UKRI Research and Development Missions Accelerator Programme Fellowships

UCL Public Policy and UCL Grand Challenges are offering two Policy Fellowships with UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) looking at clean energy and programme evaluation. Apply by Tuesday 28 April 2026.

This is an exciting time to be joining UKRI’s Research and Development (R&D) Missions Accelerator Programme to support research and innovation aligned with the UK government’s five national missions. Delivered by UKRI in partnership with relevant government departments, the programme focuses on new ideas that can improve lives, strengthen public services, and support the economy. The programme comprises research and innovation challenges that set clear, measurable targets with specific deadlines to deliver real-world impact, helping ensure research and innovation deliver tangible results that benefit people across the UK.

The UK faces a national growth challenge that requires a fundamentally different approach to research and innovation investment. While the UK is recognised globally for its universities and research institutions, these fellowships can support UKRI to further enhance the translation of research into productivity gains, accelerated business growth, and public service improvements that directly benefit citizens.

The fellows will gain invaluable, first-hand experience and insight into how large-scale innovation programmes are designed, governed, adapted, and delivered. They will work closely with key government, industry, and third-sector organisations such as DESNZ, DfE, Ofgem, DNOs, system operators, and innovators.

The two fellowships are:

1. Clean Energy Challenge: 2GW Peak Time flexibility R&I Challenge Fellowship

Background

This Challenge programme aims to unlock at least two gigawatts of consumer-led flexibility by 2030, harnessing AI and digital technologies to make the UK power grid smarter, greener, and more resilient. “Consumer-led flexibility” refers to homes, businesses, and communities adjusting when and how they use electricity (e.g., through electric vehicles, heat pumps, batteries, or smart appliances) in response to system needs and price signals. While many pilot projects exist, the goal is to move from trials and fragmented markets into flexible electricity demand operating as a core part of the grid infrastructure and power system. The programme has strong government alignment through a formal “pull-through” plan with the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero. An Innovation Board, chaired by the new Flexibility Commissioner, provides strategic oversight. There is also active support from Ofgem to align delivery with the ED3 regulatory timeline, under a broader push toward local balancing and optimisation‑led flexibility.

Fellowship objectives and activities

The fellow will have an opportunity to shape the Flex challenge by working with industry to develop digital and data-driven solutions that improve flexibility and resilience across the energy system. Possible activities include:

Support policy and market design innovation: Co-create impactful innovation interventions which span market access (e.g. locational pricing approaches, ED3 incentive reform), demand-turn-up from low-income households, Industrial and Commercial flex and AI/digital tools. Scope the role for trials in rapid scaling in line with our ‘Beyond Demo’ principle.
Engage and coordinate across the energy ecosystem: Work with Ofgem, DESNZ, DNOs, system operators, innovators, and the Flex Commissioner’s Innovation Board to maximise the impact to 2030 and beyond.
Leverage technical and economic evidence and analysis: Harness analytical insights of revenue stacking, locational value, system impacts, and techno-economic assessments of ultra-long-duration storage and enabled flexibility solutions. Draw on the best available evidence on behavioural insights to shape interventions. Develop new analysis where appropriate.
Deliver programme outputs and knowledge exchange: Produce briefings and recommendations, support the Flex Challenge pull-through plan, contribute to cross-programme learning, and communicate insights to senior stakeholders.

2. Opportunity 3: Experimental Evaluation Methods Fellowship

Background

Evaluation of the R&D MAP Programme is built in from the onset to track benefits, assess impact and deliver process evaluation insights. Ultimately, this is to ensure that the Programme is delivering Science, technology and innovation solution that make a positive measurable difference to people’s lives and livelihoods across each of the five missions. The programme funds a mix of projects – some with strong evidence of impact and others that are more experimental, but where success could lead to significant benefits. Importantly projects that are not delivering are expected to stop early so funding can be directed to stronger areas.

Previous Innovate UK Challenge programmes such as the ISCF Prospering from the Energy Revolution Challenge have included strong evaluation insights, but the focus has been primarily on process evaluation. Attempts at quantitative impact evaluation have been less successful, partly due to challenges with data.

The opportunity here is to set the benchmark for UKRI in designing in impact evaluation from the outset, including quantitative approaches (e.g. QED) as well as more experimental approaches (e.g. the work of CECAN and others). This is part of the broader RDMAP ethos, where we are looking to embrace new ways of delivering and take risks – in how we do things as well as what investments we make.

The initial focus of the fellowship will be on the Clean Energy Challenge, with scope to work across all five missions with the Evaluation lead in the central RDMAP hub.

