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Research Officer (Various POSTS)
Oifigeach Taighde — poist éagsúla

Engage with MLAs, Assembly Committees and senior managers within the Assembly Secretariat to produce essential research

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Assembly colleagues in a meeting

Research Officers work in the Research Service, which is located in the Research and Information Service (RaISe). Supported by the Library within RaISe, Research Teams provide the Northern Ireland Assembly with impartial, objective, timely and non-partisan information and research.

Research Officer
Oifigeach Taighde

What we're looking for

The main duties and responsibilities of the Research Officer are:

  • Engage with individual MLAs, Assembly Committees and senior managers within the Assembly Secretariat, in order to understand their research requirements;
  • Retrieve and synthesise information from a wide range of sources, including online databases;
  • Provide timely, accurate, high quality and impartial research and analysis on subjects related to the post and other issues, to individual MLA, Assembly Committees and senior managers within the Assembly Secretariat;
  • Produce a range of research outputs, including customised research papers, legislative analysis briefings and blog posts, which are well written, concise and accessible;
  • Present research briefings to Assembly Committees and respond to Committee members’ questions in public session;
  • Facilitate public events, such as those which form part of the Knowledge Exchange Seminar Series (KESS) annually delivered at Parliament Buildings;
  • Proactively forge and develop links with government officials, external research bodies/communities, and other parliamentary library and research services;
  • Work collaboratively and collegially, as an effective team member;
  • Contribute to the development of RaISe, including identifying potential new outputs and improved service delivery;
  • Carry out such other duties, as may be required, which fall within the research business of the RaISe;
  • Comply with the Assembly’s Equal Opportunities and Dignity at Work policies and procedures; and
  • Carry out other duties that the Assembly Commission reasonably requires of you.

 

There are five Research Officer posts being recruited for:

  • Research Officer – Governance, Institutional and Europe
  • Research Officer – Education
  • Research Officer – Economics
  • Research Officer – Culture, Sport and Heritage
  • Research Officer – Statistics

 

Applicants will be asked to indicate which post/posts they wish to apply for.

Find out more and apply now
What we're offering
  • Salary range: £45,940-£47,326
  • The standard working week is 37 hours, excluding meal breaks (42 hours gross). Working hours will be dictated by the mode of operation of the Assembly and may involve work into late evenings, at weekends and on public holidays.
  • In addition to the usual public and privilege holidays, there is an annual leave allowance of 25 days, increasing incrementally by one day per year up to a maximum of 30 days Please be aware that a major influence in determining when leave can be taken will be the parliamentary timetable.
Find out more about employee benefits
Essential Criteria

Applicants for the post must possess, by the closing date for applications:

1. Be in possession of at least a second-class honours degree (or equivalent or post-graduate qualification), which contained at least 50% of the course content relating to the subject area of the post/s applied for. Applicants must, in their application form, indicate how their qualification/s are relevant to the subject of the post/s applied for;

AND

2. Following completion of the above qualification, have at least two years of work experience in:

(a) conducting objective, evidence-based research; and

(b) producing and delivering evidence-based research findings to help inform discussion and decision making relating to policy development.

Quick Q&A for this job...​

The salary range is £45,940 – £47,326. This is an Assembly Grade 5 position. 

Research Officers work in the Research Service, which is located in the Research and Information Service (RaISe), part of the Assembly’s Legal, Governance and Research Services Directorate.  Supported by the Library within RaISe, Research Teams provide the Northern Ireland Assembly with impartial, objective, timely and non-partisan information and research.

Research Teams

RaISe Research Teams comprise researchers with a range of research backgrounds, who work within specialist portfolios located in four research teams:

  • Health and Social Care, Education, Statistics and Mapping
  • Political Institutions, Equality and Justice
  • Communities, Infrastructure and Environment
  • Finance and Economics

 

Together, supported by the Library within RaISe, the Research Teams provide the following services:

  • In-depth, analytical briefings regarding policy, legislation and public finance
  • Bill papers addressing Executive and non-Executive legislative proposals
  • Research to assist Members of the Legislative Assembly (MLAs) develop proposals for private member’s legislation
  • Research to help MLAs respond to matters of concern to their constituents
  • Statistical services addressing all aspects relating to the collection and use of data
  • Mapping services and Geographical Information Systems (GIS)
  • Workshops and seminars, including the Knowledge Exchange Seminar Series’ (KESS) which is delivered in partnership with local universities

The successful candidate will be accountable to a Senior Research Officer.

The successful applicant will be based in Parliament Buildings, Belfast.

Completed application forms must be submitted by 12 noon on Friday 16 April 2021.

The Selection Process

There are five elements within the Recruitment and Selection Framework:

Experience – the knowledge or mastery of an activity or subject gained through involvement in or exposure to it.

Ability – the aptitude or potential to perform to the required standard. 

Technical – the demonstration of specific professional skills, knowledge or qualifications.

Assembly Skills and Behaviours –the actions and activities that people do which result in effective performance in a job.

Strengths – the things we do regularly, do well and that motivate us.

The elements which will be assessed for this role will be Experience, Technical and Assembly Skills and Behaviours and the selection methods that will be used are detailed below. Further information on the Recruitment and Selection Framework are included in the Guidance on Recruitment and Selection for Applicants.

 

There are five Research Officer posts being recruited for:

  • Research Officer – Governance, Institutional and Europe
  • Research Officer – Education
  • Research Officer – Economics
  • Research Officer – Culture, Sport and Heritage
  • Research Officer – Statistics

 

Applicants will be asked to indicate which post/posts they wish to apply for.

The essential criteria reflect the experience and knowledge that an applicant must possess in order to be able to undertake the role. An eligibility sift will be carried out on the basis of the information contained in the essential criteria section of the application form. You must therefore demonstrate clearly in your form how, and to what extent, you meet the essential criteria for the post. 

The selection panel reserves the right to use shortlisting as part of the selection process for this post. Should shortlisting be used, the shortlisting criteria listed in the Job Specification will be applied. The selection panel reserves the right to set a minimum standard for the shortlisting criteria, which applicants must achieve in order to be invited to the interview stage of the selection process. If shortlisting is not necessary, all applicants who have demonstrated the essential criteria will proceed to the interview stage of the selection process.  

As part of this stage of the selection process, applicants will be required to complete:

(a) a written exercise;

(b) an interview, which will address the information contained in the Job Specification and will assess elements of the Recruitment and Selection Framework; and

(c) the preparation and delivery of a presentation to the interview panel. The subject of the presentation will be advised to the applicant on the day of the interview.

The selection panel reserves the right to hold a further interview stage if deemed necessary. 

Further information on the Recruitment and Selection process is available in the Recruitment and Selection Framework and Guidance on the Recruitment and Selection for Applicants.

Research Officer
Oifigeach Taighde

Below you will find everything you need to apply for the position.

Read all the information about the job and the associated guidance related to working in the Assembly:

You are now ready to complete the online application:

Apply Now

Please note the application form will be unavailable on Saturday 21st November between 00:00 – 09:00 due to maintenance on the system.

If you are unable to access the form during this time please try again later.

The deadline for applications expired at 12 noon on Friday 16 April 2021.

Further Information

If you require more information on the recruitment process, please contact the Human Resources Office on 02890 520327 or 02890 521869 or email recruitment@niassembly.gov.uk.

Visit our website for further information about the Assembly.

Good Luck

Apply Now

Please note the application form will be unavailable on Saturday 21st November between 00:00 – 09:00 due to maintenance on the system.

If you are unable to access the form during this time please try again later.