Research and Evaluation Officer

Job summary

Are you passionate about using research to make a real difference in education, children's services, and social care? Ofsted is looking for two Research and Evaluation Officers to join our Research and Evaluation team.

You’ll deliver individual research projects that feed into our wider programme of work. You’ll ensure methodological rigour while working in a unique and fast-paced inspection environment. From designing research and analysing data to writing impactful reports, your work will inform practice, influence policy, and ultimately help raise standards for children and learners across England.

What we're looking for:

• A strong understanding of research and evaluation methods

• Excellent analytical, written, and communication skills

• Experience conducting and synthesising research, with the ability to tailor insights to different audiences

• A collaborative and curious mindset, with a drive to deliver high-quality, purposeful work.

This is a fantastic opportunity to further your experience in Ofsted’s well-established team. The post holder will work with high-achieving professionals at all levels, surrounded by a friendly and supportive team. They will have access to amazing benefits, such as flexible working hours, the Civil Service Pension Scheme, and 32.5 days annual leave + 8 bank holidays. We offer a hybrid working model, so you may also choose to spend a proportion of time working from home.

Job description

Please refer to the job specification for further information.

Person specification

Please refer to the job specification for further information.

Qualifications

GSR Membership
Applicants who are not already members of Government Social Research (GSR) will need to provide evidence that they meet the eligibility requirements through either the qualifications or experience route (for more information, see GSR Membership and Eligibility Guidance attached).

Hold an undergraduate or a postgraduate degree at a minimum of 2:2. The degree must contain substantial social research methods training (comprising around one third of modules taken on the course) including quantitative research methods and at least three of the following: systematic/literature reviews; qualitative methods; interpretation of data and presentation of results; study design, hypothesis testing and application of Ethnics to research.

Experience route

Hold an undergraduate degree or a postgraduate degree in any subject with a minimum classification of 2:2 or hold a degree equivalent (for example advanced Certificate or Diploma from MRS).

Have at least four years’ experience of working in applied social research. This can include market research, government, applied academia or as a data analyst. This must include quantitative research methods and include at least three of three of the following:

Systematic literature reviews

Qualitative methods, including research design, data collection

Interpretation of data and presentation

Study design, hypothesis formation, testing and evaluation

Application of ethics to research

Behaviours

We'll assess you against these behaviours during the selection process:

• Changing and Improving
• Making Effective Decisions
• Leadership
• Delivering at Pace
• Communicating and Influencing

Technical skills

We'll assess you against these technical skills during the selection process:

• Sound experience of qualitative or quantitative research, data analysis and effective presentation of key findings. (Essential)
• Experience of successful engagement with, and management of, internal and external stakeholders. (Essential)
• Proven written and verbal communication skills with the ability to negotiate. (Essential)
• Ability to organise themselves and prioritise their work to deliver a challenging programme of work. (Essential)
• A good understanding of quality in its widest sense, with experience of successfully implementing quality assurance procedures and an eye for detail. (Essential)
• Understanding of policy context across one or more of Ofsted’s remits: Early Years; Social Care; Schools; and Further Education and Skills. (Desirable)
• Ability to select and use a range of appropriate statistical and analytical coding techniques to deliver a solution that meets user needs. (Desirable)
• Experience with data management and/or statistical programming languages (for example R, SQL) (Desirable)

We only ask for evidence of these technical skills on your application form:

• Sound experience of qualitative or quantitative research, data analysis and effective presentation of key findings. (Essential)
• Experience of successful engagement with, and management of, internal and external stakeholders. (Essential)
• Proven written and verbal communication skills with the ability to negotiate. (Essential)
• Ability to organise themselves and prioritise their work to deliver a challenging programme of work. (Essential)

Benefits

Alongside your salary of £37,524, Office for Standards in Education, Children's Services and Skills contributes £10,870 towards you being a member of the Civil Service Defined Benefit Pension scheme. Find out what benefits a Civil Service Pension provides (opens in a new window).

Full details of the benefits available can be found in our Ofsted Offer brochure.

Ofsted is devoted to equality, diversity and inclusion. Within our Ofsted Strategy 2023-2027 we have stated that we will improve the representation of under-represented groups across the organisation and publish our progress on this annually. We are always looking to expand on our diverse workforce by recruiting candidates from varied backgrounds and differing experiences. We are proud to be a Disability Confident – Leader, we continually engage with our 5 staff networks for protected characteristics, and highlight the work of our Equalities, Diversity and Inclusion (EDI) Group. We ensure all candidates are treated with fair and open competition, with all appointments being made on merit and we use our Disability Confident Scheme (DCS) to provide assurance to all candidates of this.

Things you need to know

Artificial intelligence

Artificial intelligence can be a useful tool to support your application, however, all examples and statements provided must be truthful, factually accurate and taken directly from your own experience. Where plagiarism has been identified (presenting the ideas and experiences of others, or generated by artificial intelligence, as your own) applications may be withdrawn and internal candidates may be subject to disciplinary action. Please see our candidate guidance (opens in a new window) for more information on appropriate and inappropriate use.