Objectives and Activities

The fellow will have an opportunity to shape the evaluation framework for R&D MAP programme. Working beyond process evaluation the fellow will work with range of stakeholders, bringing their knowledge of cutting-edge approaches to an exciting programme of work. Possible activities include:

Programme Evaluation and Evidence Gathering: Design a QED (Quasi-Experimental Design) or TBE (Theory-Based Evaluation) approach to evaluating the programme, or specific components of the programme. Conduct ongoing evaluation of the R&D MAP energy portfolio from the outset, assessing delivery against programme goals, identifying early signs of impact, and determining when projects should continue, pivot, or stop.
Monitoring Policy, Regulatory and Funding Alignment: Track how projects adapt to policy or regulatory changes, assess alignment with other funders and government departments, and ensure investments are complementary rather than duplicative.
Assessing Innovation Performance and Implementation: Evaluate whether funded innovations are progressing toward procurement, commissioning, or real-world implementation, and identify barriers to adoption or scaleup.
Stakeholder Engagement and Cross Programme Coordination: Work with government departments, funders, regulators, delivery partners, and project teams to gather insights, validate findings, and ensure evaluation activities support strategic decision making.
Reporting, Insight Generation and Adaptive Learning: Produce clear evaluation outputs, case studies, recommendations, and learning materials; support adaptive programme management; and help embed a flexible, evidence driven approach across the R&D MAP Programme.

Ways of Working

The fellowship is from beginning of May to the end of July 2026 (with potential for extension) at a flexible part-time basis (0.5-0.8fte). The fellowship will be remote with opportunities to join meetings in-person (mainly London, occasionally Swindon). Fellows will be expected to engage with the cohort including training and development offered by both UCL Public Policy and UKRI. Please get in touch if you are interested but the timing is a barrier to applying.

Eligibility

These secondments are open to UCL staff (researchers, teachers and professional service staff) from UCL grade 7 upwards. Master's and PhD students are not eligible to apply. Applicants must have a UCL employment contract that is equal to or longer than the fellowship’s FTE and duration.

Essential Criteria

Excellent research and analytic skills, with demonstrated experience or transferable skills in translating research findings to other contexts.
Expertise and experience in using research as a means of informing and contributing towards policy development and forming recommendations.
Interest in how government funded innovation programmes operate
Ability to operate effectively, openly and collaboratively within sensitive political contexts.
Ability to demonstrate neutrality and impartiality while navigating competing stakeholder interests.
Excellent communication skills and ability to effectively engage with people from different backgrounds, seniority and sectors: diverse stakeholders: regulators, industry, innovators, and policymakers.
Experience facilitating workshops, interviews, or collaborative research activities across multiple stakeholders.
Ability to work proactively, managing and prioritising your own workload, while managing contingencies between multiple project stakeholders.

Criteria specific to each project:

R&D Mission on Energy flexibility Fellowship

Strong understanding of energy systems, flexibility markets, or electricity market design.
Ability to analyse regulatory frameworks, pricing models, and system-operation challenges.
Experience with data analysis, modelling, or techno-economic assessment (not necessarily at expert level, but comfortable engaging with technical material).
Familiarity with UK energy policy, Ofgem regulation, DNO incentives, or system operator processes.
Ability to interpret policy mechanisms and identify gaps or opportunities for reform.
Experience in innovation, demonstration projects, or market design work.

Programme Evaluation Fellowship

Demonstrable experience in leading Quasi-Experimental Design or TBE Theory-Based Evaluation.
Confidence in assessing early stage and experimental R&D.
Ability to assess contribution and attribution in complex, multi-actor environments.
Experience handling imperfect or emerging datasets.

Funding

The Fellowship is funded by UCL Public Policy (QR PSF). Funding covers directly incurred costs. Indirect costs must be covered by the fellow’s department.

To apply please complete the online application form by 28 April to apply for this opportunity. If you have difficulty in accessing or using this form please contact Alice Tofts, Policy Fellowship Coordinator (alice.tofts@ucl.ac.uk). If you have any questions please take a look at our Frequently Asked Questions page or email Alice Tofts.

To apply, you must:

have obtained written consent from your line manager to do the fellowship and for your duties to be covered or postponed for the duration and FTE of the fellowship. This will need to be uploaded as part of the application as a PDF or word document. 
submit a new standalone budget (not a conventional Worktribe project) from your finance manager to forecast your salary costs (directly incurred) for the fellowship period. For Funder choose ‘Staff Forecast – INTERNAL USE ONLY’. This ensures that all eligible costs will be calculated at 100% (some funders cover only 80%). UCL Public Policy does not cover Estates and Indirect Costs. Overhead costs must be paid for by the fellow’s department.

Please see guidance on preparing a budget and transferring funding.

Top ranked candidates will be invited to an online interview on week commencing 4 May with UCL Public Policy and UKRI.

Please note all information (except name and email address) provided in the application form will be shared with UKRI to assess your suitability for the award. For more information on data sharing please see the UCL Staff Privacy Statement here and UCL statement on tasks in the public interest here. 

Please complete the online application form by 28 April