Researcher

Title: Researcher
Salary: £18,000 - £24,000 (depending on skills & experience)
Location: Edinburgh
Application deadline: 5pm, Wednesday 30th November 2016

About the job
We are looking for a talented individual with a passion for social research to deliver and develop our work in Scotland.

We are recruiting exceptional research professionals to join the ScotCen team in Edinburgh. We are primarily looking for a mixed-method researcher who is committed to building his/her skills in both quantitative and qualitative methods. There will also be opportunities for involvement in the wider research, analytical and methodological work of the Survey and Policy Research Centres and the organisation as a whole. Our projects are at the heart of evidence-based policy making in Scotland across a range of subject areas including health, social inequalities, crime and justice and children, young people and families.

The successful candidate will be passionate about social research and its impact on policy and society. It would be desirable for applicants to have a social sciences degree with a research component, and undergraduate or postgraduate research experience would be an advantage for these posts. Essential attributes include good communication and team-working, an understanding of quantitative and qualitative methods and evaluation appropriate for the level of the post, and an interest in policy relating to a range of substantive issues, including public health, social inequalities, children and families or crime and justice.

You will work on different research projects at the same time. It is often a fast paced, quick response, ever-changing environment focussing on specific substantive and policy issues. Our portfolio of research is varied - you may have opportunities to work in areas such as health, children and families, social attitudes and crime and justice. We use the whole range of different research methods and your work will touch on all stages and tasks of the research process. You will work alongside passionate and knowledgeable colleagues across all your projects. You must share our objective of delivering our clients fascinating, ethical, rigorous research that contributes to social and policy issues that matter - on time and within budget.

Applications to work part-time will be considered.

About us

We're driven by the belief that social research has the power to make life better. Our research works for society by providing a rich understanding of people's lives and enabling them to have a powerful and influential role in shaping social policy decisions. Our research is used by policy makers, practitioners, academics, the media and the public as a driving force behind increased understanding of the environment we live in and how it's changing.

We offer a friendly and stimulating environment with a high profile, challenging research programme, as well as favourable working conditions. Benefits include a generous holiday entitlement and a defined contribution pension scheme.

Simply send us your details via 'Apply' (be sure to include a valid email address) and we will e-mail you details of how to progress your application.