Research Assurance Officer in Wallingford

Salary - £38,939 - £41,321

Hybrid working (50/50)

Fixed‑Term Appointment - 15 months

Join us as a Research Assurance Officer and play a vital role in safeguarding the integrity, impact and reputation of our science. Sitting at the heart of our Contracts and Compliance team, you’ll take a wide‑angle view across all research activity, helping to ensure that every partnership, funder and project we engage with aligns with our values and meets the highest standards of due diligence.

From the earliest proposal stages through to delivery, your expertise will enable confident, well‑informed decisions that strengthen collaboration, manage risk and support the responsible growth of our research portfolio. Working closely with colleagues across tender support, contracts, Quality & Risk management, SHE, procurement, and project teams, you’ll be a trusted partner, bringing clarity, rigour and thoughtful judgement to complex questions around risks, ethics, sustainability, financial resilience and global risk.

This role will suit someone who is naturally curious and motivated by doing the right thing. You might bring experience from risk management, legal or paralegal work, academia, or project‑based due diligence – what matters most is your interest in reputational and ethical considerations, and your ability to assess where risk may arise. You’ll be comfortable reviewing organisational policies and practices – from modern slavery and whistleblowing to fraud, EEDI and research misconduct – and forming balanced, evidence‑based views. While prior due diligence experience is valuable, we’re equally open to those with the right mindset and transferable skills; we know different organisations approach this work in different ways, and we’ll support you to learn our approach.

Day to day, you’ll carry out a mix of investigative and administrative activities, gathering information, responding to queries and helping shape clear, practical guidance for colleagues and partners. With a good degree of autonomy, you’ll collaborate across the organisation, adapt to emerging issues and know when to seek further insight – ensuring that our decisions are informed, proportionate and aligned with both our values and our ambitions. We’re looking for someone with strong attention to detail, who enjoys digging beneath the surface – researching, questioning and connecting the dots. You’ll be confident identifying potential risks and understanding their wider implications, while taking a pragmatic, solutions‑focused approach to mitigation rather than outright rejection.

In this role you’ll help us shape research that not only delivers impact, but does so responsibly, ethically and for the benefit of people and our planet.

Responsibilities

• Building trusted relationships with colleagues, partners and external organisations – becoming a go‑to source of insight and guidance that helps others navigate complexity with confidence
• Acting as an ambassador for the team, clearly communicating key information through reports, conversations and internal forums to ensure knowledge is shared effectively and decisions are well informed
• Taking ownership of your work, planning and organising your activities to deliver high‑quality outcomes, while contributing positively to wider team priorities and collaboration
• Gathering and interpreting information with care and consistency, using established procedures to provide timely, practical guidance that supports both colleagues and organisational goals
• Tackling day‑to‑day challenges with sound judgement and recognising when more complex or sensitive issues need to be escalated – ensuring risks are managed thoughtfully and proportionately
• Continuously developing your expertise, staying curious and proactive in building your knowledge so you can strengthen both your own impact and that of the team
• Providing reliable, specialist support to a wide range of stakeholders, helping to enable the successful delivery of projects and services
• Acting as a first point of contact for Trusted Research queries, building strong relationships with colleagues, providing clear, trusted advice and practical guidance on Trusted Research requirements
• Assessing new research activity against Trusted Research frameworks
• Coordinating applications and notifications where required, working closely with colleagues
• Keeping up to date with relevant regulations (i.e. Export Control, National Security & Investment Act, Foreign Influence Registration Scheme and others), and maintaining clear, robust records to support assurance and compliance

Qualifications

• A degree‑level qualification or equivalent experience, with a solid foundation in a relevant area of work (i.e. law, economics, business, risk management, statistics)
• Proven experience in a specialist field, with the ability to apply your knowledge effectively in practice
• The ability to translate technical concepts into clear, practical guidance that supports and influences others
• Strong communication skills, with confidence engaging a wide range of internal and external stakeholders
• Sound analytical skills, with the ability to gather and interpret information to inform balanced, evidence‑based decisions
• A naturally inquisitive and investigative mindset, with a genuine enjoyment of researching, questioning and exploring detail
• The confidence to work both independently and collaboratively across teams, using your initiative to get things done
• A proactive approach to continuous learning and development, with a genuine interest in growing your expertise

Preferred Skills

• Demonstrable experience in due diligence and/or funding assurance
• Experience working within Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) or science and research‑focused environments
• A background in accounting, finance, and/or legal or contractual work
• Familiarity with Workday or similar systems

Benefits

• 27 days annual leave (rising to 29 days after 5 years' service) plus 3 days for Christmas closure
• 10% employer pension contribution
• Flexible and hybrid working arrangements (role dependant)
• Peer reward and recognition scheme
• Dental insurance, gym/fitness discounts, retail discount portal
• Enhanced maternity and paternity leave
• 24‑hour, 365‑day support with physical, mental, social, health or financial issues and much more...

Our Commitment to Inclusion

At UKCEH, we are committed to creating an inclusive and equitable workplace where everyone has the opportunity to thrive. We welcome applications from people of all backgrounds, identities, abilities and circumstances. As a Disability Confident employer, we actively encourage applications from neurodivergent candidates and people with disabilities, and we’re happy to provide adjustments or support at any stage of the recruitment process – just let us know. If you’re excited about this role but your experience doesn’t align perfectly with every requirement, we’d love to hear from you anyway. You may be the right fit for this role or another within our wider team.

Please note: Unfortunately, we are unable to offer visa sponsorship for this role and this does not qualify for endorsement to support a Global Talent Visa application. If you are considering pursuing self‑sponsorship, please indicate this in your application so we can take it into account.