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UCL Public Policy is excited to be announcing a new opportunity to join the Researchers-in-Residence scheme with City Hall/Greater London Authority (GLA).
The Researchers in Residence Scheme is a policy fellowship scheme between UCL, OHID and GLA to strengthen networks and develop researchers’ skills and experience in contributing to policy work. UCL Public Policy, in collaboration with UCL Health of the Public, is offering support for a Researcher in Residence to collaborate with GLA.
This policy fellowship presents a valuable opportunity for a UCL researcher to deepen their insights into a regional governance body and how they work together. It is a great opportunity for a researcher to apply their knowledge and skills in a setting outside academia. Researchers in Residence will develop new contacts and build their networks, strengthen research capacity and capability inside policy organisations to help unlock current policy challenges, and share learnings across the cohort and to UCL. The fellows will be based with GLA, working on the Health Improvement project. The fellow will be expected to work with GLA to co-design elements of the fellowship project, agree outputs and bring learnings back to UCL.
Fellows will be expected to work with their host to co-design elements of the fellowship projects, agree outputs and bring learnings back to UCL.
This fellowship will span from March to 31 July (0.6-1.0 fte), and is funded through Research England's QR Policy Support Fund (QR-PSF).
Deadline for applications: 11th February
Successful candidates will be invited to meet UCL Public Policy and GLA w/c 16th February.
GLA Project
GLA Health Improvement – what regional action can best improve the health of Londoners?
This fellowship builds on post-COVID recovery efforts to explore how regional action can best support the health of Londoners. The successful candidate will lead a project to identify and prioritise areas where coordinated, city-wide initiatives could add meaningful value to public health outcomes.
The work will involve synthesising existing evidence, analysing relevant health and demographic data, and engaging with key partners across the health system, local government, and voluntary sector. Through this process, the fellow will help shape a strategic understanding of where regional interventions can be most impactful.
The outputs from this fellowship will contribute directly to future regional policy and programme development, offering practical recommendations and insights to guide investment and decision-making. This is a valuable opportunity for someone passionate about public health, data-driven policy, and collaborative working to influence the next phase of London’s health improvement agenda.
Supervisor: Vicky Hobart
About you
These secondments are open to UCL staff from grade 7 -9. It is offered on a flexible part-time to full-time basis for five months, from beginning of March until end of July. Funding must be spent before the 31st July. Eligible applicants must have a UCL employment contract that extends beyond the secondment period. Masters and PhD students are not eligible to apply. Please contact the Policy Fellowship Coordinator, Alice Tofts (alice.tofts@ucl.ac.uk) if you are interested in this opportunity but you are not eligible as we are keen to gage interest.
Essential criteria
- Excellent research and analytic skills, with demonstrated experience or transferable skills in designing and carrying out feasibility studies, and translating research findings to other contexts.
- Expertise and experience in using research as a means of informing and contributing towards policy development.
- 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 and sectors, and at different levels of seniority. Particularly important are writing skills and proven communications experience.
- Understanding of the academic policy-engagement environment, and an ability to grasp project priorities quickly.
- Ability to work proactively, managing and prioritising your own workload, while managing contingencies between multiple project stakeholders.
- An interest in understanding the role of GLA, local authorities or allied bodies.
Desirable criteria
- Policy development and implementation experience.
- Previous experience of working with GLA, local authorities or allied bodies.
Ways of working
The fellowship will be mostly hybrid with opportunity to work at GLA’s office. Ways of working will be agreed upon induction. The successful applicant will be willing to embrace and contribute to the fast-paced and evolving work culture at GLA. The fellow will report to their named project supervisor. The fellow will join part of a Researchers in Residence cohort of fellows. The fellow will be expected to engage with the cohort, join mini action learning sessions and training provided by UCL and RiRs for peer-to-peer learning and support.
To apply
Please complete the online application form by 11th February to apply for this opportunity. Please state which project you are applying to as well as your second and third preference. If you have difficulty in accessing or using this form please alice.tofts@ucl.ac.uk. If you have any questions please take a look at our Frequently Asked Questions page.
Complete the application form
We particularly welcome applications from black and minority ethnic, female and disabled/neurodivergent candidates.
In order 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 costing and budget preperation.
Successful candidates will be invited to meet UCL Public Policy and GLA w/c 16th February.
Please note all information (except name and email address) provided in the application form will be shared with OHIDL or GLA 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.
Application Deadline: 11th February.
About OHID
The Office for Health Improvement and Disparities (OHID) officially launched on 1 October 2021 with the aim of tackling health inequalities across the country. As part of the Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC), OHID brings together expert advice, analysis and evidence with policy development and implementation working with the whole of government, the NHS, local government, industry and wider partners to shape and drive health improvement and equalities priorities for government.
OHID London have a key role in developing and maintaining relationships with local authorities, local resilience fora, NHS commissioners and the providers of public health services from the public, third and independent sector to support and influence the delivery of improved outcomes for the public’s health. Integrating the different public health disciplines, providing effective services and support for health protection, health improvement and health care public health with a focus on reducing health inequalities, OHID London provides a single point of access to the full range of OHID’s specialist skills and knowledge. OHID London enables a flexible approach to service and support provision, within a nationally consistent framework.
About GLA
The Greater London Authority (GLA) is the democratically elected strategic authority for London. It comprises two distinct parts, the Mayor of London and the London Assembly. It was established in 2000, following a London wide referendum to approve proposals for an elected London-wide body. The Mayor is the executive of the GLA, and is responsible for its core functions: transport, policing, fire and rescue, planning and housing.
The Mayor established the Greater London Authority Group Public Health Unit because in order reduce health inequalities, we must also tackle the wide-ranging factors that affect a person’s health, including housing, transport, environment, employment and skills, community safety, social cohesion and discrimination, and poverty.
The GLA Group Public Health Unit works across the GLA and four organisations in the wider GLA Group, to ensure that prevention, resilience and tackling health inequalities are part of each organisation’s strategy and planning.
About UCL Public Policy
UCL Public Policy is here to enhance the policy impact of your research work and build connections across local and national government and policymaking to create effective, evidence-informed public policy.
Our work is non-partisan and independent. We aim to inform policy dialogue, development and delivery rather than advocate specific policies. We work in partnership with other policy teams across UCL and can provide advice and support to researchers from any academic background and at any career stage. UCL Public Policy is an initiative of the Office of the Vice-Provost (Research, Innovation & Global Engagement).
About Health of the Public
UCL Health of the Public is a virtual School bringing multiple disciplines together to improve health for all, taking forward ideas presented in the Academy of Medical Sciences report Improving the Health of the Public by 2040. We aim to develop new research communities and collaborations across many fields, including engineering, climate science, the built environment, law and social sciences, alongside population health sciences. This will encourage innovative perspectives in our research and education, and create a new cadre of researchers and students with skills that transcend disciplines. By working together with multiple disciplines, and in collaboration with local communities, local government, the NHS, the third sector, and industry, we hope to have real impact and ensure a healthy future for all.