Join the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) for a three-month PhD secondment and apply your research skills to some of the UK’s most pressing social and economic challenges. From shaping welfare policy to improving services for millions, your work will directly influence decisions that matter.
The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) is one of the UK’s largest public service department, forecasted to spend £322.6bn in 2025/26 to support over 23 million people. Within this context, evidence is key. It supports decision-making, the design of policies and services, and helps us to understand what works.
DWP’s Analytical Community is made up of over 800 professionals across Economics, Operational Research, Social Research, and Statistics, alongside data scientists and expert advisers. Analysts are based across the UK and benefit from flexible working.
A DWP secondment offers a brilliant opportunity to experience an organisation responsible for both policy design and frontline delivery. It supports the development of analytical, presentational, and professional skills. Each secondee will lead a priority analytical project, supported by their team, to aid policy development or senior decision-making. DWP has extensive and diverse evidence requirements. With support from your team, you will lead a project that supports meeting DWP’s priority evidence needs. See our Areas of Research Interest for a summary of the research questions that are most important to DWP DWP Areas of Research Interest 2026 – GOV.UK
Successful candidates will participate in their team’s wider responsibilities and gain insight into life at DWP and the Civil Service.
DWP offers secondment projects across areas including:
- Labour Market
- Universal Credit
- Working Age Benefits and Housing
- Disability and Employment Support
- Work and Health DWP/DHSC Joint Unit
- Pensions and Later Life
- Income, Families and Disadvantage
- Operations
- Strategy
- Digital
- Modelling and Econometrics
Projects vary in their focus and approach, but we do our best to align projects with your skills, preferences, and learning needs. We also encourage secondees to develop new skills and maximise the opportunities available to them. Candidates can indicate their suitability for the above project types in the application form, as well as the substantive research topic area that most interests them. We do our best to align secondments with skills and preferences.
Essential Skills and Behaviours
We’re looking for candidates who can demonstrate:
- Strong analytical skills in your academic discipline
- Evidence assimilation and synthesis
- Project planning and organisation
- Oral and written communication and presentation skills
- Ability to work effectively as part of a multi-disciplinary team
Applications are welcome from all academic disciplines. Past candidates have come from social sciences, mathematics, computer science, humanities, and natural sciences. Transferable skills are more important than research specialisms.
Whilst we take students from any discipline and academic background, there is high demand for those with quantitative expertise.
Eligibility: The secondment must fall within the student’s funded period. We recommend a minimum of six months remaining funded study time by the time the placement starts.
Duration and Timing: Three months full-time (or 6 months part-time), and we will work with you to agree a start date. Onboarding will take place during January / February 2027 with placements starting from March onwards.
Remuneration: The student’s stipend will be paid by their Doctoral Training Partner/Centre (DTP/C) or home university, in accordance with research council funding guidelines. The studentship and registration will be extended by the secondment duration. Self-funded students are not eligible.
Expenses: Travel and related expenses will be reimbursed by DWP, up to £3,594 for the secondment duration.
Location and Travel: Candidates will be embedded in an analytical team. Hybrid working is supported, with office bases in Birmingham, Glasgow, Leeds, London, Manchester, Newcastle, Sheffield, Cardiff and Treforest. Travel to meet team members and stakeholders is encouraged and may be required depending on the project.
Security Checks: Successful candidates will be required to undergo basic identity and DBS checks prior to starting.
To apply, obtain permission from your Lead Supervisor and University or DTP/C, and submit the following to evidence.strategyteam@dwp.gov.uk:
- CV (max 2 pages, including education and employment history for the last 3 years)
- Completed application form: DWP placement scheme application form
- Completed permissions form: DWP funding permission form
We will shortlist applications based on application forms. If you are successful, you can expect to receive at least two weeks’ notice of your interview date. We expect that interviews will take place in late October/November 2026. Shortlisting will be based on the application form. Interviews will be conducted via Microsoft Teams.
Candidates should provide examples demonstrating the essential skills outlined in this advert. Proof of nationality and address will be required before the interview.
We are committed to supporting candidates so they can perform at their best throughout the recruitment process. This includes making reasonable adjustments to our process. To request an adjustment please contact evidence.strategyteam@dwp.gov.uk
Testimonials from Past Interns
“I thoroughly enjoyed the placement and learned a lot. I also noticed that the type of work carried out in DWP speaks a lot more to me than some of the things at university.”
“I’m currently completing my PhD at the University of Leeds in the School of Performance and Cultural Industries. My research explores how visual artists use social networks in their career development. Curious about research careers beyond academia, I applied to the UKRI PhD Placement Scheme and chose DWP for its relevance to my project. I was placed in UCAD as a social researcher and felt part of the team from day one. Over three months, I delivered three projects including a secondary qualitative analysis using NVivo, group fieldwork, and an evidence review. The placement gave me real insight into DWP’s analytical culture. I later applied for a permanent role and now work in Labour Market Analysis Division. I’d recommend the scheme to any PhD student considering the Civil Service or seeking a different research environment.”