Research Assistant

Job description

The University

At Durham University we are proud of our people. A globally outstanding centre of educational excellence, a collegiate community of extraordinary people, a unique and historic setting - Durham is a university like no other. We believe that inspiring our people to do outstanding things at Durham enables Durham people to do outstanding things professionally and personally.
Across the University we have a huge variety of roles and career opportunities, which together make us a large and successful community, which is a key hub of activity within our region and nationally. We would be thrilled if you would consider joining our thriving University. Further information about the University can be found here

The Role and Department

The School of Education is one of the very best UK Education departments, with an outstanding reputation for excellence in teaching, research and employability of our students. Ranked first in REF2021 for outputs and research impact, the School of Education is a vibrant community of scholars, with members across the range of career levels, many of who are internationally-acclaimed researchers pursuing innovative and critical research agendas, and future leaders establishing such profiles.

The School of Education has internationally recognised peaks of research excellence in areas related to Evidence-based Evaluation of Effectiveness of Interventions in Education, Large-scale Assessment of Educational Attainment in National and International contexts, Intercultural Education, Higher Education, and Applied Educational Psychology.

The School of Education is committed to research-led and small group teaching. The School of Education is ranked second in The Complete University Guide 2026, first in The Sunday Times Good University Guide 2025 and fourth in the Guardian University Guide 2026.

The Role

A Research Assistant is required to work on a research project funded by the Education Endowment Foundation (EEF) led by Dr Alaidde Berenice Villanueva Aguilera in the School of Education at Durham University.

This project will develop the analysis of evidence of educational interventions currently presented in the Early Years Evidence Storage (EYES) (https://educationendowmentfoundation.org.uk/early-years/evidence-store) and the EEF Teaching and Learning Toolkit (https://educationendowmentfoundation.org.uk/education-evidence/teaching-learning-toolkit) to update and develop the evidence base using systematic reviews and analysis of evidence from meta-analyses as well as single studies of educational interventions and evaluations. The aim is to provide early-year practitioners with an evidence-based resource that allows them to implement effective approaches.

The post is based in the School of Education, part of the Faculty of Social Sciences and Health at Durham University. The role may involve some travel to the EEF headquarters in London or to other UK Universities to support the training and development of others working on the literature classification and analysis. The post is part of a team working towards better educational outcomes for disadvantaged learners and in understanding the evidence for research-based approaches and in the analysis of impact evaluations in education. The role will involve collaboration across the research team with partner organisations and with part-time staff.

The post holder will report to Dr Alaidde Berenice Villanueva Aguilera.

Responsibilities:

• To contribute as needed to the creation, development and completion of the EEF Early Years Evidence Store and the EEF Evidence Database and Learning and Teaching Toolkit.
  
• To identify, analyse and extract data about impact of interventions from appropriate research literature.
  
• To undertake systematic reviews and literature searches using online databases and journal hand searches to support the development of the EEF Early Years Evidence Store.
  
• To undertake meta-analysis (data extraction, analysis and synthesis of quantitative research in Education).
  
• To use appropriate software and databases for efficient and effective individual and team working (e.g. EPPI Reviewer, Endnote, Mendeley, Excel, Comprehensive Meta-Analysis, R and R packages (such as metafor and jsonlite))
  
• To maintain effective records and management of data as a member of the research team.
  
• To understand and convey information which needs careful explanation to the team or group of people through presentations, discussions and meetings which contribute to the production of research reports and publications.
• To write up results of research work, present information on research progress and outcomes to bodies supervising research in a clear and accurate manner.
  
• To deal with problems that may affect the achievement of research objectives and deadlines by discussing with the Principal Investigator or Grant-holder and offering creative or innovative solutions.
  
• To liaise with research colleagues and make internal and external contacts to develop knowledge and understanding to form relationships for future research collaboration.
  
• To contribute to fostering a collegial and respectful working environment which is inclusive and welcoming and where everyone is treated fairly with dignity and respect.
  
• To engage in continuing professional development by attending relevant training and development courses.

This post is fixed term until 28th February 2027. The contract may be extended beyond this date, subject to additional funding.

The post-holder is employed to work on a research project which will be led by another colleague. Whilst this means that the post-holder will not be carrying out independent research in his/her own right, the expectation is that they will contribute to the advancement of the project, through the development of their own research ideas/adaptation and development of research protocols.

Successful applicants will, ideally, be in post by mid-October/November.

Working at Durham

A competitive salary is only one part of the many fantastic benefits you will receive if you join the University:

• You'll receive 27 days annual leave per year in addition to 8 public holidays and 4 customary days per year - a total of 39 days. The University closes between Christmas and New Year.
  
• We offer a generous pension scheme, and as a new member of staff you will be automatically enrolled into the University Superannuation Scheme (USS).
  
• No matter how you travel to work, we have you covered. We have ample parking across campus, a cycle to work scheme which helps you to buy a bike and discount with local bus and train companies. You can also take advantage of our cost-effective and environmentally friendly Tusker Car Benefit Scheme, allowing you to lease a brand-new electric or hybrid vehicle with savings on tax and National Insurance.
  
• We have a genuine commitment to developing our colleagues professionally and personally. There is a comprehensive range of development courses, apprenticeships and access to qualifications and routes to develop your career in the University. All staff have dedicated annual time to concentrate on their personal development opportunities.
  
• We provide wide-ranging health and wellbeing support including discounted membership for our state-of-the-art sport and gym facilities and access to a 24-7 Employee Assistance Programme.
  
• Our on-site nursery is rated Outstanding by Ofsted, and you can access holiday camps for children aged 5-16.
  
