Research Officer London, England
Job description
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Social Research
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About the job
Benefits
Things you need to know
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Location
About the job
Job summary
About OPSS
Do you care about the safety of products and want to protect people and places? Can we use your skills, knowledge and experience to enable UK business to thrive? If the answer is yes, then we would like to hear from you!
We are the Office for Product Safety and Standards (OPSS), part of the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy. We are here for the purpose of making regulation work to deliver real world impact. Regulation is a powerful Government tool to address market failures, influence behaviour and promote positive action. Crafted and delivered well, regulation can be an enabler of growth, innovation and efficiency.
Since early 2018 we have been building a positive and creative team that enjoys a position of influence and respect within an organisation that continues to grow, most recently with the addition of construction products regulation planned.
Our primary purpose is to protect people and places from product-related harm, ensuring consumers and businesses can buy and sell products with confidence
Further information can be found on our website here
We recruit by merit on the basis of fair and open competition, as outlined in the Civil Service Commission's recruitment principles. We embrace diversity and promote equality of opportunity. We are committed to building a team that represents a variety of backgrounds, perspectives and skills. There is a guaranteed interview scheme (DCS) for people with disabilities who meet the minimum selection criteria.
We are Inclusive
We are fully committed to being an inclusive employer and ensuring equal opportunities. We are keen to make our workforce as diverse as possible and recognise how important inclusivity is to achieve the best outcomes. We hope to attract applications from all underrepresented groups.
We will ensure that individuals with disabilities are provided reasonable accommodation if required to participate in the job application or interview process, to perform crucial job functions, and to receive other benefits and privileges of employment. Please contact us to request accommodation.
Job description
The Office for Product Safety and Standard (OPSS) Analysis is a growing multi-disciplinary team, it is led by a Social Researcher Deputy Director and comprises 25 analysts working across four different analytical professions - operational research, statistics, social research and economics. It complements other technical teams in OPSS, delivering an evidence base in partnership across a range of analytical, intelligence, scientific & engineering subject areas.
The Team provides analytical support for all the Office’s activity, adding new value by harnessing their profession-specific expertise. Analysis is highly valued in OPSS to inform policy, regulation changes and consumer campaigns. We are tackling interesting and important issues, such as how much consumers think about safety when buying products and how we can influence industry and consumer behaviour to increase safety. We have responsibility for a broad remit, including toys, cosmetics, fireworks, construction products and metrology.
This role sits in the Social Research team who lead OPSS's diverse research, monitoring and evaluation portfolio. Projects in this team are likely to give the opportunity to develop skills and experience in research methods including: policy evaluation including theory-based and value-for-money methods, behavioural analysis and insights, experimental methods, survey methods, qualitative interviews and focus groups.
Research and evaluation questions that we expect to work on over the next year include:
- What is the impact of our consumer engagement activities aimed at reducing the risk of children swallowing button batteries?
- What evaluation methodologies are appropriate for assessing the impact that OPSS has on the safe installation and use of construction products (such as thermal insulation)?
- How effectively are OPSS's functional teams operating in order to support delivery of OPSS's objectives?
- What is the impact of OPSS's work to reduce the risk of harm from products purchased through online marketplaces?
Person specification
- You will be part of a new Monitoring and Evaluation Hub, providing support to teams across OPSS to enable the development of robust and useful monitoring and evaluation plans. The Hub is led by a G7 Social Researcher with close support from the G6 team leader. Individuals working in the Hub will be responsible for building relationships with teams and working closely with them to understand their evaluation needs.
- You will apply the tools and processes set out in OPSS's Monitoring and Evaluation framework when working with the teams. This toolkit ensures that applicants will be capable of supporting teams effectively using their experience of a broad range of research techniques, even if they don't have prior experience of evaluation. Development regarding evaluation methods will be provided.
- You will work with colleagues across the multi-disciplinary Analysis team to collect and analyse evidence as needed by the teams you are working with. Within this, you will be responsible for working with the M&E Hub lead to ensure work is fit for purpose and the Analysis team's quality assurance processes are followed.
- You will work with programme management colleagues to design and ensure the collection and reporting against key metrics, while thinking creatively to embed monitoring and evaluation at the heart of the Office for Product Safety & Standards activities.
- In future years it is likely you will be involved in commissioning and project managing the delivery of evaluation projects. These would be the result of development work undertaken in the first year and could be delivered by internal or external analysts
Skills and Experience
OPSS has a strong commitment to personal development and will support individuals in these roles to develop the skills needed to deliver against the key responsibilities. This will include training on monitoring and evaluation methods, working effectively with teams and understanding how the Civil Service functions. We do not expect new starters to be ready to deliver all responsibilities on day one, but we do expect a willingness to develop the skills needed.
