Senior Social Research Scientist (Band 3/SEO)

Health and Safety Executive; Nottingham; Hybrid; GBP 45,000 - 55,000; Full time

Job summary

A government regulatory body is seeking an exceptional social researcher to provide high-quality analysis for the Building Safety Programme. The role involves delivering research projects, synthesizing data, and advocating for social research. The successful candidate will work collaboratively across teams and support evidence-based decision-making, all while benefiting from a competitive salary and comprehensive benefits package.

Benefits

Learning and development opportunities

Flexible working options

Family-friendly policies

Cycle to work scheme

Qualifications

• Experience in delivering challenging research projects.
• Strong understanding of evaluation approaches.
• Experience with secondary data analysis and triangulating data.

Responsibilities

• Provide sound social science-based advice to support the Building Safety Programme.
• Work with teams to understand evidence needs.
• Disseminate analysis to generate impactful outcomes.

Skills

Quantitative analytical skills

Research design

Data synthesis

Advocating for social research

Critically evaluating data

Job description

Overview

We are looking for an exceptional social researcher to provide high quality analysis to support the Building Safety Programme. The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) is the independent regulator for work-related health and safety. Our purpose is to protect people and the environment, and our work aims to improve health and safety risk management, reduce sickness absence, lower healthcare and welfare costs, and improve productivity. A national Building Safety Regulator (BSR) has been established in HSE as part of the Building Safety Programme. Any successful candidates recruited to this vacancy will initially be onboarded to HSE, with a move to the new Executive Agency to be undertaken in due course.

Travel: This role can be based in any of the advertised locations; occasional travel to other HSE offices will be required for team meetings and collaborative work.

Responsibilities

• Providing sound social science based advice and analysis to support the Building Safety Programme (BSP).
• Working closely with other analysts, operational and policy colleagues and stakeholders to understand and meet the evidence needs of the BSP.
• Supporting the triangulation of secondary data sources such as programme monitoring data, existing baseline surveys and qualitative data.
• Synthesis of evaluation evidence and drawing out key messages.
• Further analysis of secondary data sources to answer specific policy questions.
• Understanding implications of evidence and analysis for ongoing refinement of the theory of change.
• Dissemination of evidence and analysis to generate impact.
• Taking a proactive role in professional development through engagement with Government Social Research (GSR) activities and collaboration with the GSR head of profession to share learning within the team.

Person specification and qualifications

The role requires employing a range of qualitative and quantitative methods. An understanding of evaluation approaches is essential. You should demonstrate strong quantitative analytical skills and experience with secondary analysis such as interrogating large scale datasets and triangulating data from multiple sources to provide robust evidence.

• Essential Skills and Criteria
• Delivering challenging research projects.
• Producing robust social science based advice and analysis to support decision making.
• Synthesis of data to understand the evidence base, highlight gaps and convey key messages.
• Research design, qualitative and quantitative data collection and analysis.
• Advocating for social research and presenting to others about social research.
• Presenting complex analysis clearly with demonstrable impact to non-specialists and/or senior managers.
• Supporting senior leaders with effective partnership and collaborative working to deliver positive outcomes.
• Critically evaluating data and information to inform sound evidence-based decisions.
• Knowledge of ethical issues and legal requirements surrounding research.
• Technical skills – Government Social Research Technical Framework: knowledge of research methods, identifying needs, designing and specifying research, using and promoting social research, leading, communicating and championing social research, managing and commissioning social research.

Candidates successful at sift who are NOT required to undertake the test will progress automatically to the second stage interview. Interviews will be held from 6 November. You will be asked to prepare a presentation of up to 10 minutes followed by questions. Dates may change due to panel availability. If you are already a badged permanent member of GSR, you may be exempt from the GSR test; membership will be verified during recruitment.

Salary and Benefits

Salary: £45,954 plus £13,312 employer pension contribution to the Civil Service Defined Benefit Pension scheme. Benefits include learning and development tailored to your role, flexible working options, inclusive culture, and a range of Civil Service benefits such as private annual leave, family-friendly policies, cycle to work, and other perks.

Other notes

HSE is a Disability Confident employer and is committed to workplace adjustments. If you require assistance due to a disability or medical condition, please contact [e-mail]. The Civil Service Code and recruitment principles apply. Details on internal checks (including fraud checks) and nationality requirements are provided in the original job posting.