closely with other analytical professions Contributing to the wider work of the Unit and Division Working with external methodological and subject experts to strengthen the Agency’s access to

the social sciences Ad hoc support including briefings, analysis and advice Contributing to the work of the GSR and carry out all duties in line with the GSR professional

code Act as an ambassador for the work of team internally and externally Contribute to the timely and cost-effective delivery of high quality social science research

insights and evidence across a range of policy and operational areas

Eligibility Requirements

Applicant to be a UK National

Her Majesty’s Courts and Tribunals Service (HMCTS)

DIRECTORATE: HMCTS Customer DirectorateLOCATION: LondonNUMBER OF PLACEMENTS: One Salary: London - £26,411

Overview

Her Majesty’s Courts & Tribunals Service (HMCTS) is responsible for the administration of criminal, civil and family courts and tribunals in England and Wales. We work with an independent judiciary to provide a fair, efficient and effective justice system.

We have an outstanding heritage and history and we want to build on this by modernising to ensure we deliver a service that matches the expectation of the society we serve today and in the future. In recognition of this, HMCTS has been allocated funding of over £1billlion to reform the way that our courts and tribunals operate. This will enable HMCTS to create a system that is proportionate and accessible and that better meets the needs of the people it serves.

We are focused on radically improving the user journey for all, to ensure that the service we design and deliver benefits the people who will use the system. For HMCTS, the changes we are making will reduce our own costs and remove service failure from our system allowing us to put resources where they matter most as well as strengthening access to justice.

The Customer Directorate in HMCTS is working with all parts of the organisation to drive a user-centric approach in new and existing services. This is a once in a generation opportunity to help transform how justice is delivered in England and Wales - by ensuring that the needs of the public are kept at the heart of reform, your work will have a real lasting social impact.

Main purpose

The Insight and User Research Division is a team which ensures that our understanding of user characteristics, behaviours and needs, is researched, analysed and shared in inspiring ways to inform decision making throughout HMCTS.

You will support the development and deployment of a multi-disciplinary research and insight approach to create a comprehensive and effective view of our users. The team lead the development of research and insight on users from all available sources (qualitative and quantitative) to inform what we know, supporting and analysing the development of new digital and operational solutions.

This work offers a wide range of opportunities to develop your research experience and contribute across a range of research whilst making a real difference to services for millions of people. You will join

a team dedicated to developing your skills within a multi-disciplinary environment. The team currently contains expertise and leadership experience across social and market research, behavioural science, operational research and data science.

This is an exciting opportunity to be part of a multidisciplinary team, to use social research to develop insight about our users and apply this to the services we deliver in courts and tribunals.

HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC)

LOCATION: Manchester / Liverpool / London

NUMBER OF PLACEMENTS: 2

SALARY: National £19,550-£21,020, London £23,420-£25,124

Job Description – HMRC GSR Studentships

HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) influences all aspects of society: alleviating child poverty; tackling climate change; making the UK economy a vibrant and attractive place to do business; and understanding what drives taxpayer behaviour. More details can be found on our web site www.hmrc.gov.uk.

There are 100 + social researchers in HMRC located in London (100 Parliament Street and Canary Wharf), Manchester and Liverpool. (During 2020/21, for staff based in London, we will also be moving to new offices in Stratford or Croydon.) We have reasonably large multi-disciplinary analytical units comprising statisticians, economists, operational researchers and social researchers as well as smaller social research specific teams located within business areas. They produce high-profile, influential research and advice to Ministers and HMRC. We offer specialist skills in analysis and research, data collection and evaluations.

The Roles HMRC is a mainstream Government Social Research (GSR) department with over 100 social research posts, from Research Officer to Senior Principal Research Officer grades. We undertake a wide range of research projects from large-scale quantitative surveys of UK individual and business taxpayers and tax credit recipients, to detailed qualitative research, involving in-depth interviews and discussion groups. Social researchers carry out systematic reviews of evidence and evaluations of tax policies and operations on everything from environment and property taxes to tax compliance issues. We have a strong interest in behavioural and attitudinal research to inform tax policy and ensure taxes are paid. We carry out in-house data analysis and research as well as managing external researchers.

As a social research 12-month Student Placement within HMRC, you will have the opportunity to work closely with other analysts and policy or operational colleagues and undertake high quality social research that can directly inform decision making on government policies and tax administration at the time of Budgets and on an on-going basis.

Social researchers here are responsible for customer research, including HMRC’s flagship Customer Experience Survey.

Other recent research includes: • A panel study of tax credit and child benefit customers, • A large business panel survey and a tax opinions survey. • The impact of education initiatives in encouraging tax compliance by small business • Laboratory experiments of taxpayer behaviour • Evaluating the Real Time Information pilot • Informing transparency of personal tax information • Evaluation of HMRC’s Diversity & Inclusion Strategy

Work also varies across our teams, which are:

Enforcement & Compliance – provides analysis across a wide range of compliance areas in HMRC: from the use of Predictive Analytics to recommend how and when HMRC intervenes with customers to understanding the overall impacts of those interventions on tax receipts and taxpayer behaviour. The team also provides analysis to influence and support HMRC’s strategy on offshore tax evasion.

