Research officer jobs

Evaluation and Research Officer

STEM Learning is committed to understanding and improving the impact of its work. The Evaluation & Research Officer plays a key role in supporting this by designing and delivering high-quality evaluation and research activity that helps teams learn, improve and demonstrate impact across our programmes.

The Role

We are looking for an Evaluation & Research Officer to join our Data and Impact team at STEM Learning. This role plays a key part in ensuring that our programmes and projects are evaluated effectively, realistically, and in line with best practice, enabling us to demonstrate impact and continuously improve our offer.

Working closely with programme management colleagues, you will design and implement evaluations, ensuring relevant data is collected, analysed and interpreted. You will produce clear, high-quality outputs for both internal and external audiences, supporting learning, accountability, and impact reporting.

You will also contribute to external evaluations, liaising with external evaluators where required, and help embed evidence-informed practice across the organisation. A key part of the role is sourcing, reviewing and synthesising external research and sector evidence to strengthen STEM Learning’s evaluation approaches, findings and impact claims.

Our Ideal Candidate

Candidates will be able to demonstrate our values: Sustainable – Innovative – Proactive

• Demonstrable experience in programme and project evaluation and/or social research, using a range of quantitative and qualitative methods.
• Experience of designing and delivering evaluations, from planning through to analysis and reporting.
• Experience of conducting literature reviews and evidence synthesis and translating research findings into practical insights for programme teams.
• Good knowledge of mixed methods approaches and experience of analysing and interpreting complex datasets.
• Experience of producing clear, well-structured written reports for a range of audiences.
• Experience of working collaboratively with internal and external stakeholders, including contributing to externally commissioned research or evaluation.
• Strong organisational skills, with the ability to manage competing priorities and meet deadlines.
• An understanding of, or strong interest in, STEM education, social impact, and evidence-informed practice.
• A commitment to ethical research practice and data protection standards.
• Willingness to engage in ongoing professional learning and development.

We welcome applicants who bring equivalent experience gained through different routes, and who can demonstrate the skills and behaviours needed for the role.

 About Us

At STEM Learning, we work to improve lives through STEM education. We are a purpose-driven organisation, supporting teachers through high-impact professional development, inspiring young people to build confidence and curiosity in STEM, and connecting schools with employers to grow the UK’s future talent. Guided by our values, we focus our effort where it can make the greatest difference - helping all young people, whatever their background, to see themselves in STEM.

The Evaluation & Research Officer plays an important role in helping STEM Learning understand, evidence and strengthen the impact of this work, ensuring we meet the expectations of funders, partners and the communities we serve.

 Our Benefits

• 30 days holidays plus bank holidays
• An additional day off on your birthday
• Access to an attractive pension scheme
• Our full-time hours are 37 hours per week
• Up to 3 days paid volunteering leave per year
• A comprehensive employee assistance programme

Next Steps

Closing date: Friday 20th February 2026

First Stage Interviews (online): Week commencing Monday 2nd March

Second Stage Interviews (in person): Week commencing Monday 9th March

To Apply

Please provide us with:

• Your up-to-date CV including the contact details of two referees (please note, references will not be approached without your permission and will not be taken up until the offer stage)
• A covering letter (no more than the equivalent of 2 sides of A4) explaining your interest in the role and why you think you would be the ideal candidate.

STEM Learning strives to be diverse and inclusive – a place where we can ALL be ourselves. We encourage applications from all backgrounds and communities, and are committed to employing teams with diverse abilities, skills, and experiences.

We foster a culture where every employee’s voice is respected and valued.

Please ensure that you send a covering letter explaining why you are suitable for this role when submitting your CV.

Please note, that we reserve the right to interview and appoint before the advertised closing date.

Overview

Race Against Dementia is a global charity founded by three-time Formula 1 World Champion Sir Jackie Stewart OBE to find preventions, treatments and cures for dementia – faster.

