Job summary
We are looking for a full-time Research Officer to join our Research and
Intelligence team to contribute to data research across the HFEA, managing
research applications to access large and sensitive datasets for specific
research purposes. The HFEA holds the longest
running national dataset of fertility treatment in the world keeping a record
of every patient, partner, donor, and child born as a result of fertility
treatment since 1991.
The Research Officer works to ensure applications for data meet requirements set out in our legal framework. The post holder will have previous experience working with large datasets and liaising with external audiences.
Main duties of the job
They will support our work to improve engagement with researchers through mailing lists and webinars to promote use of our national fertility register in research.
The post holder
will also contribute to publications such
as our flagship annual publication, Fertility Trends,
working with team members to ensure accuracy and relevance to our audiences. Recent
publications include our National Patient Survey and our Family formations in fertility treatment report.
This is an exciting
opportunity for someone who is a skilled communicator with good analytical
skills and can work effectively as part of a team, and including an ability to
handle sensitive public enquiries relating to the data we hold.
Good time
management skills and the ability to prioritise tasks effectively are key given
the varied nature of this role. You will be educated to degree level or
equivalent and have experience handling complex or sensitive datasets.
Interviews are expected to take place w/c 13th October 2025.
To progress
your application, youll need to provide evidence of your right to work in the
UK. Without valid right to work you wont be eligible for the role.We
are unable to offer sponsorship for this role.
We reserve the right to close this role early should we receive sufficient applications. You are advised to apply when you see the post rather than waiting for the closing date.
About us
The HFEA is
the UK's independent regulator overseeing safe and appropriate practice in
fertility treatment and embryo research. We license and monitor clinics
carrying out IVF, donor insemination, and human embryo research.
This post is
offered as either office based (in which case you will need to attend the
office at least one day per week)or home based (in which case office attendance will be specified by
your line manager based on business need, this could be up to a maximum of 3 days per month). Our office is in Stratford, east
London, in attractive new premises on the edge of the Olympic Park, alongside
several other health Arms Length Bodies. In addition to flexibility and hybrid
working we offer generous annual leave and pension arrangements.
The HFEA is a
member of the Community Race and Work Charter and the Disability Confident
Charter. We are committed to ensuring an inclusive and supportive working
environment that is free from any form of discrimination. We recognise that
there are real benefits of having a diverse community of staff and aim for our
workforce to be truly representative of all sections of society. Additionally,
we adopt a culture that hopes to attract and retain talented individuals that
want to work with us.
In November 2024, the HFEA was awarded People Insight's Outstanding Workplace Award 2024.
Job description
Job responsibilities
The Research Officer supports with managing data
research at the HFEA, including the
work of the Register Research Panel (RRP). The RRP review requests from
researchers to access disclosable protected information from our register for
specific research purposes. The Research Officer is responsible for smooth
running of the panel, including reviewing applications and preparing papers for
the panel. Additionally, they contribute to responding to Freedom of
Information requests (FOIs), data enquiries from patients, the public, media,
and external organisations and parliamentary questions (PQs).
The post holder will be involved in our research
engagement activities to promote applications for access to our data, including
preparing our quarterly data research newsletters and contributing to research-focused webinars. The Research Officer will aid in meetings with data researchers to advise on
applications. They will also contribute, where required, to external official
statistics publications such
as our flagship annual publication, Fertility Trends, working with team members
to quality assure data.
The Research Officer will be a skilled
communicator with good analytical skills and have the ability to work as part
of a team. A key part of this role will be to act as secretary to the Register
Research Panel and to support our growing relationships with researchers to
meet the HFEAs strategic objective to promote research.
Key responsibilities
1.
Liaise with and advise external researchers who are
applying for access to Register data for the purposes of research, ensuring
business is conducted in line with statutory regulations.
2.
Act as committee secretary to the Register Research
Panel, including planning meeting agendas, logistics, drafting and presenting
papers, liaising with the Chair and coordinating its work.
3.
Be responsible for developing and maintaining the
processes for responding to data-related enquiries from patients and external
stakeholders including FOIs and PQs.
4.
