Expressions of Interest for Research Assistants

Ecorys is leading international management consultancy delivering innovative solutions in research and evaluation, communications and programme management services for a range of UK, European and global public and private sector organisations. We have passionate teams working on meaningful policies that have an impact on people's lives around the world. We're a socially responsible, employee-owned organisation that gives 1% of our profits to charity each year. Our working culture promotes personal and career development and you'll be part of a large international group with offices worldwide. Ecorys operates a flexible working policy.

About the role and Business Unit

We are looking for expressions of interest from emerging talent in the areas of UK and European Social Policy, and International Development, to join our reputable and established Policy and Research team delivering impactful work across a variety of client contracts.

We will be managing a recruitment campaign early in 2019 for a number of Research Assistants to work in one of our three offices in Birmingham, London or Leeds.

As a Research Assistant, you will develop and apply your range of quantitative and qualitative research skills including desk-based research, survey design and implementation, in-depth interviewing and qualitative and quantitative data analysis.

In addition to research duties, you will help manage stakeholder networks, and get involved in communications and learning activities including managing online learning platforms and supporting a range of events and social media activities. As you develop in the role, you will have the opportunity to grow your client facing skills and your business development skills by contributing to work winning activities. You may also be able to develop a specialisation into qualitative or quantitative methodologies. There is also the prospect for some national and international travel.

You will work across one or more of our key social and economic policy areas which focus on education, employment and labour markets, health and wellbeing, sport and culture, children, young people and families, international development, active ageing, and financial capability.

Due to the nature of the research, an enhanced DBS check may be required.

Responsibilities:

• Demonstrate a genuine interest in the businesses' key social and economic policy areas.
• Have experience to research or evaluate and report results in a variety of written and verbal styles.
• Demonstrate excellent organisational and administrative skills
• Manage project delivery within tight deadlines in a fast-paced environment.
• Undertake qualitative research, including conducting in depth interviews face to face or by phone, and note-taking or moderating of focus groups
• Undertake quantitative research including designing, analysing and writing up findings from survey data, and other data sets
• Excellent English language skills both verbal and written are essential. Other language capabilities are desirable.

Requirements:

• Ideally have a good Undergraduate or a Master's Degree (including mid-studies or currently applying for) in a social science, social research, international development, geography, statistics, maths or economics, research methods and related subjects.
• Becoming familiar with the research analysis software SPSS / Stata and or R and assist other staff in producing tables and cross tabulations of survey data.
• Take ownership of problems and escalate in a timely manner
• Receptive to change and prepared to try new things out
• Manages own tasks and is able to prioritise own workload to meet team needs