The Nuffield Council on Bioethics (NCOB) is seeking an experienced researcher to lead on the design, development and execution of project deliverables under the Mind & Brain priority area work programme.

The role

We are on a mission to place ethics at the centre of decisions regarding biomedicine and health so that we all benefit. In this new role, your main focus will be working across our Mind & Brain priority area, but you may also be expected to work on other projects and policy areas as necessary, particularly any complex or time-sensitive research and policy projects associated with NCOB’s priority areas.  

You will act as an expert on your portfolio within the NCOB and be responsible for elements of project-specific publications (including conception, drafting and delivery) alongside significant stakeholder management, outreach and coordination. This will include working with communications and public affairs colleagues to deploy communications strategies and creating different forms of content, seeing outputs through from inception to publication and evaluation. 

As an experienced researcher and/or policy professional, you will also be expected to contribute to and support the development and implementation of NCOB’s wider strategic priorities or positions, and manage the work of researchers, external collaborators, and consultants, as required.  

This is an excellent opportunity for an experienced candidate who is able to use their project management skills and policy/research experience in a leading role in the high-profile area of bioethics, supporting our ambitious policy-influencing agenda.

About you

You will have expertise and an active interest in the practical and ethical issues relating to emerging biotechnologies and/or neuroethics in a UK context. This will be supported by a broader knowledge and enthusiasm for bioethical issues and the policy, scientific, regulatory and legal environment around these.

You will have experience of designing, delivering and managing rigorous and collaborative research projects, using a range of research methods, that have ethical considerations at the heart of the research and which will have real policy impact.

You will also be a skilled communicator, with a track record of producing high quality written outputs that have been adapted for different audiences.

Highly organised and motivated, you will be as comfortable leading a project as working within and across teams in the organisation.

Finally you will be a strategic thinker, with the ability to identify opportunities for impact, and  to contribute to NCOB’s wider strategy.

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

About us  

The Nuffield Council on Bioethics is a leading independent policy and research centre, and the foremost bioethics body in the UK. We are on a mission to embed ethics in decisions regarding biomedicine and health so that we all benefit.

For over thirty years we have tackled some of the most complex and controversial bioethical issues facing society. We are funded jointly by the Nuffield Foundation, Wellcome and the Medical Research Council.   

 We aim to inform policy and public debate through timely consideration of the ethical questions raised by biological and medical research so that the benefits to society are realised in a way that is consistent with public values. Our work has led to shifts in public understanding and policy change on topics ranging from assisted reproduction and genome editing to managing the disagreements that arise in the care of critically ill children.  

Central to our reputation and standing is our independence – we do not represent any particular group or view and we select our own topics, methodologies and outputs. 

We select topics to examine through our horizon scanning programme and use a variety of approaches to identify, consider and resolve the ethical issues they raise. Our approach is multidisciplinary and deliberative. We draw on a wide range of expertise and experience and use the best available evidence. We collaborate where our expertise complements those of other organisations (e.g. see our collaboration on Genomics and AI Futures with the Ada Lovelace Institute). 

We engage with a wide range of different voices and views and are committed to increasing the diversity of the people we work with. As part of the Nuffield Foundation, we are a small team with the practical support of an established organisation that cares for its employees.

We value diversity in background, skills, perspectives and life experiences.

Further information and how to apply  

The closing date for applications is 09:30am (BST) on Wednesday 1st July 2026. Interviews are scheduled to take place on Thursday 16th July 2026.

This is a maternity cover contract (of up to 1 year) and candidates should ideally be able to start with us in September 2026.

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.

All recruitment decisions are made by a person (we do not use AI tools to rate or reject applicants). We ask applicants to respond to the questions using their own experience, thinking and opinion, writing in their own tone of voice rather than using generative AI tools such as ChatGPT.  Candidates should ensure that they are representing themselves accurately and authentically.

Please note that for vacancies which receive a high volume of applications, we may undertake an initial screening of CVs. 

Further guidance on applying for job vacancies with the Nuffield Foundation and its Centres can be found on our website here.

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    

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

Our benefits package includes:    

• Genuine flexibility - we are open to requests for part-time hours, compressed working weeks, or job shares.  

• 28 days holiday per annum and all public holidays, with the option to buy or sell up to 5 days (prorated for part time staff).  

• 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.     

• Regular opportunities for learning and development – including coaching, mentoring, and dedicated reading days for personal development and reflection.  

• 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.  

• A warm and welcoming workplace culture, with active peer groups and social networks to help you connect and belong.