Research and Design Officer

Research and Design Officer

Dartington Service Design Lab is a national charity that harnesses experience, cutting edge evidence and design to tackle the challenges children and young people face today, securing thriving futures for tomorrow. As we move forward with our refreshed strategy, we are looking for a new Research and Design Officer to join our dynamic team.

Role Overview

The Research and Design Officer plays a crucial role in our work at Dartington. They work alongside experienced Leads, Senior Researchers and Designers, to support a varied portfolio of research and design projects. This ‘Officer’ role is sometimes also referred to elsewhere as a research or design ‘associate’, ‘fellow’ or ‘consultant’.

Key Duties and Responsibilities

• Support a varied portfolio of research and design projects.
• Conduct data collection and analysis, covering both qualitative research and design engagements (workshops, interviews, and focus groups with young people, practitioners and system leaders) and quantitative work (surveys, synthesis of secondary and administrative data).
• Synthesise learning and insights into digestible, engaging reports and outputs for a varied mix of clients and partners.
• Bring a strong approach to co-design, facilitation and visual design.
• Ensure work is approached with rigour and integrity, with an intentional focus on anti-racist and equitable principles and preparing materials for ethical review.
• Work across multiple concurrent projects.
• Adopt a highly relational approach, working with diverse clients and partners, flexing approaches as required.
• Effectively context-switch and manage a varied workload and set of priorities.

What We Offer

• Salary: £38,422 p.a. (FTE)
• Leave: 38 days FTE (including bank holidays)
• Pension: Pension Scheme
• Flexibility: Flexible working arrangements
• Budget: Access to co-working budget
• Hours: Full-time or part-time (1 FTE or 0.8 FTE) worked flexibly (28 to 35 hours per week)
• Contract: Permanent contract
• Impact: Be part of a charity reshaping systems for children and young people.
• Growth: Develop skills in innovative social research and design initiatives.
• Team: Join an impact-driven, passionate, curious, and highly skilled team.

Diversity and Inclusion

Dartington Service Design Lab is committed to building a diverse and inclusive workplace. If you’re excited about this role but your experience or qualifications don’t match the job description exactly, we encourage you to apply anyway. You might just be the right person to help us achieve our impact.

Pre-employment Checks

The post is subject to an Enhanced Disclosure and Barring Service certificate and pre-employment checks will be undertaken before any appointment is confirmed.

Key skills/competency

• Qualitative Research
• Quantitative Research
• Data Analysis
• Co-design
• Facilitation
• Visual Design
• Report Writing
• Ethical Review
• Systemic Change
• Youth Engagement