Public Services Research Lead

Salary: Starting from £57,450 per annum (negotiable based on experience).

Employment type: 2-year contract.

Hours: Full time (35 hours). Flexible/reduced hours and secondments considered.

Location: Farringdon, London. Our staff have the option to work from home 2 days per week

Closing: 09:30 GMT, Wednesday 29 October 2025

Job description

The role

As Public Services Research Lead you will support the development (and then lead the delivery) of Ada’s work on public sector use of data and AI, as part of Ada’s mission to ensure data and AI work for people and society.

Your role will seek to answer the question: how should data and AI be used by the public sector in ways that are effective, value for money, and socially legitimate. You will identify conditions which balance the needs of people, communities, frontline professionals and services, identifying where technology could be adopted or curtailed, building evidence of how tools are used on the ground. You will take responsibility for using that insight to influence how the UK uses data and AI in the delivery of public services, where they most impact people and society. Priority areas include sectors where data and AI are making or are likely to make profound changes to frontline practice, such as health and care, education, justice and welfare.

You will undertake primary and secondary research, analysis and synthesis, as well as mobilising and connecting Ada’s existing research to live questions about the use of data and AI in the public sector. For example, you might lead convening and desk research on transparency mechanisms in the public sector, develop recommendations for the use of a public sector chatbots drawing on Ada’s research on AI Assistants or lead primary research with social workers to understand how AI affects relational practice and vulnerable groups, identifying conditions for use. You will undertake longer-term research including with publics, on-the-ground sociotechnical research across public services, as well as rapid policy research on live questions.

You will work with the Associate Director for Social and Economic Policy to develop, define and refine Ada’s policy and practice recommendations on the use of public service data/AI and achieve impact. This role will be responsible for developing effective relationships with relevant stakeholders in policy, politics and public services, as well as within Ada and across the Nuffield Foundation and sister organisations. This role will both support senior leadership interventions in policy and media, as well as acting as spokesperson on these issues.

About you

You may have a background working in the public sector on data, AI or digital transformation, or conducting research on data/AI questions with a deep interest in public services and the role of the state.

You are a strong researcher and writer, able to balance the need for robust research with rapidly evolving questions about the adoption of AI. You feel comfortable presenting research findings for different audiences.

You know your way around the UK public sector, have been following key debates on public sector data/AI (eg on health reform, the national data library or the AI Exemplars programme) with interest.

You are curious and passionate about the issues which arise at the intersection of technology and society, and committed to bring multidisciplinary, sociotechnical and public evidence to bear on policy making.

You’re excited about the opportunity to work with some autonomy in a fast-paced and fast-growing organisation, taking a lead role to have tangible influence on the way in which data and AI are used within public services.

You take responsibility for your own work, but enjoying collaboration and welcome diverse perspectives and expertise to strengthen Ada’s work.

You feel confident managing people and projects and taking responsibility for strategic delivery.

For further information about the role, please download the full job description (PDF).

Further information and how to apply

Applications are submitted on the Applied platform.

The closing date for applications is 09:30AM (BST) on Wednesday 29th October 2025, with a first stage of interviews anticipated to take place the 13th November 2025.

If you have any questions about the role ahead of applying (or need to make an application in a different format), please email recruitment@nuffieldfoundation.org and a member of the Nuffield Foundation’s HR team will respond to you.

We use the Applied platform to reduce potential cognitive biases in our hiring process.  You will be required to complete some questions as part of this application process, and you are also required to upload an up-to-date copy of your CV. The Applied platform lets you save an application and resume it ahead of submitting before the application deadline.

The Nuffield Foundation and its Centres think deeply about the role of emerging technology in society. All recruitment decisions are made by a person (we do not use AI tools to rate or reject applicants). We ask applicants to respond to the questions using their own experience, thinking and opinion, writing in their own tone of voice rather than using generative AI tools such as ChatGPT. The use of generative AI can result in generic responses to individual questions which stand out less to reviewers.

Please note that for vacancies which receive a high volume of applications, we may undertake an initial screening of CVs.

We are committed to inclusive working practices and during the application process we will:

• As a Disability Confident employer, we will offer an interview to a fair and proportionate number of disabled applicants that meet the essential criteria for the job.

• Make any reasonable adjustments – for example providing documents in different formats, arranging for a sign language interpreter for interviews etc.

• Reimburse reasonable travel costs for interviews where in-person attendance is required.

Our benefits package includes:   

• Genuine flexibility – we are open to requests for part-time hours, compressed working weeks, or job shares.

•  28 days holiday per annum and all public holidays (with the option to buy or sell up to 5 days).

• A salary exchange pension scheme that offers employer contributions of up to 11%.

• Life assurance scheme.

• Family leave policies that provide an enhanced level of pay.

• Cycle to work scheme and loans towards season tickets.

• Regular opportunities for learning and development – including coaching, mentoring, and dedicated reading weeks to recharge and reflect.

• Support with your physical, mental and financial wellbeing including an employee assistance provider, a private GP service, personal health reviews with Bupa, a will and funeral planning service and a staff network of trained Mental Health First Aiders.

• A warm and welcoming workplace culture, with active peer groups and social networks to help you connect and belong.