Social Research Scientist

Description:

You will provide social science based evidence to support HSE’s policy development and programme delivery needs. Social researchers support delivery through giving evidence-based advice to inform the process of designing, targeting, running and evaluating interventions. You will work as part of HSE’s Economic and Social Analysis Team (ESAT). This multi-disciplinary team of economists and social researchers work closely on a wide variety of projects addressing the full remit of HSE’s mission. The wider Analysis and Risk Group includes statisticians, psychologists, human factors, epidemiologists and data science colleagues. You will work closely with these specialists and with policy and operational colleagues to ensure evidence can increase the effectiveness of programmes in improving health and safety outcomes.

HSE Science Division is spread principally between two sites in Bootle and Buxton, and includes a wide range of scientists undertaking research, testing, forensic work and commercial work. The small and flexible nature of ESAT provides an excellent opportunity for exposure to senior staff and for you to develop skills within a supportive team environment. There will be opportunities to conduct in-house research and analysis as well as opportunities to commission and manage externally contracted research. There will also be opportunities to work directly with the head of profession for Social Research.

Key Responsibilities

• Providing sound social science based advice and analysis on the development of HSE strategy and policy in tackling serious occupational injury and work-related ill health.
• Providing high-quality social science based analysis to support Government regulatory interventions (Impact Assessments) and evaluations of existing policy (Post Implementation Reviews); working closely with economists to devise suitable evaluation and research methods to meet the standards of external scrutiny from the Regulatory Policy Committee (RPC).
• Delivering social science research to meet HSE’s existing and emerging needs for robust evidence to support programme delivery and evaluation; including collection and analysis of both qualitative and quantitative data.
• Developing an understanding of the evidence base around behaviour and how this relates to health outcomes; applying appropriate theoretical frameworks and approaches to help understand how organisational activities can contribute to change leading to desired outcomes.
• Developing constructive relationships with policy and operational policy colleagues to ensure that HSE interventions are evidence-based and can be robustly evaluated. This will involve providing advice and briefing on existing evidence and designing fit for purpose research and evaluation projects.
• Taking a proactive role in relation to your own professional development such as through engagement with GSR activities and professional opportunities and working alongside the GSR head of profession to share learning and support professional development within the team.