Research Associate (2 posts)

Co-funded by the Welsh Government, Economic and Social Research Council and Cardiff University, the Wales Centre for Public Policy bridges the gap between academic research and policy makers/practitioners by generating and mobilising evidence that improves policy decisions and public services.

Its staff come from a range of backgrounds including academia, the civil service, public services, local government, think tanks and the voluntary sector.

The Centre is a member of the UK's What Works network. It collaborates with leading researchers from across the UK and internationally to generate, synthesise and mobilise research evidence that can be applied to tackle pressing economic, environmental and social challenges. Staff enjoy excellent access to senior policy makers and public service leaders which enables them to achieve research impact at national and local level.

We are seeking to recruit two outstanding individuals to contribute to our work with public services and the Welsh Government. The post offers a unique opportunity to manage and conduct high quality policy research, working closely with leading researchers and policy makers who are at the heart of current policy developments and debates particularly in relation to environment and net zero, community wellbeing and tackling inequalities.

You must have a good understanding of public policy; the ability to work directly with public service leaders; a commitment to high quality policy relevant research; excellent communication and organisational skills; and the ability to work as part of the Centre's wider team.

The full time (35 hours) post is available until 31st March 2028 with the possibility of renewal thereafter subject to further funding. It offers a stimulating and supportive working environment with flexible working arrangements; a generous university pension scheme; a wealth of training opportunities; and a base in the new Social Science Research Park (SPARK) located on Cardiff's £300 million Innovation Campus. The Centre supports hybrid working and the successful candidate will need to be available to work from its offices in Cardiff 1-2 days per week (with some flexibility). We will consider applications to join the Centre on a secondment basis for a minimum of 12 months.

Applicants are asked to answer the following questions at the start of their supporting statement. Your answers should be as concise as possible and must not exceed 200 words per question.

Question 1: The Wales Centre for Public Policy provides evidence to enable local authorities, health boards and other public bodies to identify ways to improve policy decisions and public services.
How would you go about identifying the policy issues that we should work on with them over the next six months? What criteria would you use to rank the issues in order of priority?

Question 2: The Centre does most of its work in partnership with experts from other universities and research organisations. Imagine that we've been asked by a Public Service Board to provide evidence on what local services can do to tackle poverty in their area. They need a report in three months' time to inform their Wellbeing Plan.
How would you identify the best experts to work with us on this project? What potential barriers might you encounter in securing their input and how would you overcome these? How would you ensure that public services engage with the project?
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Salary: £41,064 - £46,049 per annum (Grade 6).

Closing date: Thursday, 20 November 2025.

Cardiff University is committed to supporting and promoting equality and diversity and to creating an inclusive working environment. We believe this can be achieved through attracting, developing, and retaining a diverse range of staff from many different backgrounds. We therefore welcome applicants from all sections of the community regardless of sex, ethnicity, disability, sexual orientation, trans identity, relationship status, religion or belief, caring responsibilities, or age. In supporting our employees to achieve a balance between their work and their personal lives, we will also consider proposals for flexible working or job share arrangements.

Applications may be submitted in Welsh, and an application submitted in Welsh will not be treated less favourably than an application submitted in English.

Cardiff University is a signatory to the San Francisco Declaration on Research Assessment (DORA), which means that in hiring and promotion decisions we will evaluate applicants on the quality of their research, not publication metrics or the identity of the journal in which the research is published. More information is available at: Responsible research assessment - Research - Cardiff University