Direct Business Taxes – Produces analysis on Corporation Tax for large businesses, including the banking sector, and small business taxation issues for Ministers, HMT and HMRC colleagues. Publishes forecasts and National Statistics for onshore and offshore Corporation Tax, supports new businesses and provides analytical advice on the Bank Levy.

Tax Gaps and Indirect Taxes – Works closely with HMT policy teams to provide Ministers with influential analysis on VAT, stamp duties, excise duties (e.g. tobacco & alcohol), and environmental and transport taxes (e.g. climate change levy, fuel duty). Also regularly publishes internationally acclaimed ‘tax gap’ analysis.

Benefits & Credits - Advises HMRC colleagues how to improve the operational delivery of tax credits and child benefit, and produces analysis for HMT on potential policy reforms including the introduction of Universal Credit

Personal Taxes – Analyses the impacts of high-profile reforms to the tax system affecting millions of individuals in the UK, developing the evidence base for HMT policy and producing advice for Ministers. Also provides research and analysis to inform major developments in HMRC’s operational platform for delivering the personal tax system.

Data Policy & Co-ordination – Works very closely with HMT and the Office of Budget Responsibility to co-ordinate and quality assure all analysis and forecasts that feed into the Chancellor’s Budget Day announcements. Analyses the impact on the wider economy of large tax policy changes and produces analytical datasets from HMRC systems for use across KAI. Publishes National Statistics on personal incomes and supplies summary analyses to other government departments.

Operations, Strategy and Transformation – Experts in project-based working, this team delivers substantial research and analysis for a wide range of HMRC business needs including corporate functions. We lead on cross-cutting HMRC operations and behavioural analysis and work flexibly to deliver priority projects. The three key priority analytical themes for the team are Customer and Strategy, Efficiency and Productivity and People and Leadership.

To note - For roles in 100 Parliament Street, London - you will need a higher level of security clearance and there may therefore be specific requirements for residency. You will normally need to have lived in the UK for a minimum of 3 years.

Home Office (HO)

LOCATION: 2 Marsham Street, London / Croydon

NUMBER OF PLACEMENTS: 8

SALARY: £21,452

The Home Office is the lead government department for immigration and passports, crime, police, fire and counter-terrorism. The issues the department deals with are significant, intellectually stimulating, often controversial and regularly at the top of the news. Social researchers work across these areas, often alongside economists, statisticians and operational researchers, to support policy colleagues by ensuring a sound evidence base to inform the development and delivery of policy and front-line operations.

We are looking for 8 GSR Sandwich students. The roles offer the opportunity to develop skills as a social researcher across a range of competencies and provide a wider understanding of how research and evidence are used within government to inform policy-making.

As well as responding to ad-hoc requests, the successful applicants will lead on distinct strands of project work, and as part of this are likely to plan, carry out and report on a small-scale project over the year. A candidate with a broad range of skills including quantitative and qualitative skills would be preferable, with knowledge/experience of handling and interrogating large data sets an advantage.

Good written and oral presentation skills are required, as the roles will include working with a range of stakeholders, including other analysts, policy colleagues, and practitioners.

Typically, the jobs will involve undertaking secondary data analysis, synthesising research evidence and there may also be opportunities for primary research. Precise responsibilities vary across the different roles. Posts are available in the following areas:

2 posts in Crime and Policing Analysis (CPA). Crime and Policing Analysis Unit (CPA) is responsible for providing statistics, research and analysis on all areas of crime and policing. The Unit consists largely of analysts (social researchers, statisticians, operational researchers and economists) as well as generalist staff. CPA consists of around 50 staff who provide analytical (statistics, social and operational research and economics) support to the Home Office’s Crime, Policing and Fire Group. The unit covers a wide range of high profile subject areas including policing, drugs and alcohol, crime patterns, domestic abuse, violence and all other types of crime. Current CPA research themes include building the evidence base on serious violence and improving our understanding of the demands on the police.

3 posts in Office for Security and Counter-Terrorism Research & Analysis (OSCT R&A). OSCTRA is a multi-disciplinary team of around 37 social researchers, economists, statisticians and operational researchers embedded within the Office for Security and Counter Terrorism. Our work covers large-scale research projects to provide evidence to inform strategic thinking, as well as responsive analysis and briefing for policy teams. Research in the unit covers a number of high profile areas. For counter-terrorism, we are focused on how to stop people from becoming terrorists or supporting terrorism, how to strength our protection and mitigate against terrorist attacks; as well as how to stop attacks in the first place. Research in the Serious and Organised Crime area is focused on how to reduce serious and organised crime affecting the UK. Serious and Organised crime includes drug trafficking, modern slavery and human trafficking, organised illegal immigration, child sexual exploitation, cyber crime, counterfeiting, fraud and other financial crimes.

