Researcher jobs in Edinburgh

Join SmellTaste and lead the development of the charity’s involvement in research, shaping how lived experience of those affected by smell and taste impairment is integrated in research projects. As Research Development and Engagement Manager, you will lead engagement with researchers, our patient community, and external partners to develop and support new research collaborations. This includes leading the Public and Patient Involvement activity for a 12-month National Institute of Health Research-funded Programme Development Grant, the ICAST Programme: Improving Care for patients with Smell & Taste Disorders, and undertaking planning work for the prospective Programme Grant which is expected to follow this.

This post is funded for 2 days (15 hours) per week for an initial 12-month period, with the potential for the contract to be extended and for it to become a full-time role subject to further funding being secured. 

You will be joining a small, friendly and ambitious team that will support your professional development as part of the charity’s ongoing growth.

If you are passionate about making a difference to an underserved patient community and want to be part of a pioneering and collaborative organisation that values and empowers the people it represents then we would love to hear from you. We are committed to equality, diversity and inclusion, and welcome applications from people of all backgrounds and experiences.

Application instructions: 

Please apply by providing both a CV and a covering letter which clearly states how you meet all the points in the Personal Specification.

Key responsibilities

• Lead the SmellTaste contribution to a 12-month National Institute of Health Research-funded Programme Development Grant, led by Prof Carl Philpott at the University of East Anglia (the ICAST Programme: Improving Care for patients with Smell & Taste Disorders).  
• Develop a Patient and Public Involvement and Engagement (PPIE) strategy for the above project, including evaluation of impact and dissemination
• Manage a PPI panel for the NIHR project, organise PPIE meetings and ensure participants and panel members are remunerated for activity.
• Develop a detailed, costed delivery plan for the national survey element of the planned Programme Grant which is expected to follow on from the Programme Development Grant, including marketing and publicity, recruitment and dissemination.
• Work with the charity’s CEO and honorary Director of Research and Medical Affairs to develop a research strategy for the charity that aligns with the research priorities identified in the James Lind Alliance Priority Setting Partnership for Smell and Taste Disorders.
• Work with the charity’s CEO, honorary Director of Research and Medical Affairs and external researchers to identify opportunities for new collaborative research opportunities.
• Develop funding applications for research projects.
• Oversee all of the charity’s collaborative research activity, including PPIE activity.
• Evaluate and report on the impact of research projects, ensuring inclusivity and ethical standards.

Personal specification

• Degree (or equivalent experience) in biological sciences or a related field
• Experience leading or supporting public and patient involvement and engagement initiatives in research
• Experience leading or supporting involvement in research
• Experience of writing grant applications
• Ability to communicate and interpret complex scientific research clearly
• Experience working with diverse and underrepresented communities
• Confident relationship builder with researchers and other external stakeholders
• Excellent organisational skills, including strong project management skills

Hours: Part-time, 15 hours per week

Salary: £40,000, pro-rata

Holiday allowance: 25 days pro-rata, plus bank holidays

Location: Home working. Some travel will be required to attend in-person meetings and events

Interviews expected to be held during the week commencing 22nd June.

Who we are: Transform Justice is a national charity working for a fair, open and compassionate justice system. We believe that evidence about what works to reduce crime and prevent reoffending should be at the heart of policy decisions and embedded into practice. 

We work to promote change by generating research and evidence to show how the system works and how it could be improved, and by influencing practitioners and politicians to make changes to the justice system. Current projects include our #FairChecks campaign for criminal records reform, our mass court observations programme CourtWatch London, and our work to reduce the use of pre-trial imprisonment for chidlren.

About the role: Transform Justice is seeking a research and policy officer to play a vital role supporting its work for a better justice system. Working closely with the charity’s director and deputy director (and alongside our communications officer), you will conduct high quality research, draft policy briefings, and organise and participate in meetings and events. This role will support a range of projects including the next round of our innovative courtwatching project, and our work to reduce the pre-trial imprisonment of children. 

