Research In Practice: Placement Opportunities

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

Measuring Wales’ Soft Power: Evidence, Impacts and a Theory of Change for International Engagement

Company / Department: Welsh Government – Knowledge and Analytical Services (KAS).
Job Sector: Public Sector
Full or Part time: Flexible
In Person/Online/Hybrid: Hybrid

Closing date: 23.59 GMT 22nd February 2026

Start date of placement: No earlier than April 2026

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Application form

Research Assistant – Digital Good Index Co-design

Company / Department:  ESRC Digital Good Network, University of Sheffield
Job Sector: Research Network
Full or Part time: Full time
In Person/Online/Hybrid: Hybrid, once a week in Sheffield

Closing date: 7th March 2026

Start date of placement: June 2026

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funding permission form

What makes existing good tech guidance, toolkits & frameworks successful?

Company / Department: ESRC Digital Good Network, The University of Sheffield
Job Sector: Research Network
Full or Part time: Full time
In Person/Online/Hybrid: Hybrid, Sheffield based once a week

Closing date: 7th March 2026

Start date of placement: June 2026

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funding permission form

Office for Statistics Regulation

Company / Department: Office for Statistics Regulation
Job Sector: Non Government Organisation (NGO)
Full or Part time: Full or Part time
In Person/Online/Hybrid: Remote

Closing date: 7th March 2026

Start date of placement: March onwards

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Funding permission form

Examining university-based policy engagement bodies in the UK

Company / Department: The Wales Centre for Public Policy
Job Sector: Think Tank
Full or Part time: Full time
In Person/Online/Hybrid: Hybrid, Cardiff

Closing date: 15 February 2026

Start date of placement: Late April 2026

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Improve understanding of how and when research-derived knowledge and expertise can inform policy and practice

Company / Department: The Wales Centre for Public Policy
Job Sector: Think Tank
Full or Part time: Full time
In Person/Online/Hybrid: Hybrid, Cardiff

Closing date: 15 February 2026

Start date of placement: Late April 2026

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Assessing the impact of the Wales Centre for Public Policy

Company / Department: The Wales Centre for Public Policy
Job Sector: Think Tank
Full or Part time: Full time
In Person/Online/Hybrid: Hybrid/Cardiff

Closing date: 15 February 2026

Start date of placement: Late April 2026

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Policy and Evaluation Placements

Company / Department: Open Innovation Team (OIT)
Job Sector: Public Sector
Full or Part time: Full time
In Person/Online/Hybrid: Various

Closing date: 12pm 13 February 2026

Start date of placement: June 2026 / October 2026 / January 2027 or April 2027.

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Graduate Researcher – Four projects available

Company / Department: Rural Wales Local Policy and Innovation Partnership (Cymru Wledig LPIP Rural Wales)
Job Sector: Charity
Full or Part time: Full time or Part time
In Person/Online/Hybrid: In Person, some hybrid
Location: Bangor University or Aberystwyth University or Cardiff University or University of Gloucestershire

Closing date: 15 February 2026

Start date of placement: Start dates available April, May, June, July or August 2026. All placements must be completed by 31st October.

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Scoping Accessibility and Disability Inclusions in Academic Publishing

Company / Department: Centre for Research in Inclusion, Southampton Education School
Job Sector: Research Centre
Full or Part time: Full time or Part time
In Person/Online/Hybrid: Hybrid, University of Southampton

Closing date: 13th February 2026

Start date of placement: March 2026

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The implications of family complexity for leaving and returning to the parental home

Company / Department: Centre for Population Change: Connecting Generations (CPC:CG), University of Southampton
Job Sector: Research Centre
Full or Part time: Full time or Part time
In Person/Online/Hybrid: In person & remote available

Closing date:13th February 2026

Start date of placement: March 2026

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Tourette’s Syndrome Evidence Review – Prevalence, Demographic Patterns, and Co-Morbidities

Company / Department: Neurodivergence Policy team and Disability Disparity Evidence Unit
Job Sector: Public Sector
Full or Part time: Flexible
In Person/Online/Hybrid: Hybrid

Closing date: 23.59 GMT 22nd February 2026

Start date of placement: No earlier than April 2026

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Application form

A Guardianship Scheme for Unaccompanied Asylum-Seeking Children (UASC) in Wales?

