Researcher 2025-26

Location: London
Salary: £30,000
Contract type: Fixed
Full-time/part-time: Full-time
Remote working: Hybrid
Posted: 6 April 2025
Closing date: 29 April 2025

Job details

The Institute for Government is the UK’s leading independent think tank working to make government more effective.  Through in-depth analysis, expert commentary and influential public events we explore how government works – and how it can work better.

We are inviting applications for our one-year 2025–26 research internship programme starting in September 2025.

Our research staff spend their time thinking, talking and writing about how to make government more effective. They conduct research in a range of forms exploring themes across our work programme. Using that research, they develop recommendations for how government could better organise itself, develop and deliver policy, and evaluate and regulate its own activities.

Our research interns work across the research team, with each intern typically allocated to one of the themes in our work programme (e.g. civil service, devolution, public finances, etc). The precise nature of each individual internship will vary according to the needs of the projects that specific teams are working on, but key tasks include:

  • Carrying out literature reviews.
  • Completing background research and conducting interviews with MPs, civil servants and others alongside colleagues.
  • Undertaking data analysis, including creating and updating charts and developing data visualisation skills.
  • Working with colleagues across the research and communications teams to organise and deliver the IfG’s public and private events.
  • Presenting research findings to colleagues.
  • Writing explainers and contributing to published reports.
  • Providing other forms of administrative support to the rest of your team and organisation as required.

For full details, including a person specification, please read the job application pack. We encourage all applicants to read the job pack before starting their application.

If you are interested in this role but are not sure you have all the skills we’re looking for, please do apply and give us the chance to consider you as a candidate.

About the organisation

We are here to act as a catalyst for inspiring the best in government. We spark ideas, generate debate, challenge preconceptions, bring experience to bear and make new connections that work to improve government for the benefit of society.

How to Apply

Please complete our online application form, which will ask you to complete a timed multiple-choice test and to answer three written questions.

Further details on the application process can be found in the job application pack.

Interview dates: 21 & 22 May 2025

Start date: 1 Sept 2025 (12 months)

The IfG is committed to supporting greater diversity and inclusion within our workforce, and to fostering an environment in which everyone feels welcome, supported and valued. We welcome applications from anyone who is interested in government and how to make it more effective, and particularly encourage applications from candidates who belong to groups currently underrepresented in the think-tank sector. This includes but is not limited to Black, Asian and ethnically diverse candidates, disabled candidates, and candidates from low-income backgrounds.