We are looking for someone inquisitive, flexible, and organised. The role is home-based using your own equipment, so you will need to be able to work on your own with minimal day-to-day supervision. There is the option to work at an office in Old Street, London up to two days a week with other Transform Justice team members. The team also meets regularly online and for in-person meetings in London.

Main responsibilities and duties:

• Undertaking qualitative and quantitative research including phone interviews, survey design, submitting FOI requests and analysing published data

• Reviewing relevant academic evidence and policy documents and identifying what’s important for our advocacy work 

• Writing, editing and proofreading reports, briefings and submissions

• Liaising with policy makers and stakeholders including organising and attending meetings and drafting correspondence

• Organising online and in person events to support Transform Justice’s advocacy work 

• Supporting the CourtWatch London project including engaging with volunteers, organising and supporting the delivery of training, reviewing data collection 

• Support the drafting of funding applications

• Other reasonable duties as required including administrative tasks such as generating invoices 

Skills and experience:

• Essential: At least two years of work experience in a research or policy-related role

• Essential: Demonstrable qualitative and quantitative research skills, for example using interviews, surveys, or published statistics to produce insights and recommendations 

• Ability to communicate clearly and concisely, verbally and in writing 

• Ability to take ownership of tasks when working remotely with little supervision, seeking advice and support when needed

• Ability to prioritise your workload when working on a range of different projects and tasks 

• Excellent computer skills, with knowledge and practice of Word, Excel and PowerPoint 

• Interest in criminal justice policy issues, and a commitment to help achieve Transform Justice’s vision

Location: Remote working with regular in-person meetings in London and the option to hot-desk in an office in Old Street, London up to two days per week. 

Contract: One year term with the potential to be renewable

Salary: £29,000 - £32,000 pa full time (pro rata if part time). 

Hours: Full time (also open to part-time 3 or 4 days a week)

Reporting to: Deputy director

Holiday/pension: 25 days FTE (pro rata if part time)

Probationary period: three months

How to apply: Please submit a CV and answer the screening questions through the CharityJob website by 9am Friday 26 June. Interviews will take place between Wednesday 15 July and Friday 17 July and will be conducted in person in London.

Candidates for interview will be notified by email. We are sorry that due to limited staff capacity we are not able to reply to all applicants.

Transform Justice is committed to fair recruitment and the inclusion of applicants with criminal records. This position is covered by the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974. For this role, the disclosure of a criminal record is not required. 

To reduce bias in the hiring process, Transform Justice uses CharityJob’s anonymous recruitment process. This automatically replaces personal information (i.e. name and email address) with pseudonyms on CVs until we invite a candidate to interview.

Purpose of the role 

We are seeking a project coordinator to contribute research, project management and stakeholder management skills to support key projects advancing the consumer voice in the sustainability transition. This is a critical role in our team, and it comes with significant development opportunities. 

An initial focus will be supporting delivery of key workstreams in our Clean Energy Futures Programme, where our vision is for an affordable and accessible energy system in which all people can enjoy the benefits of increasingly clean, decentralised and interconnected energy. You can explore our past achievements in promoting consumer interest in clean energy on our website, here: Clean Energy Futures - Consumers International. 

The Research and Events Coordinator will work alongside the Strategy and Projects Leads for Clean Energy Futures to manage engagement with the communities of practice that feed into our Clean Energy Futures work. This includes the Member Taskforce on Energy and the Multi-stakeholder Expert Group, comprised of cross-sector experts from business, academia and government.

The Coordinator will also contribute to project delivery through research into energy policy and practice and report writing, as well as joining programme strategy discussions in a strongly collaborative and non-hierarchical environment. We also anticipate the Coordinator working closely with our Insights Lead to conduct desk research and stakeholder interviews to deliver insights components of Sustainability Programme workstreams. 

After an initial 6-month period focused on Clean Energy Futures, there will be opportunities for the Coordinator to broaden their remit to other projects and topics within the Sustainability Programme.

Reflecting this breadth and the opportunities to grow, the Coordinator will initially report into the Director of Sustainability, who will provide guidance and mentoring support.

