Researcher

At AQA, we’re committed to advancing education and we’re committed to our people. As the largest provider of academic qualifications in the UK, we mark over 10 million exam papers each year and it’s our people who make this happen.

Researcher

Permanent

Salary within Implement A
Manchester: £33,950 – £36,500
Guildford: £35,350 - £38,000
Hybrid Working

Are you an experienced Researcher with expertise in education, assessment, psychology or a related field?

Do you have experience of applying quantitative or qualitative research methods to complex problems and hold a minimum of a Master’s degree with a significant research element?

Are you keen to further develop your skills and make an immediate impact on the guidance and products that AQA provides to our stakeholders?

In this role, you will be working in a fast-paced changing assessment environment, working with a highly experienced team who have a range of subject knowledge and experience. You must also be able to work in either the Manchester office (M15 6EX) or our Guildford office (GU2 7XJ) (whichever is closest to you) for a minimum of 2 days each week

What’s in it for me?
We value our colleagues who all work hard to deliver a first class service within the world of education.

• a basic of 25 days annual leave (rising with service) with Bank Holidays and additional closure days at Christmas on top

• a working week of 35 hours with up to three days working from home per week

• a good pension with up to 18.5% combined contributions

• recently refurbished office spaces offering a variety of individual and collaborative workspaces, (Manchester has a gym, a games room, a yoga studio and a discounted café, Guildford has free parking, discounts in onsite eateries and free tea/coffee)

• private medical insurance and a healthcare cash reward plan

What do I need to be successful?

• You must hold at least a Master’s Degree with experience of quantitative and/or qualitative research, and a basic knowledge of statistics and statistical techniques

• You must have demonstrable theoretical or practical experience with sampling and study design

• You must be able to evidence a clear, unambiguous writing style and have experience of reporting research results through a variety of academic, scientific and policy-oriented channels

• You must be able to build rapport to help develop effective working relationships with internal and external stakeholders and be able to engage with education stakeholders to maximise the uptake and influence of the research

The following would also be desirable:

• Knowledge and understanding of exam-related processes, such as marking, standardisation, question paper production, and awarding

• Basic knowledge of specialised software such as R or Python (or a willingness to learn)

• Be able to contribute to developing original ways to collect, analyse and interpret educational data

• Be able to support the design, development and evaluation of new products and services

How do I apply?

Upload your most recent CV and covering letter

Please also upload evidence of your writing with the application. Without this we will not be able to consider you for shortlisting. The piece of writing is not limited to peer-reviewed journal articles and may include (published) research reports, webpages / blog posts or conference papers (but not just slides).

Applications will close at 23:59 on Sunday 2 March

Interviews will be in person in the week beginning 17 March 2025

AQA is an equal opportunity employer committed to fostering an inclusive and diverse workplace where everyone—regardless of religion, ethnicity, gender identity or expression, age, disability, sexual orientation, or background—is valued, respected, and supported to thrive 

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Full Job Description

Summary

Purpose:

• The Researcher will work alongside a team of educational assessment experts to support the delivery of research and development projects.
• This will require developing and applying specialist knowledge of educational assessment and related research methodologies to deliver research tasks independently but within the context of collaborative projects and with appropriate guidance from the project owner.
• As a technical expert, the Researcher will be responsible for aspects of research projects such as carrying out literature reviews, analysing quantitative or qualitative data using specialised software, and contributing to and delivering presentations and reports.Landscape:

The Researcher will work within the Research and Development team. The team sits within the Assessment Research and Innovation business area and carries out qualitative and quantitative educational research with the goal of supporting AQA develop innovative, valid and inclusive assessments, whether on paper or on screen, and lead thinking in the sector. Our research programme defines our active areas of interest: accessibility, fairness and ED&I validity and innovation; marking, grading and standards; AI in education and assessment.  Our team’s background is in the social and natural sciences and encompasses a broad spectrum of areas of expertise. The successful candidate will have access to a variety of training, development, and mentoring opportunities.

Activities:
Applying methodological expertise to support research design
Carrying out aspects of quantitative or qualitative research (e.g. literature reviews, data collection, data analysis, reports) using appropriate software, developing skills acquired in postgraduate studies or recent experience
Working in teams to contribute to the successful delivery of projects
Developing up-to-date knowledge of the educational assessment landscape and relevant literature
Ensuring compliance with AQA’s policies and procedures, with particular regard to Ethics and Data Protection
Contributing to research impact and engagement through report writing and other forms of dissemination and communication, beginning to develop a public voice in the assessment research community that contributes to the maintenance and enhancement of AQA’s reputation in educational assessment
Contributing to the ongoing development of the team’s research and development practice, promoting a positive team culture.

Need to know (to be successful in this role, you will need to have knowledge/experience of):
An undergraduate degree and a Master’s degree (or nearly completed) in psychology or education (although other disciplines will be considered), which will ideally include statistical training. Alternatively, an equivalent professional qualification or demonstrable experience.
Knowledge and developing practice of postgraduate-level qualitative or quantitative research methods for the social sciences
Demonstrable ability to communicate research findings to a range of stakeholders and in a variety of formats (written and spoken forms)
Ability to work independently and as part of a team
To succeed:you will have the ability to think critically about how exams and tests are made, how they work, and how they affect education and life chances.
You will be methodical with excellent attention to detail, capable of understanding and synthesising complex, diverse and incomplete information and able to present reasoned arguments
You will have the ability to build strong working relationships with a range of stakeholders
You will be able to manage your work and meet deadlines


(Desirable) Some experience of contributing to applied research in an academic or commercial setting
(Desirable) Principles of educational or psychological assessment (e.g. validity and reliability)
(Desirable) Principles of educational testing and test development (e.g. classical test theory, item response theory, psychometrics)