GSS Sandwich Year Placements 2027 in Newcastle upon Tyne

Job Summary

Are you looking for a 12-month industrial placement as part of your degree? Want to apply your analytical skills to real-world challenges while gaining valuable professional experience? Interested in helping shape decisions that affect millions of people across the UK?

About The Job

Job Summary

Are you looking for a 12-month industrial placement as part of your degree? Want to apply your analytical skills to real-world challenges while gaining valuable professional experience? Interested in helping shape decisions that affect millions of people across the UK?

If so, a placement with the Government Statistical Service (GSS) could be the perfect opportunity.

Join one of the UK's largest analytical communities and spend your placement year working at the heart of government. You'll gain hands‑on experience, develop your technical and professional skills, and contribute to work that informs policy and improves public services.

Depending On Your Placement, You Could Be Helping To

• Improve the UK's transport network and infrastructure
• Protect the natural environment and support sustainable economic growth
• Inform decisions on immigration, crime, policing, public safety, and national security
• Analyze data that shapes government policy and services across a range of important issues

The Government Statistical Service is a professional community of statisticians and analysts working across more than 30 government departments and agencies, as well as the devolved administrations in Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland.

Our analysis helps government, businesses, and the public understand the UK's economy and society. Whether informing major policy decisions or contributing to headline news stories, our work plays a vital role in improving outcomes for citizens.

As a placement student, you'll work alongside experienced analysts, statisticians, and data scientists to tackle complex challenges and provide evidence that supports better decision‑making.

Better Statistics, Better Decisions. By joining the GSS, you'll become part of a community that uses data and evidence to make a meaningful difference while building the foundations for a rewarding future career.

Job Description

As a placement student, you will contribute to high-profile analytical projects that support ministers, senior leaders, and policymakers across government.

Working as part of an established team, you'll apply the techniques you've developed during your studies to real projects, helping to answer important questions and providing evidence that shapes government decisions.

During Your Placement, You May Have The Opportunity To

• Contribute to analytical projects with real-world impact
• Work alongside statisticians, data scientists, economists, social researchers, and policy professionals
• Gain experience across different areas of government, including policy development, frontline service delivery, finance, and long‑term strategy
• Use a range of data analysis and statistical techniques to support decision‑making
• Develop professional skills such as communication, stakeholder management, and project delivery
• Join a network of placement students and early career analysts across the GSS
• Work in an inclusive and supportive environment that values learning, development, and work/life balance

Placements are typically offered for 12 months, although some opportunities may vary slightly in length depending on business needs.

This placement provides an excellent opportunity to put the skills and knowledge gained during your degree into practice in a professional setting.

You will work with experienced analysts, including Data Scientists and Statisticians, to develop your technical expertise and gain a deeper understanding of how data and evidence are used to inform policy and deliver public services.

Throughout The Placement, You Will

• Build practical analytical and data skills
• Develop confidence working in a professional environment
• Strengthen your communication, collaboration, and problem‑solving abilities
• Gain insight into a wide range of career opportunities within government analysis

The GSS is recognised as one of the UK's leading employers for students and graduates, offering a supportive environment where you can learn, develop, and make a meaningful contribution.

Many students choose to continue their careers with us after graduation. Throughout your placement, you'll receive support and guidance to help you explore future opportunities and prepare for related recruitment campaigns.

Many previous placement students have successfully secured permanent roles before completing their studies, providing a valuable head start to their careers.

Candidates who are offered a placement may also be invited to apply for a permanent role as a Statistical Officer in Government. To do this, candidates who are on track to successfully complete their placement will be given a Fast Pass through the application process and invited to undertake the Statistical Officer Assessment. This consists of the GSS online test and if successful, candidates will be offered an interview to assess their suitability for the permanent role via technical and behavioural assessment. Government Statistical Services roles are also advertised to external candidates on Civil Service Jobs.

Person Specification

Essential Criteria

• Experience in collection, manipulation and analysis of data and presenting research results (theoretical or practical understanding of basic statistics).
• IT literate, with experience of working with a variety of software, especially Excel, including experience of or aptitude for statistical software.
• Good communication and interpersonal skills, with the ability to communicate analysis to non‑specialists.
• Ability to work as part of a team to deliver quality statistical advice and analysis, often to tight deadlines.

Qualifications

You must be currently studying in your second year of a highly numerate degree that contains taught statistical content (e.g. mathematics, sciences, economics, statistics, data science, psychology, geography, engineering), expecting to achieve a 2:2 or above and seeking a one‑year placement for your third year before returning to University for your final year.

Please note this vacancy is open to Undergraduates and those studying a combined Masters Degree only. Please do not apply if you are graduating in 2028.

In the qualifications section, please ensure you include the following mandatory details;

• The degree you are studying
• Your current year of study
• Your expected graduation year
• Predicted grade

Failure to provide these details may result in your application being rejected.

Behaviors

• Working Together
• Changing and Improving

Technical Skills

• Presenting and Disseminating Data
• Data Analysis

Benefits

The Government Statistical Service is a community for all civil servants working in the collection, production, and communication of official statistics. Our statisticians work across a range of government departments, agencies, and other public bodies, playing a pivotal role in government decision‑making. We have some benefits that are relevant across all of our departments, and others that are specific to certain departments.

As a government statistician, as well as the benefits offered by the department you are allocated to, you will:

• Have opportunities to maintain your Continuous Professional Development (CPD) through a statistical learning and development programme
• Earn a competitive salary with opportunities for future career progression
• Work in a sector that promotes flexible working and work/life balance
• Have the ability to join a highly competitive pension scheme
• Obtain membership to the Government Statistical Group GSG, a professional community of Statisticians and Data Scientists.
• Be part of a diverse and inclusive GSS family.

Inclusion & Accessibility

In GSS we're always looking to attract the very best people from the widest possible talent pool, and we are proud to be an inclusive, equal opportunities employer.

As part of our application process, you will be prompted to provide details of any reasonable adjustments to our recruitment process that you need.

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