The ideal candidate is a highly organised, proactive and energetic individual who can demonstrate their knowledge and professional interest in sustainability and an understanding of the importance of consumers in the transition. They should be comfortable working remotely in a busy and varied global environment and able to communicate clearly and effectively, verbally and in writing.Prior knowledge of the energy sector is useful but not a pre-requisite.

This role can be shaped to focus on variety of potential topics, capabilities and opportunities as we grow the team, depending on the needs of the organisation and skills and interests of the individual.

The role is open to candidates globally. 

Key Responsibilities 

Key responsibilities of the role include the following:  

• Project Coordination: Support the implementation of Sustainability Programme projects, with an initial focus on Clean Energy Futures. This will include managing project plans and tracking timelines for project deliverables, as well as engaging project partners to keep them updated on project progress. 

• Research support: Support the Clean Energy Futures Strategy and Project Leads in conducting research and gathering examples and insights from our global network of stakeholders to inform the development of our analysis, reports and proposals. Support the Insights Lead with consumer insights research and stakeholder interviews. 

• Community coordination and meeting organisation: Support organisation of in-person and online stakeholder workshops or meetings including supporting the development of agendas, invite lists and online and in-person logistical arrangements where needed. This may include project related meetings and representation at other events and high-level global moments such as COP31. 

• Communications support: Draft, provide input to, and disseminate communications (e.g. meeting minutes, research reports, topic briefings) to project stakeholders, ensuring accurate, timely and appropriate communications. 

• Strategic inputs: Contribute your thoughts and ideas to development and delivery of the clean energy futures and wider sustainability work programmes and strategy as needed. 

The overall work of Consumers International: 

• Work collaboratively with colleagues across the organisation to support the implementation of the Strategic and Business Plans.

• Contribute as needed to team meetings and other Consumers International-wide communication and outreach. 

• Embody the culture and values of Consumers International and help us deliver on those. 

You’ll play a key role in ensuring the smooth operation of our research grant programmes across the entire funding cycle, from application and peer review through to award management and post-award administration. You’ll work closely with the Head of Research, internal teams, external experts, and funded researchers to maintain high standards of governance, transparency, and impact across all our research funding activities.  

We’re looking for a confident communicator, with strong organisational skills, who’ll use their own initiative and ability to manage a varied workload. You’ll be motivated by ensuring our robust processes are followed to provide the best possible experience for CCLG-supported researchers, and ultimately that the highest quality research that will make an impact for children and young people with cancer is funded. You’ll be able to contribute to the continual development of our research programme to drive improvements. You’ll have a good understanding of research grants and funding processes, as well as an understanding of academic research environments in the UK, paired with a good understanding of a relevant biomedical science discipline through a degree or experience.

This role is offered on either a remote working basis, with occasional travel to our Leicester office, or on a hybrid basis, with a minimum of two days per week in the Leicester office.
Hours for this role can be flexible - while advertised as full time, we would be willing to explore part-time employment (minimum 0.6FTE).

About CCLG: The Children & Young People's Cancer Association

CCLG is a charity dedicated to creating a brighter future for children and young people with cancer. Powered by expertise, we unite the children and young people’s cancer community, driving collective action and progress.

Research is the key to better treatments, improved care, and potential cures. We fund and lead world-class research, fuelling groundbreaking work led by brilliant minds. Collaboration is at the heart of our approach—bringing together the right people and organisations to drive progress and deliver real impact.

We provide trusted information and guidance for children and young people with cancer, their families, and everyone supporting them. Our expertise helps them navigate the challenges of cancer and its impact, offering reassurance and clarity when it’s needed most.

Through our professional membership, we bring together the brightest minds in children and young people’s cancer, creating a national network that drives progress. Together, we shape better treatment and care - developing guidelines, sharing knowledge, offering expert advice, leading pioneering research, and creating essential resources and education for professionals. Our collective expertise sets the standard, advocating for excellence at every level—local, national, and global. 

Our work is only possible thanks to the generosity of fundraisers, donors, and supporters who share our mission. Every pound raised helps fund our research, provide trusted information for families, and brings together experts to improve treatment, care and outcomes.

