Contract type: Permanent
Hours: Full Time (37.5 hours per week)
Salary: £33,530 – £37,315 per year (depending on experience)
Location: Whitehall, Greater London (Hybrid)
Line manager: Head of Research for Digital Policy
Application deadline: January 26th, 23:59 GMT (UK)
Interviews: February 4th and 5th (first stage, virtual) & February 14th (second stage, in-person at our offices in Whitehall)
About Demos
Demos is a highly respected cross-party think tank with a unique approach to making policy to solve our long term problems. Building on nearly 30 years of creativity, ideas and impact, Demos is working to shape a more collaborative democracy, in which power is devolved, citizens participate in policy making, and together as a nation we find answers to the challenges of our century. Demos’ dedicated digital research hub – Demos Digital – is a centre of excellence in digital policy. Our work focuses on the promotion of “trustworthy technology” that is developed, deployed, used, governed and maintained so as to serve and respect diverse needs and values.
Demos’ work focuses on these core pillars:
- Public Service Reform, to liberate citizens and public servants and prevent problems
- A Citizen Economy, where people, businesses, charities and government work together to achieve growth that works for people as well as profits
- More Trustworthy Technology, in which technological progress aligns with the needs and values of citizens
- A more Collaborative Democracy, in which politicians, experts and citizens partner to tackle the challenges facing our country
Diversity, Inclusion, Equity and Justice (DIEJ) at Demos
At Demos, we recognise, celebrate and promote the positive contributions that are made by diverse groups. We exist to proactively tackle social and economic exclusion, and engaging with and promoting the voices of people whose voices may not otherwise be heard is core to our work. We believe that this should be reflected in our team and we strongly encourage applications from people from minority ethnic communities, people with disabilities, or others with lived experience of disadvantage. We expect all members of our team to recognise and value differences and the unique contributions that people make to the way we conduct our work and develop our insights, and encourage people to bring their diverse perspectives and backgrounds into their work on a day-to-day basis. We would be happy to discuss flexible working requirements with any candidates.
What we offer
- Generous leave entitlement: 27 days + Bank holidays + 3 additional days off between Christmas and New Year
- Enhanced pension contribution: 6%
- Enhanced sick pay
- Enhanced parental leave
- A forward-thinking, supportive and collaborative team
At Demos we centre staff wellbeing as a key priority; we will make every effort to ensure staff feel happy, healthy and valued as part of our integral team.
About the role
We are looking for a brilliant Senior Researcher with demonstrable experience in tech policy and project management to join our digital policy team. You will be passionate about social change, enthusiastic about Demos’ digital policy mission and keen to be part of a collaborative and dynamic team. The role will suit a candidate who is excited by the opportunity to:
- Carry out high-quality research (e.g. literature reviews, surveys, focus groups etc.) and develop policy ideas that can influence policy makers in Whitehall, Westminster and beyond.
- Collaborate with partners to amplify our research findings and advocate for policy change.
- Write reports, briefings and articles that communicate policy ideas clearly and to a wide audience.
- Be part of a welcoming, creative community of thinkers – both at Demos and among the many other organisations we work with.
The digital policy team works to articulate and advocate for an internet and digital technologies that protect and promote democracy. Our vision is a future in which people are placed at the heart of digital policy to ensure technology is built with and for people, not something done to them. We have unique insights and expertise across tech policy and its impact on our society, economy and democracy. You’ll be working on a range of projects primarily related to Demos’s “trustworthy technology” pillar, though projects will often span a number of Demos’ core pillars.
Our recent work has included research and policy looking at the impacts of AI on Democracy, building public compute infrastructure for the UK, and the importance of open-source for driving the AI revolution. We’ve also produced influential works on maintaining healthy information ecosystems investigating drivers of divisive discourse online, the social and digital factors perpetuating conspiracy theories, and the future of online safety in the uk.