We are looking for recent graduates from social science or allied disciplines, including those starting their career in social research, evaluation or analysis roles.
We are looking for candidates with a good understanding of relevant methods and experience applying these in an academic or work based setting.
Typical skills we are looking for include:
- Understanding of qualitative research methods, including interviews and focus groups.
- Understanding of quantitative research methods, including survey development and analysis.
- Understanding of the key components of quality research.
- Effective communication skills, for example communicating technical concepts with clarity.
These jobs are available to analysts, due to the technical skills and understanding required to deliver against the job specification. All applicants must be either a current member or eligible for the Social Research profession.
Social Researcher (GSR)
Qualification route:
- A degree (minimum 2:1) in a relevant social science with a substantial social research component, such as demography, economics, human geography, linguistics, psychology, social anthropology, sociology and statistics;
- OR a degree (minimum 2:2) with a relevant postgraduate qualification in social research.
OR
Professional Experience route:
- An undergraduate degree in any subject (at a minimum of 2:1, or 2:2 with a postgraduate degree) or degree equivalent (e.g. an advanced Certificate or Diploma from MRS), PLUS have at least 4 years’ social research practice experience.
Full eligibility guidance can be found here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/application-for-government-social-research-profession-membership
If applying to be a social researcher and you are successful in the sift, you will need to complete an online test on social research skills prior to the interview.
More information of the technical competency framework for Government Social Research can be found here: https://www.gov.uk/guidance/the-government-social-research-competency-framework Candidates applying as a social researcher will be sifted against ‘Technical Skills’ within the competency framework.
PLEASE NOTE: YOUR APPLICATION SHOULD CLEARLY EXPLAIN WHICH OF THE ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA YOU MEET FOR THE SOCIAL RESEARCH PROFESSION
Technical skills
Social Research
- Has good knowledge of research methodology, methods, and the latest techniques (i.e. demonstrated through qualifications and/or experience) and ability to apply these in small scale research projects
- Able to design small scale and less complex research projects, defining research questions and writing draft specifications
- Able to summarise and interpret information accurately, making use of different sources and to conduct basic analyses of key data sets utilising a working knowledge of relevant data analysis packages
- Uses ability to critically assess and evaluate information and evidence, to support team members in managing more complex external research projects (judging merits of research tenders, assessing research findings, evaluating new ideas or methodologies
Social Research - Using and Promoting Research
- Persuades others to support the research process and works to increase awareness of cross cutting research possibilities
- Uses understanding of policy context to deliver appropriate and timely analysis and clear reporting of research results, tailored to customer needs
- Actively supports and contributes to wider GSR community
Qualifications
- OR a degree (minimum 2:2) with a relevant postgraduate qualification in social research.
Behaviours
We'll assess you against these behaviours during the selection process:
- Delivering at Pace
- Making Effective Decisions
- Working Together
Technical skills
We'll assess you against these technical skills during the selection process:
- Social Research
- Social Research - Using and Promoting Research
We only ask for evidence of these technical skills on your application form:
- Social Research
Benefits
BEIS offers a competitive mix of benefits including:
A culture of flexible working, such as job sharing, homeworking and compressed hours.
Automatic enrolment into the Civil Service Pension Scheme.
A minimum of 25 days of paid annual leave, increasing by 1 day per year up to a maximum of 30.
An extensive range of learning & professional development opportunities, which all staff are actively encouraged to pursue.
Access to a range of retail, travel and lifestyle employee discounts.
A hybrid office/home based working model where staff will spend a norm of 40-60% of their time in the office (minimum of 40%) over a month with flex dependent on balancing business and individual need (from September 2021, depending on how the public health guidance evolves).
Things you need to know
Selection process details
As part of the application process you will be asked to complete a CV and personal statement. Further details around what this will entail are listed on the application form.
Please use your personal statement (in no more than 500 words) to provide evidence of your ability to meet the requirements of these posts, including the typical skills and experience set out in the advert..
Applicants also have an additional 250 word technical skills statement in their application to confirm their skills on the analytical profession and to describe how they meet the technical skills required of this profession through a technical skills statement. The personal statement and technical statement will be read together so it is not necessary to repeat information.
Please note - the CV incorporated into the application form is for information purposes only and will not be scored.
Applications will be sifted on personal statement and any technical skills required.