Our Research Team is responsible for the delivery of our research strategy, which includes our programme of research grant-making as well as initiatives to support the children and young people’s cancer research community, ultimately improving outcomes for young cancer patients.

Equality, Diversity & Inclusion

CCLG is committed to building a diverse and inclusive workforce that represents the communities we serve. We warmly welcome applications from people of all backgrounds and will make reasonable adjustments throughout the recruitment process. 

Benefits of Working at CCLG

• 24 days annual leave plus bank holidays, with 6 additional closure days per year (usually 2 at Easter, 4 at Christmas) (pro-rata for part-time staff)
• Enhanced maternity pay 
• Enhanced sick pay
• Life insurance and employee assistance scheme
• Defined contribution pension scheme: 8% employer contribution / 5% employee contribution
• Hybrid working model
• Supportive and collaborative team culture

Application instructions

For your application, please upload a CV (which should include details of two referees, including your current/most recent employer - we will not contact references without your consent or prior to a provisional offer being made) along with a covering letter. Your covering letter should be bespoke to this job application, demonstrating how your experience makes you suitable for the role and showing how you meet the person specification. If you wish to include a small number of examples of relevant content you have created, please include links in your covering letter. 

We recognise the benefits of AI, but if you're considering using it to submit your application, we encourage you to reflect on the value AI adds. AI tools often lack the personal touch and authenticity that set candidates apart. We want to hear your unique perspective, experiences, and skills, so we encourage you to tell us about your skills and experiences in your own voice.

About the role

At SEA, all our work is grounded in evidence and shaped by the lived experiences of victim-survivors. As Research Officer, you will play a key role in delivering high-quality, survivor-centred research on economic abuse as part of a major new three-year project funded by the Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC).

Working closely with the Senior Research Officer, colleagues across SEA, academic partners and external stakeholders, you will support research exploring coerced debt as a form of economic abuse and the responses to it across systems and services. The role will involve qualitative and quantitative research activities, including data collection, analysis, stakeholder engagement, and producing accessible and impactful research outputs.

Your work will help strengthen understanding of economic abuse and inform policy, practice and systems change on coerced debt that improves responses for victim-survivors.

About you

You are a skilled researcher who is passionate about conducting high-quality research which can create real-world impact for victim-survivors of economic abuse.

You will have the ability to sensitively work with victim-survivors to learn about their lived experiences of economic abuse , including coerced debt, as well as the ability to conduct research with professional stakeholders.

Using your research skills, you will be able to analyse data, and will be able to demonstrate a good understanding of economic abuse in the context of intimate partner abuse, including of how perpetrators can misuse systems to enact abuse. You will be able to demonstrate an ability to deliver research projects in a timely manner and to communicate findings clearly to a range of stakeholders.

About SEA

Surviving Economic Abuse (SEA) is the only charity in the UK dedicated to raising awareness of economic abuse and transforming responses to it. All our work is informed by Experts by Experience – a group of women who speak about what they have gone through so that they can be a force for change. Economic abuse occurs when someone’s partner controls (through restriction, exploitation and/or sabotage) how they acquire, use and maintain economic resources such as accommodation, food, clothing and transportation.

What we offer

• 25 days annual leave, plus 5 Wellbeing Days and Statutory Bank Holidays (pro rata)
• Home working (UK based)
• Flexible working
• 5% Employer Pension Contribution
• Reflective practice
• Employee Assistance Programme
• Enhanced sick pay, family leave and carer’s leave
• The chance to be part of our highly professional, supportive team

To apply

Please apply via our website.

Applications open from 21 May 2026 and close at 11.59pm on 17th June 2026. Interviews will take place week commencing 6th July 2026

Direct applications only – no agencies please.

Surviving Economic Abuse (SEA) is committed to developing an inclusive team which reflects the diversity of the communities we support. Our culture celebrates diverse voices, and we particularly encourage applications from Black and minoritised applicants and disabled applicants who are under-represented at SEA.

SEA is a Disability Confident Committed, and Kinship Friendly Employer.