• Our family friendly policies, including maternity and adoption leave, are among the most generous in the higher education sector (and likely above and beyond many employers).
  
• We offer all staff the opportunity to take part in volunteering activities to make a difference in the local community.
  
• You can access exclusive discounts via our benefits portal including money off at supermarkets, high street retailers, IT products such as Apple, eating out and days out at various attractions.
  
• Various salary sacrifice schemes are also available to help you take advantage of tax savings on benefits.
  
• If you are moving to Durham, you may be eligible for help with removal costs, and we have a dedicated team who can help you with the practicalities such as house hunting and schools. If you need a visa, we cover most visa costs and offer an interest free loan scheme to pay for dependant visas.
  

Discover more about our total rewards and benefits package here.

Durham University is committed to equality diversity, inclusion and values

Our collective aim is to create an open and inclusive environment where everyone can reach their full potential and we believe our staff should reflect the diversity of the global community in which we work. As a University equality, diversity, and inclusion (EDI) are a key part of the University's Strategy and a central part of everything we do. We also live by our values and our Staff Code of Conduct. At Durham we actively work towards providing an environment where our staff and students can study, work and live in a community which is supportive and inclusive.

We welcome and encourage applications from members of groups who are under-represented in our work force including people with disabilities, women and black, Asian and minority ethnic communities. If you have taken time out of your career, and you feel it relevant, let us know about it in your application. If you are a candidate with a disability, we are committed to ensuring fair treatment throughout the recruitment process. We will make adjustments to support the interview process wherever it is reasonable to do so and, where successful, reasonable adjustments will be made to support people within their role.

Contact Information

Department contact for academic-related enquiries

For informal enquiries please contact Dr Alaidde Berenice Villanueva Aguilera (alaidde.b.villanueva [email protected]). All enquiries will be treated in the strictest confidence.

Contact information for technical difficulties when submitting your application

If you encounter technical difficulties when using the online application form, we prefer you send enquiries by email. Please send your name along with abrief description of the problem you're experiencing [email protected]

Alternatively, you may call 0191 334 6801 from the UK, or +44 191 334 6801 from outside the UK. This number operates during the hours of 09.00 and 17.00 Monday to Friday, UK time. We will normally respond within one working day (Monday to Friday, excluding UK public holidays).

University contact for general queries about the recruitment process

[email protected]

How to Apply

To progress to the assessment stage, candidates must evidence each of the essential criteria required for the role in the person specification below. It will be at the discretion of the recruiting panel as to whether they will also consider any desirable criteria, but we would urge candidates to provide evidence for all criteria.

While some criteria will be considered at the shortlisting stage, other criteria may be considered later in the assessment process, such as questions at interview.

Submitting your application

We prefer to receive applications online. We will update you about your application at various points throughout the selection process, via automated emails from our e-recruitment system. Please check your spam/junk folder periodically to make sure you have not missed any of our updates.

What to Submit

All applicants are asked to submit:

• a CV and covering letter which details your experience, skills and achievements in meeting (or the potential to meet) the criteria set out below.
• Any other additional documents the department feel would support the shortlisting process

We will notify you on the status of your application at various points throughout the selection process, via automated emails from our e-recruitment system. Please check your spam/junk folder periodically to ensure you receive all emails.

Next Steps

Short-listed candidates will be invited to the University, either virtually or in-person and will have the opportunity to meet key members of the team. a { text-decoration: none; color: #464feb;}tr th, tr td { border: 1px solid #e6e6e6;}tr th { background-color: #f5f5f5;}The selection process will include an interview and is expected to take place around 1 October 2026.

In the event that you are unable to attend in person on the date offered, it may not be possible to offer you an interview on an alternative date.

Please note that in submitting your application Durham University will be processing your data. We would ask you to consider the relevant University Privacy Statement Job Applicants/Potential Job Applicants - Durham University which provides information on the collation, storing and use of data.

Durham University is a UKVI sponsor. Applicants who require sponsorship to work in the UK should note that not all roles are eligible. Further information on visa requirements and eligibility can be found on the UKVI website.
Person Specification

Essential Criteria:

• A good first degree in a relevant discipline or equivalent experience.
• A Masters in a relevant area or other relevant equivalent research experience.
• Knowledge of bibliographic software (e.g. Endnote, Mendeley) and software for data analysis (e.g. SPSS, Stata, R)
• Experience of undertaking review of research literature.
• Knowledge of current research and evaluation techniques within the field of education and/or psychology
• Knowledge about research into learning and attainment.
• Sufficient breadth and depth of knowledge in the application of evaluation methodologies and their analysis to develop further skills in this area of educational research.
• Demonstrable ability to produce concise and well-written reports for a range of stakeholders.
• Ability to manage detail accurately and reliably.
• Ability to manage time effectively and work to strict deadlines.
• Demonstrable ability to work cooperatively as part of a team, including participating in research meetings.
• Excellent interpersonal and communication skills.
• Ability to liaise with a range of stakeholders.

Desirable Criteria:

• A PhD (or be close to submission) in a relevant area or other relevant equivalent research experience.
• Experience of conducting high-quality academic research in Education or a related field.
• Experience of undertaking quantitative research analysis and synthesis (e.g. t-tests, ANOVA, meta-analysis, etc.).
• Experience of using R and R Markdown.
• Experience of undertaking systematic literature review.
• Experience in Early Years.
• Ability to use R packages such as metafor and jsonlite
• Ability to contribute to the planning and management of independent research.
• Ability to write up analyses for reports and publications

Version 07-2026