CLS seeking a senior Impact Fellow to maximise the impact of the British cohort studies

News

10 April 2012

CLS is seeking an Impact Fellow to maximise the impact of the British birth cohort studies. This post is funded by the Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC).

Findings from the 1958 National Child Development Study, the 1970 British Birth Cohort Study and the Millennium Cohort Study have contributed to debates and enquiries in a number of policy areas over the last half-century including: education and equality of opportunity; poverty and social exclusion; gender differences in pay and employment; social class differences in health; changing family structures; and anti-social behaviour. The Impact Fellow will be responsible for strengthening the connections between the academic team and potential users of these resources (in particular government departments, including those in the devolved administrations).

The Impact Fellow will be expected to lead a variety of activities, including:

engaging with high level government policy advisers to identify the factors which influence the decision and policymaking process, and establishing channels of communication between those working in government and key representatives from CLS
reviewing existing research and highlight findings that are of most relevance to policymakers
conducting a mapping and assessment of opinion-forming think tanks and lobby groups most likely to act as helpful intermediaries between researchers using the cohort studies data and policymakers and establish links with those who are most likely to increase the impact of the studies
it is envisaged that the post will be a senior appointment, two year part-time or one year full-time, potentially as a secondment opportunity. Applications are welcome from within government or from the wider user community, including business and civil society, as well as from the academic community. The post could be filled either through a single or collaborative appointment.