The Vacancy
As a Senior Social Science and Evaluation Consultant in a Hybrid role, you will lead high-impact projects that inform policy and practice across the agricultural and environmental sectors. Working closely with UK Government departments, public agencies and private sector clients, you will apply advanced social science and evaluation methodologies to deliver evidence-based insights. This role combines technical leadership, strategic client engagement, and mentoring of junior colleagues to support environmental stewardship and the development of sustainable agricultural systems. The role is ideal for a dynamic, forward-thinking professional who thrives on intellectual challenge, leadership, and making a measurable difference in society.
Key Responsibilities
1. Technical Leadership and Delivery
2. Strategic Business Development
3. Project and Contract Management
4. People Development & Mentoring
5. Cross-Group Collaboration
Essential Criteria
6. Postgraduate degree (Master’s or PhD) in a relevant social science discipline (e.g., sociology, political science, economics, public policy, psychology).
7. Minimum 5 years of experience in applied social research and evaluation, ideally in a consultancy, academic, or policy environment.
8. Strong expertise in qualitative and/or quantitative research methods, including survey design, statistical analysis, interviews, focus groups, and theory-based evaluation approaches.
9. Proven ability to manage complex projects, budgets, and teams to deliver high-quality outputs on time and within budget.
10. Excellent written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to translate complex findings into actionable insights and easy to read formats.
11. Experience working directly with clients or funders, including government departments, NGOs, or international organisations.
12. Strong understanding of research ethics and commitment to inclusive, participatory, and ethical research practices.
Desirable Criteria
13. Experience working in the land, agriculture, food, energy or environment sectors.
14. Proficiency in data analysis software (e.g., NVivo, R, SPSS, Stata).
15. Publication record in peer-reviewed journals or policy outlets.
16. Strong leadership and mentoring capabilities.
17. Demonstrated success in business development and client engagement.
18. A passion for delivering work that drives social, environmental and economic impact.
Salary and Benefits
19. Competitive salary commensurate with experience
20. Flexible and Hybrid working arrangements
21. Life assurance
22. A flexible benefits programme including the option to buy additional holidays, health cash plan and discounted gym membership
23. We encourage Continuing Professional Development and support Chartership to relevant professional bodies.
24. Volunteer days allowing staff to support local good causes and environmental activities.
RSK Group is an Equal Opportunities Employer
More detailed job description attached.
#SocialScience #Agriculture #EnvironmentalScience
RSK will not accept unsolicited CVs from agencies other than RSK PSL or Secondary agencies