Company / Department: Social Care Team, Government Social Research (GSR)
Job Sector: Public Sector
Full or Part time: Flexible
In Person/Online/Hybrid: Hybrid

Closing date: 23.59 GMT 22nd February 2026

Start date of placement: No earlier than April 2026

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Application form

Millennium Cohort Study: Welsh thematic analysis

Company / Department: Government Social Research (GSR)
Job Sector: Public Sector
Full or Part time: Flexible
In Person/Online/Hybrid: Hybrid

Closing date: 23.59 GMT 22nd February 2026

Start date of placement: No earlier than April 2026

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Application form

Data analysis of peer relationships using data from the School Health Research Network (SHRN)

Company / Department: Health Research, Government Social Research (GSR)
Job Sector: Public Sector
Full or Part time: Flexible
In Person/Online/Hybrid: Hybrid

Closing date: 23.59 GMT 22nd February 2026

Start date of placement: No earlier than April 2026

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Application form

Exploring the concept of housing affordability in Wales

Company / Department:  Housing Team, Government Social Research (GSR)
Job Sector: Public Sector
Full or Part time: Flexible
In Person/Online/Hybrid: Hybrid

Closing date: 23.59 GMT 22nd February 2026

Start date of placement: No earlier than April 2026

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Application form

Evidence Review of youth justice models and outcomes for young people across the UK

Company / Department: Welsh Government – Knowledge and Analytical Services (KAS).
Job Sector: Public Sector
Full or Part time: Flexible
In Person/Online/Hybrid: Hybrid

Closing date: 23.59 GMT 22nd February 2026

Start date of placement: No earlier than April 2026

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Application form

Secondary data analysis to provide evidence about the Childcare sector in Wales

Company / Department: Welsh Government – Knowledge and Analytical Services (KAS).
Job Sector: Public Sector
Full or Part time: Flexible
In Person/Online/Hybrid: Hybrid

Closing date: 23.59 GMT 22nd February 2026

Start date of placement: No earlier than April 2026 (exact date to be negotiated).

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Application form

Evidence review of the safeguarding roles and responsibilities for professionals working with older people experiencing Violence Against Women, Domestic Abuse and Sexual Violence (VAWDASV)

Company / Department: Welsh Government – Communities, Social Justice and Early Years Evidence Unit
Job Sector: Public Sector
Full or Part time: Flexible
In Person/Online/Hybrid: Hybrid

Closing date: 23.59 GMT 22nd February 2026

Start date of placement: No earlier than April 2026 (exact date to be negotiated).

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Application form

Financial Inclusion evidence synthesis and research project to inform policy planning

Company / Department: Welsh Government – Communities, Social Justice and Early Years Evidence Unit
Job Sector: Public Sector
Full or Part time: Flexible
In Person/Online/Hybrid: Hybrid

Closing date: 23.59 GMT 22nd February 2026

Start date of placement: No earlier than April 2026 (exact date to be negotiated).

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Application form

Export Programme Analysis – Survey Design & Impact Evaluation

Company / Department: Welsh Government – Knowledge and Analytic services (KAS)
Job Sector: Public Sector
Full or Part time: Flexible
In Person/Online/Hybrid: Hybrid

Closing date: 23.59 GMT 22nd February 2026

Start date of placement: No earlier than April 2026 (exact date to be negotiated).

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Application form

Applied Economic Modelling Intern – Exploring Novel Uses of Input-Output Tables for Wales

Company / Department: Welsh Government – Knowledge and Analytic services (KAS)
Job Sector: Public Sector
Full or Part time: Flexible
In Person/Online/Hybrid: Hybrid

Closing date: 23.59 GMT 22nd February 2026

Start date of placement: April 2026 (exact date to be negotiated).

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Application form

Policy Research Assistant

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

Closing date: 17:00 17th April 2026

Start date of placement: 11th May 2026

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