Support Research and Intelligence colleagues to
translate and quality assure data extracts from the national register and other
sources into publications and reports for internal and external use.
5.
Manage small-scale intelligence projects and
processes, and project management documents where needed.
6.
Contribute to research engagement activities to
promote data research using the HFEAs national register, including our
quarterly data research newsletter and any webinars/events.
Job description
Job responsibilities
The Research Officer supports with managing data
research at the HFEA, including the
work of the Register Research Panel (RRP). The RRP review requests from
researchers to access disclosable protected information from our register for
specific research purposes. The Research Officer is responsible for smooth
running of the panel, including reviewing applications and preparing papers for
the panel. Additionally, they contribute to responding to Freedom of
Information requests (FOIs), data enquiries from patients, the public, media,
and external organisations and parliamentary questions (PQs).
The post holder will be involved in our research
engagement activities to promote applications for access to our data, including
preparing our quarterly data research newsletters and contributing to research-focused webinars. The Research Officer will aid in meetings with data researchers to advise on
applications. They will also contribute, where required, to external official
statistics publications such
as our flagship annual publication, Fertility Trends, working with team members
to quality assure data.
The Research Officer will be a skilled
communicator with good analytical skills and have the ability to work as part
of a team. A key part of this role will be to act as secretary to the Register
Research Panel and to support our growing relationships with researchers to
meet the HFEAs strategic objective to promote research.
Key responsibilities
1.
Liaise with and advise external researchers who are
applying for access to Register data for the purposes of research, ensuring
business is conducted in line with statutory regulations.
2.
Act as committee secretary to the Register Research
Panel, including planning meeting agendas, logistics, drafting and presenting
papers, liaising with the Chair and coordinating its work.
3.
Be responsible for developing and maintaining the
processes for responding to data-related enquiries from patients and external
stakeholders including FOIs and PQs.
4.
Support Research and Intelligence colleagues to
translate and quality assure data extracts from the national register and other
sources into publications and reports for internal and external use.
5.
Manage small-scale intelligence projects and
processes, and project management documents where needed.
6.
Contribute to research engagement activities to
promote data research using the HFEAs national register, including our
quarterly data research newsletter and any webinars/events.
Person Specification
Qualifications
Essential
- Educated to degree level or equivalent
Desirable
- Qualification in science or health related subject
Knowledge & skills
Essential
- Knowledge of quantitative qualitative research methodologies
- IT skills including a good working knowledge of Microsoft Outlook, Word, Excel and PowerPoint
Desirable
- Understanding of information governance and data protection requirements
Experience
Essential
- Good analytical skills involving large, complex or sensitive datasets
- Ability to draw intelligence from data for internal and external audiences
- Ability to liaise with external audiences including professionals and handling of sensitive enquiries
- Good written and verbal communication skills including an ability to support understanding of complex information to a range of audiences
- Ability to work effectively as part of a team
Desirable
- Experience using Power BI, Tableau or similar
- Experience of working with committees
- Experience of responding to public enquiries FOIs and/or data subject requests
Managing work
Essential
- Able to time manage and use initiative to prioritise workload
- Good organisational skills and record keeping, using appropriate software and systems skilfully
Person Specification
Qualifications
Essential
- Educated to degree level or equivalent
Desirable
- Qualification in science or health related subject
Knowledge & skills
Essential
- Knowledge of quantitative qualitative research methodologies
- IT skills including a good working knowledge of Microsoft Outlook, Word, Excel and PowerPoint
Desirable
- Understanding of information governance and data protection requirements
Experience
Essential
- Good analytical skills involving large, complex or sensitive datasets
- Ability to draw intelligence from data for internal and external audiences
- Ability to liaise with external audiences including professionals and handling of sensitive enquiries
- Good written and verbal communication skills including an ability to support understanding of complex information to a range of audiences
- Ability to work effectively as part of a team
Desirable
- Experience using Power BI, Tableau or similar
- Experience of working with committees
- Experience of responding to public enquiries FOIs and/or data subject requests
Managing work
Essential
- Able to time manage and use initiative to prioritise workload
- Good organisational skills and record keeping, using appropriate software and systems skilfully
