Job description
Salary: £40,777 - £45,091
Location: The Council House
Hours: 37 Hours per week
Contract Type: Fixed Term for 2 years
Closing Date: 07 May 2026
If you are passionate about research and have the knowledge and skills to build research capacity and capability by working in partnership, you are the kind of person we are looking for to become our Local Authority Research Practitioner.
Derby Public Health Department is a forward-looking team with ambitions to improve the health and wellbeing of our city’s population and reduce health inequalities through working collaboratively with local people, communities and partners. Developing our use of, and participation in, research is key to this.
This is an exciting opportunity for a Local Authority Research Practitioner to support Derby City Council on its research journey and champion research and evidence-led decision-making and to support the Council in becoming increasingly research-active.
Who We Are
Here at Derby City Council, we’re dedicated to delivering nearly 250 first-class services to citizens and businesses in the heart of the Midlands. People are at the centre of all that we do, and we have an outstanding track record of recruiting and developing talented individuals by providing them with varied and fulfilling career opportunities. Find out more about what it’s like to work for us.
What We Offer
You too could be part of something brilliant by becoming a colleague at Derby City Council; in addition to making a difference to the lives of people across the city, you’ll also receive:
• Flexible work/life balance scheme (depending on your role)
• Hybrid working (depending on your role)
• Modern office environment (depending on your job location)
• Continued professional development opportunities & career conversations
• 27 days annual leave (rising to 32 days after 5 years' service), plus bank holidays (depending on contract)
• Local Government Pension Scheme (depending on contract)
• Team Derby Rewards – retail and leisure discounts
• Tusker Car Benefit Scheme
• Cycle2Work Scheme & free cycle training
• Employee Assistance Programme, Wellbeing Calendar and Support
• Access to our Equality Employee Networks – LGBTQ+, Disabled Employee Network & Carers and our Black, Asian & Minority Ethnic Employee Support Network and Neurodiversity Network
• Support for colleagues who are carers
The Opportunity
In the role of Local Authority Research Practitioner, here’s an example of what you’ll be doing to make an impact:
You will be supporting the Public Health Department and wider Council to improve and protect the health and wellbeing of the population of Derby and reduce health inequalities by developing our research capability and infrastructure by:
• Understanding current research practice, partnerships, public involvement, and staff capacity and experience across the Council.
• Identifying barriers to participation in, and utilisation of, research and identify opportunities to improve this.
• Working to embed a research and evidence-based culture across the Council, ensuring alignment with organisational priorities.
• Co-producing, embedding and implementing a Research Strategy for the Council.
• Advocate and promote how the Council can utilise evidence, through review and synthesis, and communicate this in an understandable way to decision makers.
• Actively engage and participate in local, regional and national research forums and networks.
The Local Authority Research Practitioner role is part funded by the NIHR RSS Specialist Centre for Public Health, and the postholder will be expected to actively promote, support and contribute to the activity of the NHR RSS Specialist Centre for Public Health, alongside their work within the Council.
About You
To be successful in this role, you’ll ideally have...
• Degree in a relevant subject or demonstrable equivalent qualifications or experience
• Excellent experience of research techniques and procedures, acquired through working in a research environment, research role or demonstrable similar role or experience.
• Knowledge of the core disciplines of research methods and statistics, their relative strengths and weaknesses and understanding their appropriate use.
• Experience of working with external stakeholders across the health sector, Local Government and the VCFSE sector.
• Knowledge of the local, regional and national infrastructure and networks in relation to public health, health and social care research.
• Experience of communicating with a wide range of audiences at all levels including individuals, communities and presenting reports to key decision makers
• Good report writing and presentation skills.
PLEASE NOTE: the successful candidate MUST be able to start the role by 30th June 2026.
Whilst the post is advertised as full-time, consideration may be given to part-time working for the right candidate.
Next Steps
If you would like to apply for this vacancy via an