Working pattern: 3 months, full-time, 35 hrs a week, 9am – 5pm (flexible), 7.5 days holiday (plus bank holidays)
Working arrangements: Hybrid
Location: 13 Elliott’s Place, London N1 8HX. British Future’s office is open 5 days a week with staff working a combination of office based and remote working. We recommend that the placement student works in the office for 2-3 days a week to achieve maximum gain from the experience.
Website: https://www.britishfuture.org/
Placement project:
British Future is an independent and non-partisan think tank focused on issues of immigration, integration, race and identity. Our objective is to help create a confident and welcoming Britain, inclusive and fair to all. We combine research of academic quality with communications and engagement activities aimed at achieving influence and impact.
We typically have at least five research projects at any one time, at different stages and involving different topics and methods. The placement student will learn about all aspects of the policy research process, from writing funding proposals to using quantitative and qualitative research methods and achieving impact. Our confirmed projects for 2025 include wave 18 of the immigration attitudes longitudinal survey with Ipsos; research for the new independent commission on community and cohesion chaired by John Denham and Sajid Javid; and research to support a commission on the future of inclusion and belonging in the London borough of Newham. The successful candidate will join our small, friendly and supportive team. British Future has hosted interns for many years, including PhD student placements: previous post holders have gone on to work in the civil service, public affairs, research, media and for other leading charities. The placement will provide experience across all main aspects of British Future’s work on immigration, integration, race and identity:
• Policy-focused research activities, including opinion polling, focus groups, roundtable discussions and evidence reviews
• Communications activities and running events
• Relationships with funders, research partners and stakeholders In deciding the balance of activities and projects, attention will be paid to the preferences and interests of the candidate.
The student will be supported by Jake Puddle British Future’s senior researcher. Above all, we aim to make the placement a positive and enjoyable experience.
Anticipated benefits for the student:
The main benefit is the opportunity to experience how research is carried out in a non-academic setting, in particular a think tank which aims to influence policy. The placement student will gain experience of all aspects of the policy research process, from proposal writing, research design and delivery, analysis and writing up findings.
They will also experience the communications and dissemination process, including how we work with press, broadcast and social media to put our findings across and achieve impact. They will be supervised by a senior researcher who, with other senior team members, will support the student’s training and development needs.
Previous placement students have described the placement as providing them with invaluable exposure to policy- oriented research. In addition, they have valued being involved in communications activities, such as webinars and contact with journalists over specific research findings. They have also enjoyed being involved in events on topics including race and social cohesion, both online and in person.
Expertise and experience required:
• PhD subject of broad relevance to British Future’s work
• Interest in research which aims to influence policy and practice
• Interest in developing qualitative and quantitative research skills, for example survey design or facilitating focus groups
• Ability to work with and analyse survey data at basic to intermediate level
• Strong written and oral communication skills to engage with a range of contacts and audiences
• An understanding of British politics and contemporary public debates around immigration, integration, race and identity Personal qualities
• Interest in working in the interface between research and policy impact in the future
• Ability to contribute to projects with short time scales and to tight deadlines
• A team player able to work well with colleagues across the organisation
• Confidence to work with minimal day to day supervision and put forward own ideas
• Good organisational skills
Other requirements:
During the placement period we have projects which may include contact with vulnerable individuals, for example asylum seekers. One of our funders has asked that all team members involved in fieldwork should be DBS checked. This project may also require all on the team, including placement students, to sign a data sharing (confidentiality) agreement.
How to apply:
Please send a CV with covering letter (one side) explaining interest in our placement to Anna Gawryluk: anna@britishfuture.org
Interviews will usually be within 2 weeks of application