We fund and support pioneering early-career scientists around the world, giving them the tools, mentoring and Formula 1-inspired mindset to accelerate breakthroughs. From the UK to the USA, Australia to South Africa, our researchers are rethinking how dementia research is done – applying data science, AI and engineering to neuroscience in bold, collaborative ways.

This role sits within Race Against Dementia’s small, dynamic Operations team, who oversee the charity’s research programmes and internal processes. The team is responsible for managing Race Against Dementia’s research portfolio – from coordinating funding calls and supporting the selection of the projects we fund, to delivering the training and development programme for our researchers.

Purpose of the role

The Research Officer plays a central role in delivering Race Against Dementia’s research activity, helping to strengthen our research programmes and support the researchers we fund. The role combines strong organisational skills with clear science communication: coordinating processes, systems and partnerships to ensure smooth delivery, while translating research progress into accessible updates for internal and external audiences.

Duties and Responsibilities

Research administration:

• Manage the administration of all grant calls and related processes.
• Coordinate all incoming communications regarding research matters, ensuring timely, professional responses.
• Maintain team calendars and shared resources to support smooth team operations.
• Set up review sessions with Race Against Dementia Fellows to monitor progress.
• Support preparation of updates and progress reports for charity Trustees, funders and supporters.
• Work with the Research Manager to coordinate training activities for Race Against Dementia researchers.
• Support the planning and delivery of the annual in-person training event for Race Against Dementia researchers.
• Work closely with Race Against Dementia’s research partners and training partners to coordinate joint activities, communication, and ensure smooth delivery of collaborative projects and training activities.
• Undertake research to identify new organisations aligned with our mission.

Science communications

• Track key developments in dementia research and emerging trends in the field.
• Support the creation of research related social media content for the charity’s social media channels.
• Support the development of press materials to announce research updates and milestones.
• Contribute to copywriting and content development for the Race Against Dementia’s website.
• Work with the Research Manager to ensure the wider team is kept up to date with research developments across our network and the wider field.
• Help build and maintain a network of key dementia research stakeholders across academia and charities. 

Other duties

Carry out any other duties as required by the Research Manager, CEO and Board of Trustees including:

• To attend, where appropriate, local, regional and national meetings/events.
• To maintain a good knowledge of national and local initiatives which are of benefit to Race Against Dementia.
• To administer your own workload, including meeting targets and deadlines in line with the Race Against Dementia appraisal system.
• To attend relevant CPD training events as required.
• To undertake responsibility, as part of the team, for all Health and Safety work related matters.
• To work within the guidelines of Race Against Dementia’s policies and procedures.

All team members are expected to uphold and actively demonstrate Race Against Dementia’s values and purpose, fostering a culture of integrity, innovation, and shared ambition to accelerate progress in the race against dementia.

Do you have experience in prospect research, prospect management and due diligence? Are you passionate about the impact of philanthropy and major gifts?

Right now is Manchester’s time to shine. We are preparing to launch our first ever major fundraising and volunteering campaign.

At Manchester we don’t just focus on what we’re good at. We ask what we’re good for.

Through our teaching we are educating a new kind of socially responsible graduate – tomorrow’s thinkers, doers and leaders of a better world. Through our research we are addressing the most pressing global challenges with bold and brilliant solutions. Through innovation we are turning ideas into reality, creating the jobs and industries that will sustain us in the future. And in the heart of the city and beyond, we are breaking down barriers to art, science and learning in order to build stronger, more resilient communities.

Manchester people are different. Not only do we share the values of integrity, being bold, being ambitious, and being collaborative, we also share a pioneering spirit and the courage to make a difference. If you have a fearless personality, boundless optimism and a desire to create a healthier, fairer and more sustainable world, we’d love you to get in touch.

Exciting? We think so too.

About the role

Reporting to the Senior Development Research Officer (SDRO), the Development Research Officer (DRO) plays a vital role in the University’s fundraising operation.

