The National Institute of Education invites suitable applications for the position of Research Fellow on an 8-month contract at the Centre for Research in Child Development.

Project Introduction:

The Centre for Research in Child Development (CRCD) is a leading research centre dedicated to advancing understanding of child development and early education. CRCD conducts multi-project research to generate high-quality evidence that informs policy, practice, and innovation in the early childhood sector.

We are seeking a Research Fellow to support CRCD’s research initiatives by contributing to the secondary analysis of existing research datasets to address viable research questions on classroom quality. This role also involves assisting in the preparation of research funding proposals and facilitating the effective start-up of related research project teams. The position offers an excellent opportunity to work with rich datasets and contribute to impactful research in a collaborative and dynamic environment.

Requirements

• PhD in Education, Psychology, Child Development, Statistics, or a related field.
• Strong experience in quantitative data analysis, preferably in secondary data analysis of large-scale datasets and the use of advanced statistical techniques (e.g., multilevel or longitudinal modelling).
• Expertise in classroom observation video coding will be highly advantageous.
• Familiarity with classroom quality frameworks or early childhood education research is essential.
• Experience contributing to competitive research grant projects, especially projects incorporating longitudinal designs or classroom observation, is desirable.
• Strong analytical, critical thinking, and problem-solving skills, with excellent academic writing ability.
• Excellent organisational and project management skills, with the ability to manage multiple tasks and collaborate effectively with diverse stakeholders.

Responsibilities

• Conduct horizon scanning on emerging developments (e.g., AI in education, new early childhood risks, and international trends) and synthesise their implications for CRCD’s research directions, partnerships, and funding opportunities.
• Conduct exploratory and longitudinal analyses of existing datasets to uncover viable research questions and examine patterns, variability, and relationships between classroom quality and child development outcomes.
• Collaborate with relevant researchers and stakeholders to draft high-quality research funding proposals - integrating literature reviews, methodology sections, and other supporting materials - leading to submission.
• Support the planning and set-up of new research project teams, including facilitating early-stage project activities and onboarding of team members. 
• Explore, pilot, and document technology-enabled research processes (e.g., AI-assisted literature scanning and synthesis tools), and support Centre Management in developing improved workflows to enhance CRCD’s research efficiency.
• Any other research-related responsibilities assigned by Centre Management.  

Application

Applicants (external and internal) will apply via Workday. We regret that only shortlisted candidates will be notified.

Closing Date

Closing date for advertisements will be set to 14 calendar days from date of posting.

Hiring Institution: NIE