These placement opportunities are only open to students funded through the WGSSS Studentship scheme, awarded from October 2024 onwards. This scheme includes additional funding to complete a 3-month Research in Practice placement as part of your ESRC-funded PhD.

Please note:

Placements cannot be completed within the first 3 months of your PhD.
Placements cannot be undertaken during your Master’s year.

How to apply
Apply to the host organisation for the opportunities listed below.
Applications must be submitted before the advertised closing date.
The host organisation will review applications and select the successful candidate.

Currently Recruiting

Standard Industrial Classification (SIC) – How to reflect a modern and changing economy

Company / Department: Office for National Statistics
Job Sector: Public sector
Full or Part time: Full time
In Person/Online/Hybrid: Hybrid (Newport/Online)

Closing date: 14th August 2026

Start date of placement: 4th January 2027 (or sooner if possible)

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Policy Research Assistant: ‘What Matters to You?’

Company / Department: Age Cymru
Job Sector: Charity
Full or Part time: Full time
In Person/Online/Hybrid: Hybrid (Cardiff/Online)

Closing date: 30 June 2026

Start date of placement: September 2026

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Data and Insights officer: Assessing the impact of sports-based positive youth development programmes across primary and secondary schools

Company / Department: Greenhouse Sports
Job Sector: Youth Charity
Full or Part time: Full time or Part time
In Person/Online/Hybrid: Hybrid or Remote

Closing date: 30th June (for a September start) 31st October (for a January Start)

Start date of placement: June 2026 , September 2026 or January 2027

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Rapid review of assessing evidence relating to behavioural markers of wellbeing

Company / Department:  Network Plus for Analytical Behavioural Science (NABS+) in Security and Defence
Job Sector: Public Body
Full or Part time: Full time
In Person/Online/Hybrid: Hybrid

Closing date: 28 June 2026

Start date of placement: Summer 2026

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funding permission form

Exploring Strategic Alignment Between Recreational Football, UNESCO MOST BRIDGES & Sports for Nature

Company / Department:  North Wales Dragons
Job Sector: Charity
Full or Part time: Flexible
In Person/Online/Hybrid: 90% remote 10% in person

Closing date: As soon as possible

Start date of placement: Flexible

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Research Assistant: Participation in Democratic Decision Making

Company / Department: Vale of Glamorgan
Job Sector: Local Authority
Full or Part time: Part time, 6 months
In Person/Online/Hybrid: Hybrid

Closing date: 30th June 2026

Start date of placement: September 2026

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Data Analyst : Measuring the impact of Flying Start using a quasi-experiment and data from the SAIL databank

Company / Department:  CASCADE – Children’s Social Care Research Development Centre
Job Sector: Research Centre
Full or Part time: Full or Part time
In Person/Online/Hybrid: In Person/Hybrid

Closing date: 30th June 2026

Start date of placement: No earlier than September 2026

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Research Assistant – Scoping review of unpaid adult carers of adults with care and support needs

Company / Department:  Centre for Adult Social Care Research
Job Sector: Research Centre
Full or Part time: Full or Part time time
In Person/Online/Hybrid: In Person/Hybrid (Cardiff based)

Closing date: 30th June 2026

Start date of placement: 7th September 2026

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UKRI Policy Internship Scheme

Company / Department: Various influential policy organisations
Job Sector: Public Sector
Full or Part time: Full time
In Person/Online/Hybrid: Online or Hybrid

Closing date: 8 September 2026

Start date of placement: From January 2027

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Empirical or Policy Research in to Curriculum Making

Company / Department: The Stirling Centre for Research into Curriculum Making (SCRCM)
Job Sector: Academic
Full or Part time: Full time or Part time
In Person/Online/Hybrid: Online or Hybrid

Closing date: Friday 19th June 2026

Start date of placement: Flexible between September 2026 August 2027.

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UK Transport Accessibility Online Tool

Company / Department: The Urban Big Data Centre (UBDC), University of Glasgow
Job Sector: Academic
Full or Part time: Full time or Part time
In Person/Online/Hybrid: Online or Hybrid

Closing date: Open until filled

Start date of placement: As soon as possible

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Future Skills for Digital Health & Care: A Policy-Relevant Analysis of Education Provision in Scotland

Company / Department: The Digital Health & Care Innovation Centre (DHI)
Job Sector: Academic
Full or Part time: Full or Part time
In Person/Online/Hybrid: Hybrid

Closing date: Applications open until filled

Start date of placement: As soon as possible