At a Glance
- Tasks: Conduct innovative research on the sustainability of the care home market across England.
- Company: Join the School of Economics at the University of Sheffield, a leader in interdisciplinary research.
- Benefits: Competitive salary, flexible work arrangements, and opportunities for professional development.
- Other info: Engage with diverse stakeholders and contribute to meaningful public engagement activities.
- Why this job: Make a real impact on social care through data-driven insights and collaboration.
- Qualifications: PhD in relevant field and expertise in advanced quantitative methods required.
The predicted salary is between 38784 - 41064 £ per year.
We are excited to offer this opportunity for a Research Associate to join us in the School of Economics at the University of Sheffield. We are seeking a talented researcher with a strong background in quantitative analysis to contribute to an innovative project examining the sustainability of the care home market across England. This research is funded by the National Institute of Health and Care Research (NIHR) and has an interdisciplinary research team across the Universities of Sheffield and Birmingham.
The project will provide the first ever picture of the evolution of the English care home market, identifying patterns of openings, closures, ownership changes, and service reconfigurations. It will also develop predictive indicators of unmet need and market risk, and produce a range of accessible resources (dashboards, short reports) for commissioners, providers and policymakers to inform evidence based practice.
The successful candidate will contribute to the project's quantitative analysis, mapping and modelling the relationship between care home characteristics and local market contexts using a novel national dataset. The project will run for 18 months, beginning on 1 October 2026.
Main duties and responsibilities:- Work on a day to day basis with the Principal Investigator Dr Lucy Ward.
- Undertake literature reviews relevant to the project scope.
- Construct the relevant care home and market datasets for the project from a variety of secondary sources, including the Care Quality Commission (CQC), Social Care Collection, and Census data.
- Assist in the quantitative modelling of the link between local market contexts and home stability, and assist in the development of risk indicator tools.
- Collaborate with the project team to design and develop interactive dashboards and mapping tools using Microsoft Power BI.
- Contribute to the creation of insight reports, policy briefs, and academic publications, ensuring findings are communicated effectively to both technical and non-technical audiences.
- Contribute to impact and public engagement activities, including stakeholders and the public.
- Support the organisation of relevant workshops, seminars and other events.
- Manage own time and ensure agreed project milestones/deliverables are met.
- Carry out other duties, commensurate with the grade and remit of the post.
- PhD in Economics, Statistics, Social Policy, Sociology or a related discipline, with significant evidence of training and application of advanced quantitative methods - Essential
- Significant experience in using advanced quantitative methods, including multilevel and panel modelling techniques to analyse panel surveys and administrative data - Essential
- Expertise in using large complex datasets, data linkage and data cleaning - Essential
- Coding experience using relevant statistical package(s), e.g. Stata, R, Python - Essential
- Experience in data visualisation (e.g. spatial analysis, data mapping, and the development of dashboards or interactive visualisation tools) to support data exploration, interpretation and decision making - Essential
- Proven ability to work effectively as part of a multi-disciplinary team - Essential
- Demonstrable interest in understanding and researching social care - Desirable
- Commitment to engaging with non-academic partners and to research impact - Essential
- Commitment to co-production and involving users in research - Essential
- Excellent communication skills, written and verbal, including report writing and delivering presentations - Essential
- Ability to design and report innovative research effectively in multiple forms (e.g. reports, journal articles, policy briefs, collaborative outputs) - Essential
- Ability to work independently, seeking guidance where appropriate, and to adapt own skills to new circumstances - Essential
- Grade: 7
- Salary: £38,784 - £41,064
- Work arrangement: 0.6 FTE
- Duration: 1 October 2026 - 31 March 2028
- Line manager: Dr Lucy Ward
We are a Disability Confident Leader. If you have a disability and meet the essential criteria for this job you will be invited to take part in the next stage of the selection process.
Contact:For informal enquiries about this job contact Lucy Ward at .
Closing Date:08/07/2026
Research Associate - sustainability of the care home market across England in Sheffield employer: Diversity Dashboard
The University of Sheffield offers a dynamic and inclusive work environment, where the School of Economics fosters collaboration and innovation in research. As a Research Associate, you will have the opportunity to engage with interdisciplinary teams and contribute to impactful projects that shape the future of social care in England. With a commitment to employee growth and development, the university provides access to resources and training that empower you to excel in your career while making a meaningful difference in society.