This is an appointment to a Development Researcher role, as outlined in the job description. The focus of this position will be on proactive prospect identification, prospect development, pool management, and due diligence.

You will be the responsible for identification of fantastic prospects, working on innovative prospecting projects, working with fundraisers to drive prospect relationships forward, ensuring our CRM is kept up to date with prospect data, producing informative and insightful donor profiles, conducting fundraiser pool reviews; and preparing due diligence papers.

You will have a passion for philanthropy and the desire to gain a deep understanding of our donor and prospect pools, as well as the many projects undertaken at the University. You will provide accurate and appropriate information relating to potential and current donors to the University, high net worth individuals, corporations and charitable foundations worldwide.

Working with colleagues, you will play a direct role in the University’s programme of identification and analysis of potential donors, deploying and enabling systems to support the documentation and management of such potential donors and suggesting tailored strategies to reach and engage such donors.

Interviews to be held in person week commencing Monday 9 February.

What you’ll get in return

You’ll feel valued as a Development Research Officer at The University of Manchester, receiving access to exclusive rewards and benefits including:

• 23 days annual leave entitlement plus University closure days over the Christmas period, plus bank holidays;
• 3 volunteer days pa in your community;
• hybrid and flexible working opportunities;
• a generous contribution-based pension scheme;
• an annual pay review, plus incremental salary increase within the grade;
• Purple Place Reward Gateway lifestyle benefits - exclusive access to discounts across UK’s major retailers including supermarkets, technology, fashion, travel, and much more;
• free eye examinations with discounts on glasses and contact lenses;
• savings on food and cafes on campus;
• salary exchange for childcare vouchers, workplace nursery scheme, cycle to work, electric vehicle, or increased pension contribution;
• and much more! 

As an equal opportunity employer, we welcome applications from all suitably qualified persons and all appointments will be made on merit. As we are committed to the principles of the Race Equality Charter Mark, we would particularly welcome applications from the Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic (BAME) community who are currently under-represented at this level in this area.

Our University is positive about flexible working – you can find out more here

Hybrid working arrangements may be considered.

Please note that we are unable to respond to enquiries, accept CVs or applications from Recruitment Agencies.

This vacancy will close for applications at midnight on the closing date.

Please see Further Particulars document which contains the person specification criteria.

Job Title: Research Officer – Fundraising Prospect Research

Location: Rhodes House, Central Oxford (hybrid working)

Contract: Fixed-term – 12-month contract (From mid-March 2026)

Hours: Full time – 37.5 hours per week

Salary: £33,000-£35,000

Reports to:         Research Manager

We have an exciting, new opportunity for a Research Officer (Fundraising Prospect Research) to join the Rhodes Trust, Oxford. This role is based within the Global Engagement department, focusing on Development and Alumni Engagement, based at Rhodes House.

We are looking for the successful candidate to ideally start with us in Mid-March 2026.

About the Rhodes Trust

The Rhodes Trust is an educational charity which offers Rhodes Scholarships to exceptional students from around the world to come and study at the University of Oxford. Our mission is to build a better world through global fellowship programmes that develop and connect compassionate, innovative, and public-spirited people committed to solving humanity’s challenges. In recent years, we have also partnered with several other remarkable organisations to create the Mandela Rhodes Foundation, Atlantic Institute, Schmidt Science Fellows, RISE and Oxford Next Horizons.

The role

The Research Officer will help provide a high-quality in-house prospect research service to the senior leadership team and the Warden (CEO) of the Trust. The Research Officer will report to the Research Manager, work closely with the major gift team located in the UK, Canada, Australia and the United States, and gain first-hand knowledge and experience working as an in-house prospect research professional for a highly regarded educational charity.

