Research Associate

University of the West of England; Bristol; Hybrid; GBP 25,000 - 35,000; Full time

Job summary

The National Coordinating Centre for Public Engagement is seeking a Research Associate to support a diverse range of exciting projects in a team environment. You will conduct literature reviews, analyze data, and contribute to developing impactful research outputs. This full-time role is based in central Bristol, with a commitment to diversity and inclusion.

Benefits

Generous annual leave

Staff development opportunities

Onsite nursery

Flexible working arrangements

Qualifications

• Candidates should possess a Master's degree or equivalent experience.
• Strong skills in research methods and data analysis techniques are essential.
• Effective communication skills to present research findings clearly.

Responsibilities

• Conduct literature reviews and database searches.
• Undertake qualitative and quantitative data analysis.
• Contribute to research reports and publications.

Skills

Research methods

Data analysis

Qualitative research

Quantitative research

Communication

Education

Masters level qualification

Job description

The National Coordinating Centre for Public Engagement (NCCPE) supports culture change in the UK higher education (HE) sector. We are working to build an inclusive higher education sector where communities can contribute to, and benefit from, knowledge, teaching and research. We do this by supporting excellent public engagement practice; creating the conditions for public engagement to thrive in universities; and building strong networks and partnerships to amplify our impact.

We are an agile and creative organisation, core funded by UK Research and Innovation, Research England, Wellcome, Higher Education Funding Council for Wales, Scottish Funding Council and the Department for the Economy, Northern Ireland. We are also funded by earned income from projects and services provided to HEIs. The Centre is jointly hosted by University of the West of England (UWE) and University of Bristol (UoB), benefitting from being part of two vibrant universities. This role is being recruited through UWE.

THE NCCPE provides services to the Higher Education Sector such as training and consultancy and undertakes a lot of project work. Our work often has a research component which includes:

• Responding to consultations and calls for evidence
• Conducting literature reviews and consultations to inform policy and practice
• Supporting our funders by conducting thematic reviews of narratives submitted to the Higher Education sector’s Knowledge Exchange Framework
• Designing and implementing our own Monitoring, Evaluation and Learning Framework
• Developing an assessment of the ‘State of the Sector’ in relation to adoption of public engagement strategy and practice by universities across the UK.
  
  
  

We are looking for a Research Associate to support our Research Fellow and Policy Analyst and our small team of freelance Research Associates to deliver our expanding portfolio of work across a range of exciting projects as well as the services NCCPE provides.

In this role you will be involved in the whole spectrum of research including literature and database searches and reviews, undertaking qualitative and quantitative data analysis, the development of questionnaires and conducting surveys as well as analysis of results and synthesising actionable insights and learning. You will need to be able to present evidence well both internally and externally and contribute to the development of research reports, publications and training resources. You may also contribute to project proposals and funding bids to external bodies.

This will be a varied and interesting role, so come and join our friendly, busy team based at 4, Portwall Place in central Bristol – and help unlock the potential of universities to make a positive difference to society.

About You

You will have at least a Masters level qualification in a relevant discipline or have equivalent professional experience. You may work in academia or in one of a range of sectors such as governance, policy, charities, education or business. You will understand how to conduct research using appropriate data-gathering and data analysis techniques and methods and possess knowledge of specialist research methods. You will be an effective communicator, able to distil and explain outcomes to non-specialists. You will also be able to demonstrate an ability to build and participate in internal and external networks to enhance your personal and NCCPE’s profile.

Where is this role based

Our offices are based in the city at 4 Portwall Place, Bristol BS1 6NB

Why UWE Bristol?

We are one of the largest providers of Higher Education in the South West with 38,000 students and 4,000 staff from right across the globe. Based in Bristol , one of the UK’s most exciting and forward-thinking cities, we are regionally embedded and globally connected, with an established network of employer and academic partners.

We offer a wide range of employee benefits including progressive pay rates, generous annual leave and career average pension schemes as well as retail savings, onsite nursery and opportunities for training and personal development.

Add your individuality to ours

UWE Bristol recognises the power of a truly diverse university community .

We are proud to be part of a vibrant, multicultural city that celebrates diversity, we’re always looking for talented people from all backgrounds to join us. Our people are our strength, and diversity enhances our creativity and leads to better decision-making and problem-solving. Bring your talent and ambition to our growing community and find yourself in a stimulating and supportive environment where you’ll thrive.

We particularly encourage applications from global majority candidates as we are currently under-represented in this area of the organisation, however all appointments are made strictly on individual merit.

As a Disability Confident employer, we welcome applications from those who identify as having a disability.

At the NCCPE, we are looking for people who thrive working in a flexible way in a small, but busy team. We strive to live our values and have created an inclusive and supportive working environment which aims to help our team to grow and develop. We put learning and reflection at the heart of all our activities to enable us to realise our commitments to inclusive practice. Our commitment is public, and you can read more about it here NCCPE Statement of Inclusion | NCCPE (publicengagement.ac.uk)

In line with our inclusive culture, we will welcome applications from people with a wide variety of backgrounds, life experiences and organisational knowledges, recognising that they bring rich experiences and different perspectives that are of great benefit to our work, alongside their skills and expertise.

Further information

If you have a question about these job roles then please post it on our Padlet in the first instance and we will try and answer it within 48 hours. You can access our Padlet here Research Associate for the National Co-ordinating Centre for Public Engagement (NCCPE) . Your questions and our answers will be visible to all interested candidates.

Initial interviews may be conducted online w/c 7th July 2025. We aim to give candidates a week's notice to attend interview. Final Interviews are scheduled to take place at our offices at 4 Portwall Place, BS1 6NB w/c 28th July 2025.

These are full-time, fixed-term posts until 31/3/27, working 37 hours per week.

They post are available on a job share basis for applicants wishing to work part-time

UWE Bristol is a campus-based University and it is vital to our success that our campuses are dynamic and vibrant places to learn and spend time. This role is therefore office based for 2 days per week with the opportunity to work from home on the remaining days.

To ensure fairness and equity all salary offers will be made in line with the University's salary assessment guidelines and will be based on your relevant skills and experience.

Right to Work in the UK

The University has a legal responsibility to ensure that all employees are eligible to live and work in the UK. You will therefore be required to provide evidence of your right to work in the UK, please refer to the Home Office Right to Work Checklist for information on which documents are acceptable.

We may be able to sponsor qualifying candidates for this role under the Home Office Skilled Worker visa route. Please read our Skilled Worker Guidance to assess if you will be eligible.

Please note that UWE Bristol does not cover any visa or health surcharge costs.

Advice to applicants

We’d love to hear from you - if you are excited about this opportunity please complete our application form as soon as possible.

Tell us how your skills and experience relate to the requirements of this role by describing how you meet each of the essential and desirable criteria listed in the Person Specification section of the Job Description and include specific examples wherever possible.

Once we have completed shortlisting we will let you know the outcome of your application by email, so please check your inbox for updates.