Selection process details

This vacancy is using Success Profiles (opens in a new window), and will assess your Behaviours, Experience and Technical skills.

Application and Shortlisting

The selection panel will assess your application against the evidence you provide in relation to the essential criteria outlined in the person specification.

You will also be asked to provide information within the Employer/Activity History section of the application form. This information is equivalent to the content typically provided in a CV and should outline your career history. This information will be used as part of the sifting process.

Government Social Research Knowledge Test

This recruitment process includes a two-stage shortlisting process.

Stage 1 – GSR Eligibility Sift

At the first stage, applications will be assessed against the Government Social Research (GSR) eligibility requirements. Candidates must demonstrate that they meet either the qualification route or the experience route requirements for GSR membership.

Candidates who do not meet either route will not progress further in the recruitment process.

Candidates who successfully pass this initial sift and are not current members of the Government Social Research (GSR) profession will be invited to complete the GSR Knowledge Test. This forms the first stage of the GSR membership process, and a pass is required for your application to progress to the next stage of the recruitment process.

Further information about the GSR Knowledge Test will be sent to eligible candidates from 20 July 2026.

Candidates who are already members of the GSR profession are not required to complete the test as part of their application.

Candidates who do not achieve a pass mark in the GSR Knowledge Test will not progress further in the recruitment process.

Stage 2 – Essential Criteria Sift

Candidates who successfully meet the GSR eligibility requirements and pass the GSR Knowledge Test will progress to the second stage of shortlisting, where applications will be assessed against the remaining essential criteria set out in the job description. Only the most suitable candidates who provide the strongest evidence against these criteria will be invited to the final stage of the selection process, comprising an interview and presentation.

Interview and Presentation

Candidates will be assessed against a combination of the Civil Service Behaviours, the competencies set out in the Government Social Research Technical Framework, and the experience and technical skills outlined in Section 3 of the job specification.

We will invite the most suitable candidates to attend an interview and presentation during the weeks commencing 10 August 2026 and 17 August 2026.

Interviews will be held at 23 Stephenson Street, Birmingham, 2 Rivergate, Bristol, or 10 South Colonnade, London. The interview location will be confirmed closer to the time.

Feedback will only be provided if you attend an interview or assessment.

Security

Successful candidates must undergo a criminal record check.People working with government assets must complete baseline personnel security standard (opens in new window) checks.

Nationality requirements

This job is broadly open to the following groups:

• UK nationals
• nationals of the Republic of Ireland
• nationals of Commonwealth countries who have the right to work in the UK
• nationals of the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein and family members of those nationalities with settled or pre-settled status under the European Union Settlement Scheme (EUSS) (opens in a new window)
• nationals of the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein and family members of those nationalities who have made a valid application for settled or pre-settled status under the European Union Settlement Scheme (EUSS)
• individuals with limited leave to remain or indefinite leave to remain who were eligible to apply for EUSS on or before 31 December 2020
• Turkish nationals, and certain family members of Turkish nationals, who have accrued the right to work in the Civil Service

Further information on nationality requirements (opens in a new window)

Working for the Civil Service

The Civil Service Code (opens in a new window) sets out the standards of behaviour expected of civil servants.

We recruit by merit on the basis of fair and open competition, as outlined in the Civil Service Commission's recruitment principles (opens in a new window).The Civil Service embraces diversity and promotes equal opportunities. As such, we run a Disability Confident Scheme (DCS) for candidates with disabilities who meet the minimum selection criteria.The Civil Service also offers a Redeployment Interview Scheme to civil servants who are at risk of redundancy, and who meet the minimum requirements for the advertised vacancy.

Diversity and Inclusion

The Civil Service is committed to attract, retain and invest in talent wherever it is found. To learn more please see theCivil Service People Plan (opens in a new window) and the Civil Service Diversity and Inclusion Strategy (opens in a new window).

Apply and further information

This vacancy is part of the Great Place to Work for Veterans (opens in a new window) initiative.The Civil Service welcomes applications from people who have recently left prison or have an unspent conviction. Read more about prison leaver recruitment (opens in new window).Once this job has closed, the job advert will no longer be available. You may want to save a copy for your records.

Contact point for applicants

Job contact :

• Name : People Services Delivery
• Email : Jobs@ofsted.gov.uk
• Telephone : 0300 013 1487

Recruitment team

• Email : Jobs@ofsted.gov.uk

Further information

If you feel your application has not been treated in accordance with the Recruitment Principles, and you wish to make a complaint, you should email Ofsted recruitment at jobs@ofsted.gov.uk in the first instance. If you are not satisfied with the response you receive from the Department, you can contact the Civil Service Commission at: https://civilservicecommission.independent.gov.uk/recrutiment

Attachments

Job specification Research and Evaluation Officer Opens in new window (pdf, 245kB)