What you’ll be doing
- Using qualitative and quantitative methods to undertake original research to inform evidence-based policy recommendations.
- Managing multiple projects simultaneously, taking the lead on coordinating with research collaborators and funding partners.
- Writing high-quality research reports, blogs and other outputs for a range of audiences, and working with our External Affairs team to communicate our research findings clearly, compellingly and creatively.
- Supporting the development of colleagues on projects by providing constructive feedback, setting clear expectations and role-modelling behaviours.
- Developing Demos’ networks with different stakeholder groups, including policymakers, industry, academic, media and civil society.
- Proactively identifying fundraising opportunities and contributing to proposals
- Speaking with journalists, engaging stakeholders and chairing events such as panel discussions and rountables
What you’ll need to be successful
The types of knowledge, skills and experience we are looking for are below. We welcome a range of applications which include at least some of these attributes.
Skills
- Ability to independently design and conduct qualitative and quantitative research (e.g. interviews, focus groups, deliberative workshops, surveys etc.) with minimal senior support
- Proven ability to project manage more than one project at a time, including ensuring timely delivery from team members and suppliers, managing competing demands, mitigating obstacles and managing expectations.
- Excellent written and verbal communication skills and the ability to write for a range of audiences, presenting complex information in easy-to-understand and engaging formats
- Ability to navigate policy development processes with minimal senior support
- Ability to work collaboratively with colleagues to effectively prioritise workload
Knowledge
- Knowledge and understanding of research design, methods and ethics
- A strong interest in, and demonstrable knowledge of, public policy making and social change at the community, local, national or international level
- Demonstrable interest in the future of technology and the political questions it raises
Experience
- Demonstrable professional experience in policy research of:
- Conducting primary research, including research design (discussion guides, surveys etc.) and moderation
- Conducting secondary research, including literature reviews and evidence reviews
- Experience of playing a key role in project delivery by project managing multiple ongoing projects.
- Experience of supporting fundraising efforts, including drafting grant applications and/or project proposals
- Experience of building networks and collaborating with external partners
- We are especially interested in hearing from people with experience conducting research in digital policy areas including but not limited to:
- Healthy information ecosystems / epistemic security
- Online safety
- Public service digitisation / AI in public services
- AI openness / open-source policy
- Digital inclusion
- Digital rights
- Societal impacts of emerging technologies / Systemic AI Safety
Behaviours
- Highly collaborative in approach to working with colleagues and external partners
- A passion for the kind of politics we want to promote, coupled with an open mind and inclusive approach to working with people whose ideas and opinions differ
- Enthusiastic, with a can-do attitude and willingness to juggle priorities in a dynamic workplace
Application and selection process
To apply, please provide the following through our application submission form.
- an anonymised CV (with any references to your name and personal details removed)
- answers to four screening questions (up to 250 words each) highlighting your interest and experience in tech policy, relevant skills and your reasons for applying to work with the Demos digital policy team
- a completed copy of our diversity monitoring form (optional)
The screening questions will be evaluated and graded anonymously to minimise bias in our screening process.
We will conduct 30-minute first round interviews virtually on February 4th and 5th. Second round 50-minute interviews will be held in person at our offices in Whitehall on February 14th.
Candidates shortlisted for second stage interviews will be asked to prepare a presentation proposing a research project, and to provide a non-academic writing sample (e.g. policy brief, blog post, or policy report style writing) that evidences their familiarity with a tech policy topic (e.g. online safety, AI governance, digital rights, etc.) and their ability to communicate an idea clearly to an audience.
Please do get in touch at [email protected] if you require any adjustments to be able to engage with our recruitment process.
Please note, Demos is not able to sponsor work visas at this time. Applicants must be UK citizens or otherwise have right to work in the UK to be eligible for this position.
Questions?
If you have any further questions or aren’t sure if the role is right for you, please feel free to reach out to us by emailing [email protected] and we would be happy to answer any queries.
We look forward to hearing from you!