Senior Researcher - Early Years Social and Emotional Assessment
Overview
Nurtureuk is a charity focused on embedding nurture into education and eliminating barriers to learning. The organization seeks a senior researcher to contribute to a major innovation project involving the creation of a new digital assessment tool designed for primary schools in the United Kingdom. This position operates on a fixed-term contract lasting up to nine months and involves working remotely while requiring travel to schools.
Who can apply
Candidates must hold a master’s degree or equivalent, or a PhD or professional doctorate, in developmental, educational, or child psychology, education, or a related field. Applicants need proven experience in relevant areas of work, including practical research tied to child development that is grounded in both theory and practice. Qualified individuals should possess experience in developing or validating questionnaires, rating scales, and other age-related assessments, alongside skills in quantitative analysis using statistical software. Candidates are also expected to have knowledge or experience using psychometrics or assessment instruments for social and emotional development, familiarity with the Boxall Profile, and experience collaborating with UK schools and early years practitioners.
What you get
The position offers a salary between £60,000 and £65,000 per annum. Additional benefits include fully remote and flexible working arrangements, a £500 learning budget, free access to LinkedIn Learning, and a holiday allowance starting at 25 days of paid time off plus free days off for birthdays and the Christmas period.
Requirements
The role requires reviewing existing measures of young children's social and emotional development, researching and synthesizing findings on early years exemplification materials, and collaborating with partner and lead schools to build a practical assessment tool. Responsibilities include designing a research and test plan, securing ethical approval, managing children's data safely in alignment with safeguarding and data protection rules, gathering evidence of reliability and validity, and establishing age-related norms. Furthermore, the researcher must test the tool and exemplification materials with partner schools, revise the design iteratively based on feedback, and write up technical descriptions and validation data into formats accessible to practitioners.
How to apply
Applicants must submit their application via email to luke@nurtureuk.org.
Key dates
The closing date for applications is Thursday 12th November 2026 at 5pm. The organization may appoint a candidate as soon as a suitable person is found.