2 posts in Migration and Borders Analysis (MBA). Migration and Border Analysis (MBA) is a multi-disciplinary team made up of around 45 social researchers, statisticians, economists, operational researchers and other experts. The unit covers a wide range of subject areas including:

o Managed migration policy; o Migration statistics and visa data, including statistical systems; o Enforcement and detention policy; o Asylum policy and refugee resettlement; o International research and evaluation; o The impact of migrants on the labour market and wider society.

1 post in the Border Force Analysis team in Decision Support for Operations (DSO). Border Force is responsible for securing the UK border, controlling migration at ports, and boosting UK prosperity by facilitating the legal movement of people and goods. The Border Force Analysis team is a dynamic and multi-professional team that operates across the entire command, providing strategic advice on long term spending plans, economic advice on technology investment decisions, forecasting demand of people and freight, researching customer behaviour to inform policy implementation, simulation modelling to test tactical changes at ports, and statistical analysis to quantify border permeability.

Eligibility Requirements

Candidates need to meet our nationality requirements and should normally have been resident in the UK for the last 5 years, in order to meet our security clearance requirements.

Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG)

LOCATION: 2 Marsham Street, London

NUMBER OF PLACEMENTS: 2

SALARY: £25,847 pro rata

MHCLG aims to help create great places to live and work across the country and to back communities to come together and thrive. Our objectives are to: -

1. Deliver the homes the country needs2. Make the vision of a place you call home a reality3. Support local government to deliver high quality services with sustainable finances4. Create strong communities, socially, economically and a sense of place5. Secure effective support for those affected by the Grenfell Tower disaster, delivering the changes this

tragedy demands and ensuring people are safe and feel safe within their homes6. Support a smooth exit from the European Union7. Make MHCLG an even better place to work

Please note that successful candidates will need to pass the CTC security checks – this requires candidates to have been living continuously in the UK for the past 3 years.

As an analytical sandwich student within MHCLG you will be part of a team of analysts that are responsible for a variety of unique and interesting pieces of analytical work. You will have the opportunity to build up and develop both quantitative and qualitative research skills.

The posts are based in MHCLG’s Analysis and Data Directorate. This is a multi-disciplinary team comprising data scientists, economists, operational researchers, social researchers, statisticians, IT specialists and data collection teams. The Directorate is a vibrant, fast-moving and high profile place to work and is at the heart of delivering critical evidence for the Department and other stakeholders.

As a sandwich student/intern with MHCLG you can expect to work with experienced government analysts on high priority projects. You will have the opportunity to use your technical skills on the job and will be able to acquire new skills as part of the internship role. Working in MHCLG will give you the chance to work on real projects that will make a difference alongside experienced analysts and policy makers and give you a real insight into policy making today.

Opportunities

We will agree the precise nature of your work with us nearer the time depending on the skills and interests of candidates, but opportunities include:

Building up experience on large scale surveys and quantitative analysis

Producing accessible and well-crafted reports of key findings

Networking and discussing the wider implications of research findings with other analysts and policy officials

Presenting research findings to non-specialists and publishing key outputs on Gov.uk

Systematic synthesis of existing evidence from a wide range of sources to inform new programmes and policies.

Carrying out some qualitative interviews, analysing the findings and producing accessible reports

Person specification – these are not essential requirements

This post would suit individuals who:

Have a good overview of both quantitative and qualitative methods

Can carry out analysis of both qualitative and quantitative information accurately and clearly

Have knowledge and experience of using MS Office –i.e. Powerpoint, Word, and Excel

Enjoy working in a team and can build relationships and work collaboratively

Have good communication skills

Ministry of Justice (MoJ)

LOCATION: London or Leeds

NUMBER OF PLACEMENTS: One

SALARY: London - £26,411, Leeds -£21,170

The Ministry of Justice

The Ministry of Justice is one of the largest government departments. Each year millions of people use our services across the UK - including courts, tribunals and prisons in England and Wales. The justice system is an important public service and our work spans criminal, civil and family justice, democracy and rights. We are all likely to come into contact with the justice system at some point in our lives, because we have been a witness or victim of crime, to protect and enforce our rights or to settle disputes.

Data and Analytical Services Directorate

DASD is a core part of the Ministry of Justice. DASD comprises around 300 analysts (social researchers, economists, statisticians and operational researchers). Its role is to provide analytical advice and evidence to support key policy decisions in priority areas such as youth justice, victims and witnesses, reducing reoffending and family justice. Analysts play a key role in providing high quality evidence and analysis to support policy making.

The role of social researchers

Social researchers are within all the DASD units and cover the broad range of areas that MoJ is responsible for. The role of social researchers involves working closely with stakeholders and partners to define changing evidence needs, conducting internal research and analysis and commissioning and managing external contractors, and improving the research evidence base in key areas to ensure it is embedded in decision making. The role calls for highly effective communicators who can critically assess research methodologies and findings to form sound, evidence-based judgements, promote best practice and work on large, complex projects.

Details of the post

We are one GSR placement available for 12 months; the exact post will be dependent on the interests, skills and experiences of the successful candidate.

GSR work in MoJ is varied and will provide opportunities to be involved in a range of GSR work.