Senior Research Analyst - Education, Employment and Skills

RAND is a not-for-profit research institute with over 30 years of experience in conducting policy research for governments, international organisations, research councils, charitable foundations, and other organisations. We believe that good research helps shape sound answers to pressing societal challenges, ultimately making communities safer and more secure, healthier and more prosperous in the future. RAND Europe has approximately 195 staff across offices in Cambridge, Brussels, and the Netherlands.

The Education, Employment, and Skills research group undertakes research across several public policy areas for a diverse client base in the UK, Europe and beyond.

Our work covers a broad range of public policy issues across:

• Education (including early childhood education and care, special educational needs, alternative provision, and edtech).

·         Employment and Skills (including skills, employability, labour migration, child and family policy).

• Workplace Wellbeing (including productivity, culture, and occupational health and safety).
• Social inclusion and equalities (including violence prevention, intersectional inequalities).

We are looking to recruit a Senior Research Analyst to join the Brussels team, focusing on our work with EU institutions and agencies and other international organisations.

The successful applicant will have experience of conducting research for EU institutions and agencies, ideally focusing on one of more of the policy areas outlined above (e.g., the European Commission (DG EMPL, DG EAC), the European Parliament, EU-OSHA, Eurofound, EIGE, FRA, CEDEFOP). Knowledge of the European Commission’s better regulation guidelines and experience working on EU evaluations and/or impact assessments is essential.

You will thrive on teamwork and collaboration with colleagues and research funders, play a key role in designing and implementing research projects, and take an active role in project management. Demonstrable experience of working on multiple projects in parallel and communicating with decision-makers in government, industry, academia, and wider policy communities is highly desirable.

The role is based in our Brussels office and requires weekly office attendance for team meetings and other in-person events such as training. However, we work flexibly as an organisation. Travel to some meetings in Cambridge and some out-of-office client meetings is also required.

Key Responsibilities

• Contributes to research design, selection of appropriate analytical approaches, undertaking data collection and reporting findings
• Undertakes analysis using quantitative and/or qualitative research methods, with minimal supervision.
• Manages projects with minimal supervision to deliver high quality work within available time and resources.
• Identifies business development opportunities in the EU/European market and acts on them with senior support.
• Maintains and widens RAND Europe’s external profile.
• Provides methodological support to junior researchers in the team.
• Supports strategic corporate initiatives.
• Ad hoc duties as required.

Requirements

Knowledge and experience of the EU/European market – essential

• Experience of working with key clients (the European Commission (DG EMPL, DG EAC), the European Parliament, EU-OSHA, Eurofound, EIGE, FRA, CEDEFOP).
• Knowledge of the European Commission’s better regular guidelines.
• Experience working on EU evaluations and/or impact assessments.

Management – essential

• Experience managing research projects in professional services or public sector domains.
• Track record of undertaking research for policy and/or practitioner audiences.

Commercial awareness – essential

• Experience proposing robust methodological approaches that secure research funding in competitive environments.
• Experience of effectively managing small to medium-sized project budgets.

Personal skills and experience – essential

• Excellent problem-solving skills.
• Ability to multi-task and prioritise work.
• Ability to work flexibly and to deadlines.
• Ability to effectively process large amounts of information, translate and presenting complex research findings to policy, practice and lay audiences.

Fluency in English – essential

• Fluency in other EU languages is desirable

IT skills – essential

• Intermediate Word, Excel and PowerPoint.

Qualifications

• PhD in a relevant field (e.g., economics, social policy, sociology) is highly desirable. Candidates without a PhD should bring equivalent experience in terms of applied research and/or public policy consultancy.
• Professional experience - essential.

Salary

Starting from €46,500 gross per annum

Benefits

Full-time members of the team enjoy a competitive salary and additionally benefit from the following:

• Pension - 7% employer contribution on top of statutory contributions;
• 20 days Annual Leave and 12 days Recuperation leave
• Insurance cover for Hospitalisation costs;
• Full pay sickness for absence up to 1 month;
• Income protection of 75% salary after 6 months of absence;
• Meal vouchers;
• Eco vouchers;
• Travel to work allowance;
• Daily allowance for working away;
• Group Life Assurance;
• Flexible working hours;
• Learning and development opportunities;
• Employee wellbeing training;
• Service awards.

How to Apply

If you believe you are suited to the above role, please submit an application comprising of a CV and covering letter below, the closing date for applications is 21st September 2025.

If you have not been contacted within 30 days of application deadline, please assume your application has not been successful.