The role will be responsible for;

· Providing a high-quality in-house prospect research service to the Development Team and senior leaders including the Warden (CEO) of the Trust, and Trustees, as required

· Contributing to the proactive identification of potential major donors and partners to the Rhodes Trust including alumni, individuals, foundations and corporates

· Delivering a pipeline of briefing materials for the Warden (CEO) and senior leadership team to support key fundraising and stakeholder meetings, events and overseas travel itineraries as requested

· Assisting with compiling and managing a portfolio of additional research materials and projects, including profiles, network mapping, philanthropy reports, and targeted analysis, as well as country-specific content to support the Trust’s fundraising efforts in different geographies

· Recording and managing prospect and stakeholder data using the Trust’s CRM database (Salesforce)

· Role modelling the Trust’s organisational values of commitment, inclusion, belonging, growth and innovation

· Carrying out any other duties relevant to the role, as requested

· Having a deep commitment to the values, ethos and mission of the Rhodes Trust

Please see the job description for more responsibilities

Essential skills, experience and qualifications:

· Previous experience in an educational Development and / or alumni office – direct experience in prospect research would be a plus

· Reliable and responsible with excellent written communication skills and an emphasis on attention to detail and accuracy

· Ability to use initiative and creatively source information to identify opportunities and map connections

· Ability to keep information confidential and exercise discretion

· Experience of accurate data entry and record maintenance; good working knowledge of a CRM system and competency in creating and running reports from a database

· Excellent IT skills, including experience with Microsoft packages (Word, Excel, PowerPoint & Outlook)

· An interest in the educational sector

Please see the job description for more responsibilities

Benefits of working here

We are a global organisation and we use our deep connections across the world to bring together people of different backgrounds and viewpoints. We encourage our staff to challenge each other’s thinking and generate new ideas.

· 30 days annual leave (pro rata) plus 8 bank holidays

· Competitive pension scheme

· Generous family leave schemes

· Private health insurance

· Employee Assistance Programme

· Personal development opportunities

· Additional benefits, such as free access to the University's gardens, parks, libraries and museums, and University staff discounts in shops across Oxford.

· Cycle to work scheme

· Electric car scheme

If you would like to find out more, please click ‘apply’ to view the full job description and to find the link to apply. Please send us your CV and a covering letter. Please note, this advert will close on 4 February 2026.

If you have any issues with submitting your application, please email the Recruitment team.

The Rhodes Trust is an equal opportunity employer. We warmly welcome applications from talented people of diverse backgrounds and appoint without regard to age, disability, gender, gender identity, gender reassignment, sexual orientation, pregnancy or maternity, parental status, marital or civil partner status, race, colour, ethnic or national origin, nationality, religion or belief.

We are recruiting for three fixed-term User Research Officer roles for our Digital Team. Two 23-month contracts and one 12-month contract.

This is an exciting opportunity to join The National Lottery Community Fund, and develop your skills as a User Research Officer within a multi-disciplinary team.

You’ll conduct user research to help us understand the needs of both the people who apply for our funding, and our colleagues who manage that funding. Your insights will inform the design of new systems and improvement of existing ones, ensuring that we make changes based on real user needs.

Working within our Digital Team, you’ll also have opportunities to collaborate with and learn from a thriving group of designers and researchers who love sharing knowledge and experience. We’ll offer you support to develop your research and design skills, and opportunities to take part in training and communities of practice.

You’ll need some practical experience of qualitative research methods, and of designing and running research. This could be from working in user research or user experience design. But we’d also welcome applications from people with similar experience from professional work, academic work, or study in fields like:

• human-computer interaction
• user-centred design
• psychology
• ethnography
• social research

The responsibilities of the job include:

• Designing and running user research to help us improve our existing digital services and design new ones.
• Recruiting participants for research.
• Analysing qualitative research data.
• Presenting findings to Digital team colleagues, and stakeholders from the wider organisation.
• Collaborating in a multidisciplinary team, and supporting colleagues’ design work by helping them understand what users need.
• Contributing to our user research and design community – taking part in team meetings and providing feedback on prototypes and other design work working in a collaborative and inclusive way.

