The Behavioural Insights Team (BIT) is looking for an exceptional candidate to join our Research and Evaluation team in London as soon as possible. The Research and Evaluation Team works with each of our policy teams to test the impact of behaviourally informed policies in the UK and overseas, and runs evaluations to test policy. The successful applicant will support work in the qualitative research team, reporting to the Head of Qualitative Research. Their role will be to design and conduct in-depth qualitative research and evaluation across diverse policy areas (particularly education; mental health; children’s social care and social action) as well as to contribute to BIT’s growing qualitative research function.

The Behavioural Insights Team

The then Prime Minister created BIT in 2010 to apply behavioural science to public policy in the UK. In February 2014 we became a social purpose company, owned by the Cabinet Office, Nesta (an innovation charity) and our employees.

BIT works with governments around the world in almost every area of policy. Whilst the subject and output of our projects varies considerably, there are common threads: we try to understand the contexts in which people make decisions; we notice small details; we find out what has and hasn’t worked before; we come up with innovative ideas for solving policy problems and we measure everything we do as robustly as we can.

As well as displaying professional excellence, BIT selects staff on the basis of our company values: always prioritising social impact; empiricism and humility; fresh thinking; collaboration; and public service.

Roles and Responsibilities

The Research and Evaluation Team works with each of our policy teams to test the impact of behaviourally informed policies in the UK and overseas. The output of this work helps to define how governments and international organisations – like the World Bank and the UN – respond to some of the most crucial policy challenges of our time.

The research team is at the forefront of a revolution in evidence based policy, conducting randomised controlled trials (RCTs) in fields ranging from health, to energy, to charitable giving and employment. A crucial component of this work is capturing in-depth qualitative data which can help us understand if the intervention has been implemented as intended, why it may or may not be effective and the first hand affect upon the recipients. We use qualitative research in several ways:

• During the development and/or selection of interventions for randomised trials, known as ‘Explore’

• Implementation and Process Evaluations as part of an RCT–we work with partners to devise a logic model or theory of change during project set up, and then conduct research to understand how the intervention was implemented and experienced

• Standalone qualitative research and evaluation which help us understand and contextualise complex issues.

The team, which leads the design, fieldwork and analyses, is responsible for ensuring the rigour of research is kept to the highest possible standard, while ensuring it continues to have a social impact. Few organisations offer the opportunity to work on as wide a variety of research as the Behavioural Insights Team. This role will suit a candidate with a background in psychology, anthropology, sociology or qualitative research/evaluation methods.

Although we would prefer a candidate who can work full time, we would consider candidates who are interested in part-time.

Essential

• Experience in designing and conducting robust qualitative research or evaluations;

• Experience in processing, coding and analysing qualitative data;

• Excellent written and verbal communication skills (and will be able to translate academic work to non-academic audiences); and

• A clear understanding of the strengths and weaknesses of different methodologies, including those that they are not an expert in.

Desirable

Finally, it would be desirable if you have:

• Experience conducting research on sensitive topics and/or with vulnerable groups and young people;

• Knowledge of research ethics;

• Experience in handling large data sets;

• Experience using software packages for qualitative analysis (e.g. Nvivo or Dedoose); and

• Holds a Masters or could be working towards a PhD in a relevant subject area (including, but not limited to behavioural science, public policy, economics, psychology, sociology, anthropology, education or evaluation methods).

Please note:

• If you do not already hold the right to work in the UK and/or require sponsorship in order to continue working here, you should think carefully before applying. This is because we will be unable to sponsor you unless there is no other suitably qualified settled worker available to fill the role or your current immigration status means that the resident labour market test will not apply in your case.

• The Behavioural Insights Team is committed to a policy of Equal Employment Opportunity and is determined to ensure that no applicant or employee receives less favourable treatment on the grounds of gender, age, disability, religion, belief, sexual orientation, marital status, or race, or is disadvantaged by conditions or requirements which cannot be shown to be justifiable.