Ref Number
B16-02211
Professional Expertise
Research and Research Support
Department
School of Education (B16)
Location
London
Working Pattern
Part time
Salary
£36,433-£41,833
Contract Type
Fixed-term
Working Type
Hybrid
Available for Secondment
No
Closing Date
01-Sept-2026
About UCL Institute of Education
Founded in 1902, UCL Institute of Education has been shaping policy and helping government, organisations and individuals navigate a changing society for the last 120 years. We embrace collaboration and excellence to create a future that is inclusive and just and have been ranked number one for education every year since 2014 in the QS World University Rankings by Subject.
The Department of Learning and Leadership (DLL) is a large specialist research and teaching department of approximately 110 academic staff. The department is a major world leader in the following subject areas: Early Years and Primary Education, Educational Leadership, Education Policy, and Initial Teacher Education (ITE). We value innovative research, teaching and enterprise in all these areas and combine the very best of research innovation and evidence-based teaching, with a strong commitment to translating our work into policy and practice.
We are seeking to appoint a Research Assistant (1 x 0.6 FTE or 2 x 0.3FTE) to work on the research project ‘The Power of Loose Parts Play (POLLP): Exploring Children’s Experiences with Loose Parts Play to Support Early Learning and Development’. The study is a major funded project that examines:
- Children’s loose parts play with three-dimensional assemblable shapes and figurine collectables in informal outside-of-school settings.
- The role of surprise play with assemblable and figurine collectibles that encourage curiosity, creativity, and imaginative thinking.
- Children’s social interactions with parents, caregivers, and peers during loose parts play and how these interactions influence social relationships.
This post is available until 31 May 2027 in the first instance at 0.5FTE (18.25 hours per week) or equivalent 0.2FTE and 0.3FTE.
The appointment will be made at Grade 6b with a salary range between £39,148 and £42,891 per annum.
For any informal enquiries about the role please contact Professor Lynn Ang [email protected]
You will have a Masters or Doctoral degree (or close to be awarded) in the field of education and social sciences, with focus on early childhood and early years education as well as sufficient breadth or depth of specialist knowledge in the discipline and/or of research methods and techniques related to conducting evidence synthesis and primary research with young children and families.
You will also have experience of qualitative research skills e.g. using observational, interviews, qualitative methods and experience of applying these to answer research questions.
Your application form should address all the person specification points and should clearly demonstrate how your skills and experience meet each of the criteria.
It is important that the criteria are clearly numbered and that you provide a response to each one.
As well as the exciting opportunities this role presents, we also offer some great benefits some of which are below:
- 41 Days holiday: 27 days annual leave 8 bank holiday and 6 closure days (pro rata for part time staff)
- Additional 5 days’ annual leave purchase scheme (pro rata for part time staff)
- Defined benefit career average revalued earnings pension scheme (CARE)
- Cycle to work scheme and season ticket loan
- Immigration loan
- Relocation scheme for certain posts
- On-Site nursery
- On-site gym
- Enhanced maternity, paternity and adoption pay
- Employee assistance programme: Staff Support Service
- Discounted medical insurance
Visit https://www.ucl.ac.uk/work-at-ucl/reward-and-benefits to find out more.
As London’s Global University, we know diversity fosters creativity and innovation, and we want our community to represent the diversity of the world’s talent. We are committed to equality of opportunity, to being fair and inclusive, and to being a place where we all belong.
We therefore particularly encourage applications from candidates who are likely to be underrepresented in UCL’s workforce.
These include people from Black, Asian and ethnic minority backgrounds; disabled people; LGBTQI+ people; and for our Grade 9 and 10 roles, women.
Our faculty holds an Athena SWAN Silver award, in recognition of our commitment to advancing gender equality.
