Research and Evaluation Fellow

Please apply online via the link provided. Please note, we do not accept CVs submitted without a fully completed online application form.

At Barnsley Council you can start a career that makes a real difference to people’s lives, helping our council and residents to be the best they can be.

We’re an award-winning council and one of the biggest employers in the borough, supporting around 243,000 people. We put people at the heart of everything we do, and that includes our employees. As part of the team, we offer lots of benefits and rewards to support you to thrive and grow, like flexible working, employee discounts, support for your health and wellbeing, and opportunities for training and development to grow your career and develop your skills.

There’s so much happening in our thriving borough, and now’s the perfect time to join our excellent Health Improvement team as we work to make Barnsley the place of possibilities.

• We’re an award-winning team and one of the biggest employers in the borough supporting around 243,000 people.
• Working at Barnsley Council means being part of a team that makes a real difference to people’s lives, where you can develop the skills you need to make change happen.
• If you join the team you’ll receive great pay alongside an excellent pension scheme. With flexible working we’ll also support your work/life balance, helping you to adjust your hours and take time off when you need it.
• We’ll help you to develop your career and grow your skills with opportunities for training and development.
• There’s so much happening in our thriving borough and your talent and skills will help us make Barnsley the place of possibilities.
• Key to our success is working with our residents, partners, businesses and organisations and building these partnerships to bring about change in Barnsley.

About the Post:

Reports to: Head of Public Health

Are you an early-career researcher passionate about research in the real world and eager to make a tangible impact in the community? Barnsley Council is looking for a dynamic and motivated mixed methods researcher to join our innovative research and evaluation team. This is your chance to be at the forefront of applied research at a local level that shapes practice, service provision, and policy.

You will be evaluating multi-million pound delivery programmes that Barnsley Council is pioneering over the next two years, including -

• Barnsley Council’s “Edge of Care” pilot which provides intensive, tailored support for families at risk of children entering care, addressing challenges such as family breakdown, behavioural issues, and domestic or substance abuse.

• The Great Childhoods Ambition programme which aims to give children and young people the best start in life in Barnsley, helping them feel supported and connected.

• One major project within this programme is the Barnsley MiCard scheme, offering free bus travel for under-18s from August 2025, for two years, enabling young residents to access opportunities and services across South Yorkshire with greater ease.

Our award-winning council places local residents at the core of all our initiatives. We strive to listen to our communities and make evidence-based decisions that benefit them. You will help us to continue to do this in evaluating these programmes.

Barnsley is the place of possibilities, evident through the emergence of new businesses and jobs, the vibrant town centre, enhanced school results, and unprecedented recognition as Council of the Year in 2023 from both the LGC and the MJ awards. That recognition continued in 2024 with our public health team winning in the public health category at the LGC awards.

You will be an applied researcher, with experience of relevant evaluation methodologies such as process evaluation, theory of change and logic models. You will be comfortable with both quantitative and qualitative data and integrating these into findings. You will be flexible and adaptable in your approach and a good team player.

You will collaborate with experienced colleagues, academic and other partner organisations, gaining invaluable experience and skills that will propel your career forward. You will work on high profile programmes that have regional and national interest, giving you an enhanced profile and recognition as a researcher. We are committed to supporting your professional growth through many development opportunities. Our team is growing, and we want you to grow with us.

If you are self-motivated, highly organised, and eager to contribute to applied research, we encourage you to apply. Join us in making a positive impact on the health and well-being of our community.

We’d welcome the opportunity to discuss the post further with you. If you have any questions, please contact emmarobinson3@barnsley.gov.uk and ianwalker2@barnsley.gov.uk

This role is 0.6 wte (22.2 hours per week) with a fixed term contract end date of 30th September 2027. Flexible working arrangements are possible, but as a minimum you will be expected to work some of each week in the office in Barnsley (Westgate Plaza, Westgate, Barnsley S70 2DR). Interviews will be held the week of the 15th September 2025.