Research Officer

Do you want to be part of an organisation that produces statistics for the public good?

There has never been a more interesting or important time to work with data and statistics across Government.

Here at the Office for National Statistics (ONS) we have unrivalled access to a breadth and depth of data, that we use daily to provide statistics, analysis and insight for the public and policy makers. The work the ONS has produced during the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic has provided a trusted and unique insight into topics like:

• health
• death
• infection rates
• well-being
• work
• home-schooling
• social distancing
• household finances

It has led to our profile and trust increasing both within Government and externally.

At ONS we are creative about the way we work to produce brilliant and sustainable outcomes. We work together with positivity and trust, investing in building excellent and inclusive working relationships across the organisation.

Benefits of working for the ONS

The ONS can offer you:

• job satisfaction – the work you will be doing really does help the public and make a difference to their daily lives
• exposure to a range of other teams and topics across ONS and outside of the organisation – this will help you get a broader understanding of the great work that goes on across the office
• the opportunity to be responsible for a range of projects and see your team’s work being covered by the media
• the opportunity to use the latest programming software to manipulate and visualise data in an innovative way
• the opportunity to learn from topic experts – this will help you become an expert yourself
• flexible working – you will be able to create an excellent work life balance and have the autonomy to work to your strengths whilst developing additional skills as you build your career

The available roles and their departments

There a several opportunities to help analyse and provide insight as the country recovers from the coronavirus pandemic. We have a range of opportunities available to work on some of the most important public policy issues that the UK will need to address in future years. These roles are based in several different divisions.

Health and Life Events

This division produces world leading mortality and morbidity analysis for the public good. We have been central to the analytical response to the coronavirus pandemic in the UK and our mortality statistics are regarded as amongst the very best by our international counterparts.

Crime Survey for England and Wales (CSEW)

This division examines all aspects of the CSEW. This includes:

• contract management
• data processing
• methodology
• data dissemination
• the publication of outputs and reports

Social Statistics Transformation, Analysis and Research

This division examines the transformation of population and migration statistics systems, alongside wider social statistics. This includes:

• Economic Activity and Income
• Education and Housing
• Education and Qualifications
• Ethnicity, Language and Veterans
• Health and Surveys

Statistical Transformation in Social Surveys

This branch is responsible for transforming the statistical design of the current household survey portfolio.

Social Survey Operations

This division is responsible for some of the largest and most high-profile social surveys in the United Kingdom. They support important social and economic policy and research. Some of the surveys include:

• Labour Force Survey – this survey gathers data about labour market engagement and well-being
• International Passenger Survey – this survey gathers data about passenger traffic across UK borders
• Opinions and Lifestyle Survey – questionnaires about public attitudes
• COVID Isolation Studies – gathering data to produce insights about self-isolation and how it affects people

Methods, Data and Research (MDR)

This division covers several areas of work, including:

• Data Architecture – this involves developing the organisation of data and access to it
• Data Acquisitions and Operations – this involves co-ordinating new data brought into the ONS environment
• Methodology – this involves providing technical methodological support and advice to statistical areas, and developing new methods for working with data
• Best Practice and Impact – this involves improving the best practice developed within MDR and across the Government Statistical Group (GSG), ensuring that data innovation is shared across government

We also have wider divisions including Integrated Data Platform and Economic Statistics with limited Social Research positions.

How to apply

You can find out more about the available roles and apply on the Civil Service Jobs website.