Senior Researcher

Centre for Sustainable Energy; Bristol; On-site; GBP 36,000 - 44,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading organization focused on sustainable energy is seeking a Senior Researcher to manage research projects within social sciences. The role includes project delivery, team management, and leveraging innovative research methods to enhance the organization's work and outreach. Suitable candidates will have a strong research background and project management skills.

Qualifications

• Experience in management of small-scale research projects.
• Track record of delivering research with primary data collection.
• Advanced understanding of social research methods and associated software.

Responsibilities

• Manage social research work packages and oversee data analysis.
• Mentor junior staff and support their development.
• Lead method development for new research work and communicate outputs effectively.

Skills

Management skills

Time management

Social research methods

Project management

Education

Degree level qualification in a relevant topic

Formal research methods training

Tools

SPSS

Nvivo

Excel

Job description

Job Title: Senior Researcher

Location: Bristol

Salary: £36075 - £43211 per annum

Job Type: Permanent/ Full time

About The Role

To manage social research work packages or projects within the Research and Analysis (R & A) team and contribute research skills to a range of CSE projects across all teams and work programmes. The role requires knowledge of social science research methods and research administration skills including time management, contributing to funding proposals and bid developments, and supporting outreach and impact work. Some knowledge of energy is required.

Duties And Responsibilities

An applicant appointed to the role will be expected to:

Delivery Of Projects And Activities

• Effectively manage work packages and small projects within the Research and Analysis portfolio.
• Oversee the timely delivery of data analysis outputs across multiple projects,.
• Explore innovative outputs to enhance the impact of the work and make best use of your own specialist skills, knowledge and experience in project design, delivery and dissemination.
• Have expertise in a particular research method or approach (e.g. qualitative analysis, survey analysis, statistics), and develop new approaches to advance CSE's research.
  
  

Operation And Development Of The Team

• Participate in relevant meetings and processes to enable good internal communication and effective workload planning.
• Provide effective line management that supports staff in line with CSE policies.
• Mentor junior staff and support them to develop research or analytical skills and subject matter knowledge. Input to team development & strategy, supporting recruitment when appropriate.
• Explore new uses for datasets created by CSE that build our reputation and demonstrate CSE's commitment to open access principles.
  
  

Income Generation, Partnerships, And Generating Opportunities

• Lead method development for new research work and proactively seek new opportunities for funding and partnerships.
• Work with CSE's development team to develop new research proposals aligned with CSE's strategy and work programme priorities.
• Support the development of social research at CSE. Actively seek out and assign work to junior staff that matches their specialist skills and interests.
  
  

Communications And Impact

• Communicate outputs effectively to internal team members, CSE staff wide, and external stakeholders.
• Create impact & recognition of research outputs, liaise with CSE's Comms team about disseminating outputs to key audiences and author CSE website pages and blog posts where relevant.
  
  

Professional Development

• Continuously improve research and analytical skills and expand knowledge of research areas relevant to CSE's work programmes
• Stay current with relevant trends in energy social sciences to help foster innovation within CSE's work.
  
  

About You

• Degree level qualification or equivalent in a relevant topic
• Relevant formal research methods training - as part of degree course or continuing professional development
• Experience in management/coordination of small-scale research or evaluation projects or significant work packages with demonstrable success in delivering work on budget and on time.
• Track record of delivering research, with evidence of conducting primary data collection and analysis, inputting to study design and managing diverse and complex project data
• Project management skills including excellent time management, organisation of self and others, budgeting and record-keeping, priority setting and problem-solving
• Advanced understanding of social research methods and associated software (e.g. SPSS, Nvivo, Excel)
  
  

Benefits

Please click the APPLY button to complete the application form. Your application should demonstrate your suitability for the role against the criteria outlined in the person specification. CV's will not be accepted, please complete the application form and send to our Centre for Sustainability jobs inbox.

Candidates with experience or relevant job titles of Principal Investigator (PI), Lead Research Scientist, Research Director, Senior Scientific Advisor, and Chief Research Officer (CRO) may also be considered.

The closing date for applications is 12pm on Friday 13 June 2025.