In the event of a large number of applicants, applications will be sifted on the personal statement.
The interview will consist of behaviour and technical questions.
Interviewees will be asked to deliver a presentation; further details will be provided nearer the time.
Expected Timeline subject to change
Sift dates: w/c 17th April 2023
Interview dates: from 9th May 2023
Interview Location: MS Teams.
Candidates are asked to note the above timetable, exercising flexibility through the recruitment and selection process.
Further Information
Existing BEIS recruitment campaigns are continuing as usual, but candidates should be aware that following the Government’s announcement on the changes to some civil service departments, roles may be subject to the machinery of government moves and will ultimately be located in one of the new departments. We will provide more information if you are selected for a role. This work remains of high importance to the civil service, and we thank you for your continued interest.
Reasonable Adjustment
If a disabled person is put at a substantial disadvantage compared to a non-disabled person, we have a duty to make reasonable changes to our processes.
If you need a change to be made so that you can make your application, you should:
- Contact Government Recruitment Service via [email protected] as soon as possible before the closing date to discuss your needs.
- Complete the “Assistance required” section in the “Additional requirements” page of your application form to tell us what changes or help you might need further on in the recruitment process. For instance, you may need wheelchair access at interview, or if you’re deaf, a Language Service Professional.
We are proud to be a disability confident leader, more information about the Disability Confident Scheme (DCS) and some examples of adjustments that BEIS offers to disabled candidates and candidates with long-term health conditions during our recruitment process can be found in our candidate guidance document. A plain text version of the guidance is also available.
If you are experiencing accessibility problems with any attachments on this advert, please contact the email address in the 'Contact point for applicants' section.
If successful and transferring from another Government Department a criminal record check may be carried out.
New entrants are expected to join on the minimum of the pay band.
After interview, a single merit list will be created and you will only be considered for posts in locations you have expressed a preference for. Appointments will be made in strict merit order.
A location based reserve list of successful candidates will be kept for 12 months. Should another role become available within that period you may be offered this position.
Please note terms and conditions are attached. Please take time to read the document to determine how these may affect you.
Any move to Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy from another employer will mean you can no longer access childcare vouchers. This includes moves between government departments. You may however be eligible for other government schemes, including Tax Free Childcare. Determine your eligibility https://www.childcarechoices.gov.uk
BEIS does not normally offer full home working (i.e. working at home); but we do offer a variety of flexible working options (including occasionally working from home).
BEIS cannot offer Visa sponsorship to candidates through this campaign. BEIS holds a Visa sponsorship licence but this can only be used for certain roles and this campaign does not qualify.
In order to process applications without delay, we will be sending a Criminal Record Check to Disclosure and Barring Service on your behalf. However, we recognise in exceptional circumstances some candidates will want to send their completed forms direct. If you will be doing this, please advise Government Recruitment Service of your intention by emailing [email protected] stating the job reference number in the subject heading.
Applicants who are successful at interview will be, as part of pre-employment screening, subject to a check on the Internal Fraud Database (IFD). This check will provide information about employees who have been dismissed for fraud or dishonesty offences. This check also applies to employees who resign or otherwise leave before being dismissed for fraud or dishonesty had their employment continued. Any applicant’s details held on the IFD will be refused employment.
A candidate is not eligible to apply for a role within the Civil Service if the application is made within a 5 year period following a dismissal for carrying out internal fraud against government.
interviews. The offer is targeted toward those from a lower socio-economic background, or who struggle to cover the cost of attending an interview. Please see the attached guidance document at the bottom of this Civil Service Jobs advert. Embedded in the document on page 5, are 2 documents that must be completed and returned to the email addresses listed on the forms to claim an expenses payment. If you have any issues accessing these documents please contact us at [email protected]
Feedback
Feedback will only be provided if you attend an interview or assessment.
Security
Nationality requirements
This job is broadly open to the following groups:
- UK nationals
- nationals of Commonwealth countries who have the right to work in the UK
- nationals of the Republic of Ireland
- nationals from the EU, EEA or Switzerland with settled or pre-settled status or who apply for either status by the deadline of the European Union Settlement Scheme (EUSS) (opens in a new window)
- relevant EU, EEA, Swiss or Turkish nationals working in the Civil Service
- relevant EU, EEA, Swiss or Turkish nationals who have built up the right to work in the Civil Service
- certain family members of the relevant EU, EEA, Swiss or Turkish nationals
Working for the Civil Service
We recruit by merit on the basis of fair and open competition, as outlined in the Civil Service Commission's recruitment principles (opens in a new window).
Apply and further information
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