The Nuffield Foundation is carrying out a new project Grown Up? Journeys to Adulthood to explore the issues that young people today are facing in navigating transitions. The focus of often unforgiving headlines, young people are charting their pathways into adulthood in new and often challenging economic, social and technological contexts.  The project identifies how research, policy and practice can respond to support young people and will inform the Nuffield Foundation’s future funding priorities.  

The project will:  

• Illuminate and update understandings of how today’s young people navigate transitions to adulthood, including the barriers and opportunities they may face;   

• Collaborate with others to reframe the public debate and inform policy development and practice; and   

• Identify gaps in knowledge and practice to shape a future call for research applications, innovative practice, interventions, and synthesis. 

A central feature of the project is a programme of youth insight and engagement. Three types of outputs are planned and underway: i) quantitative data stories and reports; ii) think pieces and iii) youth engagement outputs. A final output is also planned.  

The project focuses on three interlinked topics which are central to youth transitions: education to work, digital lives and mental health.  As a cross-organisational project, we are working with our Centres, in particular the Nuffield Family Justice Observatory and the Ada Lovelace Institute. 

To find out more about the Grown Up? project, please watch our short video here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Sz7gL4CtqSU

The role  

As Senior Researcher and Writer, you will oversee the programme of outputs, liaising with the Strategic Project Lead and the Foundation’s engagement team (including communications and public affairs colleagues).   

You will produce and write outputs which include quantitative data stories and accessible written materials, as well as working with internal and external contributors (including the commissioning of authors) to deliver outputs 

Another key element of this role will be liaising with the external partners who will be delivering the youth engagement strand of the project, including attending Youth Insight Group (YIG) meetings and Deep Dive workshops, then sharing insights from the data stories at those meetings and reflecting feedback in the project outputs. 

This is an exciting opportunity to be part of an innovative project at the centre of the Nuffield Foundation which will distil insights from research, leading thinkers and young people themselves to inform future research, practice and policy. 

For further information about the role, please click here to download the full job description (PDF).  

About us 

The Nuffield Foundation is an independent charitable trust with a mission to advance educational opportunity and social well-being.  

We fund research that informs social policy, primarily in Education, Welfare and Justice. We also provide opportunities for young people to develop skills and confidence in science and research.  

We are the founder and co-funder of Nuffield Council on Bioethics, Nuffield Family Justice Observatory and the Ada Lovelace Institute.  

Further information and how to apply 

The closing date for applications is 09:30am (GMT) on Monday 10th February 2025, with interviews expected to take place on Thursday 27th February 2025. The successful candidate should be able to start in April 2025.

You will be required to complete some questions as part of this application process, and you are also required to upload an up-to-date copy of your CV. The Applied platform lets you save an application and resume it ahead of submitting before the application deadline. 

Should you need to make an application in a different format or require any adjustments as part of the application process, please get in touch with us: recruitment@nuffieldfoundation.org 

We are committed to inclusive working practices and during the application process we commit to:  

• As a Disability Confident employer, we will offer an interview to a fair and proportionate number of disabled applicants that meet the essential criteria for the job.

• making any reasonable adjustments – for example providing documents in different formats, arranging for a sign language interpreter for interviews etc  

• paying for travel costs (and any childcare or care costs) for interviews where in-person attendance is required  

Our benefits package includes:  

• Consideration of requests for flexible working (eg compressed hours arrangements etc)  

• Annual leave equivalent to 28 days per annum and a pro-rated entitlement to all public holidays .  

• A salary exchange pension scheme that offers employer contributions of up to 11%.  

• Life assurance scheme.  

• Family leave policies that provide an enhanced level of pay.  

• Cycle to work scheme and loans towards season tickets.  

• Frequent opportunities for learning and development (including options for coaching and mentoring, and reading weeks) 

• Support with your physical, mental and financial wellbeing including an employee assistance provider, a private GP service, personal health reviews with Bupa, a will and funeral planning service and a staff network of trained Mental Health First Aiders. 

• Staff peer groups and social networks.