Research Assistant Placement 2025

We are looking for two enthusiastic undergraduate students to join our team as a Research Assistant for our 2025-26 Year in Industry programme. This role offers hands-on experience and insights into consultancy and research in a fast-paced environment.

To be eligible to apply for this role, you must

• Be in your 2nd or 3rd year of your undergraduate course (this is a sandwich year placement, therefore a fixed-term opportunity).
• Include a cover letter and CV in your application.
• Have the full right to work in the UK.

What you’ll get to do

No day at ICF is the same! During your placement, you will be encouraged to work on multiple evaluation and social research projects that we deliver for UK government departments, agencies, local governments, and leading charities – across a range of social and environmental policy areas (including education, health, environment, agriculture, employment, housing and more). Examples of recent projects that we have been working on in the UK include:

• Evaluations of Universal Primary Free School Meal policies in London (Impact for Urban Health) and Wales (Welsh Government);
• A mapping of governmental actions related to the delivery of the “Thriving Plants and Wildlife” ambition (Office for Environmental Protection);
• A literature review of methodologies to evaluate place-based initiatives (Natural England);
• An evaluation of the SEND and AP Change Programme and ELSEC Pathfinder Pilot (Department for Education);
• A complex, systems evaluation of Local Nature Recovery Strategies (Defra);
• Scoping for a Randomised Control Trial (RCT) of the Spark2Life Meaningful Mentoring Programme (Youth Endowment Fund); and
• A mixed-method evaluation of the Stronger Local Resilience Forums Pilot Programme (Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government).

There may also be opportunities to work with our other ICF colleagues working on similar projects for European clients, including the European Commission.

Throughout your placement, you will work alongside experienced social researchers and evaluators on a variety of projects, contributing to all stages of the research process.

Some of the tasks you might do include

• Conducting desk-based research and reviewing academic and policy literature.
• Helping to coordinate and conduct interviews or focus groups, and analysing qualitative data.
• Writing and managing surveys.
• Analysing quantitative data.
• Drafting short sections of reports or personations.
• Providing administrative support for research and business development activities.
• Shadowing senior team members to learn how consultancy projects are scoped and delivered.

By the end of the placement, you will have

• Gained a deeper understanding of the role research plays in informing public policy and the use of evidence in decision-making.
• Developed practical skills in both qualitative and quantitative research methods.
• Contributed to research and evaluation projects across a diverse set of policy topics
• Gained valuable insight into working in a consultancy environment, learning how to apply your academic skills in a professional, client-focused setting.
• Built confidence in managing your own tasks and projects while navigating the varying demands of consultancy work, including adapting to fluctuating workloads and competing priorities.

We will support you at every step of the way to grow your skills and confidence in the workplace. In addition to your project work, you will also have access to regular research training and mentoring from across our team, as well as wider learning and development experiences that you may not have access to at university.

Requirements

We’re seeking candidates who are eager to learn, grow, and contribute to impactful work. To thrive in this role, you’ll need:

• To be on track to achieve at least a 2:2 in a degree related to social or environmental policy. This could include (but is not limited to) fields such as social sciences, public health, economics, applied statistics, human geography, anthropology, environmental policy, management, political science, psychology, or sociology.
• A strong interest in UK policy, public service improvement, and the use of evidence to inform decision-making.
• Some experience with qualitative or quantitative research, gained through university modules or independent study.
• The ability to plan, prioritise, and manage multiple tasks to meet deadlines.
• Ability to communicate information clearly and effectively in both written and verbal formats, adapting to different audiences and contexts.
• An enthusiastic and collaborative attitude when working with a multidisciplinary team across the UK and Europe.
• A positive, can-do approach, with a willingness to step out of your comfort zone in a supportive environment.

Application process

To apply for the Year in Industry placement, candidates must submit their CV and cover letter by Monday 22nd January 2025.

When writing your cover letter, in addition to addressing the standard requirements, we encourage you to reflect on and respond to the following questions to help us understand your motivations for applying for this placement.

What interests you about this placement? How does the placement align with your long-term career aspirations? What skills or experiences do you hope to gain from this placement, and how will they support your development?

Once the deadline has passed, we will carry out an initial sift of applications based on the CVs and cover letters. During this stage, we’ll be looking for evidence of your skills, motivations, and alignment with the role’s requirements. We will also evaluate the quality of your cover letter, including its writing, editing, and assurance, and if and how you have (appropriately) utilised generative AI tools to craft your response. Shortlisted applicants will be contacted by the end of January.

If you are selected in the initial sift, you will be asked to submit a short written piece of work. This could be a reflection on a research project you've done, a piece of academic writing, or an example of your ability to analyse and synthesise information. The purpose of this piece is to showcase:

• Your ability to communicate clearly and effectively.
• Your analytical and critical thinking skills.
• Your approach to structuring and presenting information.
• Your approach to using (generative) AI tools in drafting your presentation.

This will give us a better idea of how you process information and communicate your ideas in a professional context.

After reviewing the written piece of work, we will carry out a second sift of applications and select candidates for interviews. If you are selected for an interview, you will be contacted in mid-February with further details.

During the interview, we will ask you to give a short presentation (approximately 5-10 minutes) on a relevant topic. You may be asked to choose from a set of topics, such as:

• A recent public policy or government initiative you find interesting.
• A project or research you’ve worked on that demonstrates your ability to apply research methods and draw conclusions.

Following the presentation, there will be a Q&A session where we will ask you about your experiences, problem-solving abilities, and motivation for the role. We may also ask situational questions to assess your ability to handle challenges and decision-making in a consultancy environment. Be prepared to also discuss how you used AI in your job application process, and how you think it can support you in performing your job tasks effectively.

After the interview process, we will select the final candidates for the role. Successful applicants will be contacted and given further information regarding the next steps, including onboarding and placement details.