Interview Details:

Interview Date: Virtual interview – 23rd or 24th February

Location: Hybrid working, anywhere in the UK. Choice of home or office working (offices in Belfast, Birmingham, Cardiff, Exeter, Glasgow, Leeds, London, Manchester, Newcastle, or Newtown). Some in person meetings, including quarterly away days across UK locations.

We’ll talk to you about where you are based and your working pattern if you get the job.

We will be hosting a briefing session on: Tuesday 27th January 2026,  from 11am to 11:45am. To register or ask any questions please email us.

How to apply

Upload your CV in Word format and write a supporting statement of up to 1000 words. We'll use the following criteria to score your application – so you should show how you meet them in your supporting statement.

Essential Criteria:

• Passionate and knowledgeable about user-centred design, and digital ways of working.
• Experience of designing and running user research or other qualitative research studies, and a good understanding of when and how to use different research methods.
• Experience of analysing qualitative research, and turning it into clear insights that others can understand and use.
• Confident in explaining research findings to others, verbally or in writing.
• Good at collaborating, involving colleagues in research activities and contributing to shared planning.

Desirable Criteria:

• Experience of standing up for the needs and perspectives of users.
• A good understanding of inclusion and accessibility for digital services.
• Knowledge of agile working and the roles in a multidisciplinary digital team.

Equity, Diversity and Inclusion  

Communities in the UK come in all shapes and sizes. National Lottery funding is for everyone – therefore, we are committed to equity, diversity and inclusion and we work hard to ensure our funding reaches where it is needed.  

We also believe our people should represent the communities, organisations and individuals we work with. That’s why The National Lottery Community Fund is committed to being an inclusive employer and a great place to work. We recognise and celebrate the fact that our people come from diverse backgrounds. We positively welcome applications from people from ethnic minority backgrounds, people with disabilities or longstanding health conditions, people who are LGBTQ+, and people from different socio-economic and educational backgrounds, as well as people of all ages. 

As a Disability Confident Employer, we take a proactive approach in making reasonable adjustments, if needed, throughout the recruitment process and during employment. (This can be related to a physical and mental health condition.) 

About the role

You’ll provide full professional business support to our Research directorate. You’ll ensure high quality administration across a broad range of tasks and liaise with various stakeholders across the charity. 

You’ll work with colleagues across the business support team to improve our processes and the technology we use to manage our information, team and projects to become more efficient and collaborative

What you'll do

• Provide administrative and practical support, acting as the first point of contact as and when required, responding to common queries or signposting as appropriate 

• Coordinate team meetings, circulate agendas and make meeting notes 

• Provide support with financial administration tasks such as submitting expense claims, raising purchase orders, processing  invoices and responding to requests as needed 

• Engage, influence and update a variety of stakeholders at all levels across and at cross-directorate meetings as required 

• Support Research Leadership Team and Directorate Team meetings,  with agendas and minutes, actions are followed up, and decisions implemented

What you'll bring

• Have a broad understanding of scientific research through a degree or working in a research oriented organisation 

• Experience of team administration or supporting a senior executive 

• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills with the ability to influence and negotiate when required at all levels internally and externally

• Excellent administration skills, including minute-taking, presentation preparation and a positive, assertive and resilient approach to prioritising and juggling varying pressures and conflicting priorities 

• Experience in coordinating multiple projects simultaneously that meet the business requirements with minimal supervision 

• Experience of developing and maintaining effective working relationships with senior stakeholders

This is an exciting time for Parkinson’s UK, and we would love you to join us!

Please apply by sending us your CV, together with a detailed supporting statement which will fully demonstrate how you meet all the criteria of the role, as stated in the "What you'll bring" section of the job description.

Interviews for this role will be held on 04 or 09 February 2026, in person at our London office

Anyone can get Parkinson’s. It’s vital that the people who work for Parkinson’s UK are representative of our diverse community. We actively encourage people from all sections of the community to apply, regardless of race, ethnicity, gender identity, age, disability, sexual orientation, or religion.