Research Fellow at National Institute of Teaching

April 18, 2024

Job Description

Hours: 0.8 FTE (may be negotiable)

The National Institute of Teaching (NIoT) aims to improve teacher professional development through rigorous, impactful, and cutting-edge school-led research. Our research team plays a key role in this mission, as we work with our programme-delivery teams to test approaches to delivery and respond to the needs and questions of our partner organisations in the wider education sector.

The research team is recruiting a Research Fellow with qualitative and/or mixed-methods expertise to join our team. You will work alongside the Head of Evaluation and Observational Research and a team of Research Fellows and Research Assistants to design and implement primary research in collaboration with the Programmes teams at the NIoT. The role also includes opportunities to manage primary research projects; conduct qualitative analyses; liaise with stakeholders in teacher education (e.g., academics, schools, teachers, policymakers); produce high-quality written outputs for academic audiences and policymakers; and generate and sustain research-practice dialogues with schools and teachers using generated evidence. In addition to being a specialist in designing and conducting primary qualitative and/or mixed-methods research, you will be an innovative and practice-minded researcher who strives to make cutting-edge research relevant, engaging, and useful for practitioners in teacher education.

Key Responsibilities

  • Design and implement qualitative and/or mixed-methods research projects
  • Project manage data collection in educational settings, working closely with education stakeholders and collaborators
  • Conduct qualitative analyses
  • Prepare high-quality written outputs, such as reports, presentations, and academic papers
  • Design dissemination resources and activities for a range of audiences
  • Communicate and liaise with the teams designing and delivering teacher professional development programmes at NIoT, school staff, and other education stakeholders throughout the project life cycle

Essential Criteria

  • Doctoral degree in social science, education, research methods, or other relevant field
  • Experience designing and conducting qualitative and/or mixed-methods research projects
  • Experience managing research projects
  • Experience working in or with educational settings
  • Experience delivering on collaborative projects against tight timelines
  • Commitment to upholding high ethical standards and best practices in educational research
  • Excellent interpersonal and written communication skills
  • Excellent organisation skills and attention to detail
  • Commitment to the aims of the NIoT

Desirable criteria

  • Experience teaching in English schools
  • Proven interest and/or prior experience in teacher professional development
  • Experience working with sociological and/or educational theoretical frameworks
  • Prior record of publishing high-quality written outputs

This post is available at 0.8 FTE, although 1.0 (FT) or 0.6 FTE may be possible. The post will be offered on an indefinite contract.

Key benefits available to all National Institute of Teaching staff:

  • Flexible start and end working times (core hours between 10am and 4pm)
  • Flexible working opportunities
  • 27 days’ holiday a year (plus 8 bank holidays) and membership of a Local Government Pension Scheme.

Other things to know:

  • All National Institute of Teaching staff are subject to a check by the Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS). The level of check which will apply shall be an “Enhanced” level check
  • We regret that we are currently unable to sponsor visas.

How to apply

Please click on the ‘Apply‘ button above

Contact us

If you have any queries about this role, please email e.turner@niot.org.uk.


Location