Job Description
Job title: Evaluation Support Officer
Salary: £37,841 – £40,301 (gross per annum depending on experience)
Contract type: Open-ended
Location: RAL Laboratory, Harwell Campus, Oxfordshire, UK (Flexible working available, with at least 3 days a week on-site)
Hours: Full-time or part-time (minimum 0.8 FTE) (We understand the importance of work-life balance, and are happy to discuss the possibility of flexible working with applicants)
Due to the requirement of obtaining an enhanced security clearance for this role, we are only able to accept applications from persons who have been resident in the UK for the last 5 years.
Together, our scientists, technologists, engineers, and business support team explore the unknown and turn what they find into work that changes the world around us. Whether it’s sending probes into space or finding new ways to treat cancer, everyone here plays a vital role in making a positive difference to society.
We have an exciting opportunity to join the Evaluation function in the Programme Delivery Team here at the NQCC. The Evaluation function is responsible for planning and measuring the impact of our activities, supporting accountability and assurance as a publicly funded body. Evaluation feeds into organisational setup, strategy development, data collation frameworks, and qualitative and quantitative reporting. It provides evidence of progress towards organisational objectives and informs future decision-making. In doing this, it draws on a range of internal and external data sources and works collaboratively with all functions across the NQCC. It supports accountability and assurance as a publicly funded body.
You will support the NQCC’s Evaluation function by leading the monitoring of programme activities and ensuring relevant data is collected and organised to inform decision-making. Through effective monitoring and data management, the role enables timely, accurate, and insightful reporting that tracks progress against organisational objectives and supports strategic evaluation.
Your key responsibilities and day-to-day activities:
You will be responsible for monitoring activities with a view to collecting relevant information, maintaining and developing the NQCC Benefits Monitoring & Evaluation (BM&E) database and related datasets to support high-quality reporting and analysis. You’ll work closely with project managers, team members, and partners to ensure timely and accurate data collection, validation, and organisation from both qualitative and quantitative sources.
Your day-to-day will involve:
- Engaging with stakeholders to collect information and ensure data meets monitoring and reporting needs.
- Define and track indicators for project benefits and performance.
- Updating and curating structured datasets to support insights and evaluation.
- Supporting the development of dashboards, reports, and performance indicators.
- Develop and maintain benefit monitoring and reporting tools and processes to ensure that benefits are tracked and reported in a timely and accurate manner.
- Contributing to project documentation, templates, and best practices.
- Identifying opportunities for process improvement and innovation in data management.
- Assisting the Programme Evaluation Manager and wider Programme Delivery team in delivering a robust evaluation function and programme delivery.
The role offers learning and development opportunities; for example, regular feedback from line management and peers, opportunities to undertake relevant training necessary for enhancing the role, opportunities to train, and mentorship across UKRI.
Person specification:
While prior knowledge of quantum or quantum computing is not essential, a willingness to develop a basic understanding is important, as this will support effective engagement with quantum researchers and stakeholders during monitoring and oversight activities.
(The following essential criteria are split into shortlisting (S) and/or interview (I)
- Educated to degree level in a relevant field (e.g., science, engineering, business, management, or related discipline) or equivalent experience. (S)
- Demonstrable ability to generate datasets from a variety of sources of structured and unstructured information. (S+I)
- Strong attention to detail and an ability to capture and maintain both qualitative and quantitative information in a structured way, enabling decision-making. (S+I)
- Proven experience in monitoring and supporting activities and/or projects. (S)
- Understanding of approaches to data analysis to identify insights, trends, and patterns from quantitative as well as qualitative datasets. (S+I)
- Strong organisational skills with the ability to work independently and collaboratively, and to manage multiple tasks and prioritise effectively to meet deadlines. (S+I)
- Excellent communication skills, both verbal and written, with the ability to interact with and influence diverse stakeholders. (S+I)
- Demonstrated enthusiasm and commitment to the NQCC’s mission, vision, and value,s and a desire to contribute to the goals. (S&I)
- Advanced user of Microsoft Excel and Access, or demonstrable ability to upskill independently. (S+I)
- Understanding of quantitative and/or qualitative data evaluation software and/or data visualisation tools (e.g., Python, R, Power BI, Tableau, MS Access). (S+I)
Security clearance:
Due to the nature of the role and a requirement to support diverse projects, the successful candidate is required to successfully complete national pre-employment control checks to the BPSS (Baseline Personnel Security Standard) to fulfil the role. Once in post, you will need to successfully complete a Security Check (SC) clearance.
Join us and discover what’s possible!
Our benefits:
Our Benefits include a flexible working scheme (subject to business requirements), a defined benefit pension scheme, and 30 days annual leave allowance plus 10.5 bank holiday/privilege days, and several other benefits.
About NQCC:
The National Quantum Computing Centre (NQCC) is the UK’s national laboratory dedicated to accelerating the development and adoption of quantum computing.
Headquartered at the Harwell Campus in Oxfordshire, the NQCC works across government, industry, and academia to address the engineering challenges of scaling quantum computers and to build a quantum-ready economy. Its mission is to enable the UK to solve complex societal and industrial challenges by harnessing the transformative potential of quantum computing.
The NQCC is a joint initiative of the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC) and the Science and Technology Facilities Council (STFC). It sits alongside other departments within the STFC National Laboratories and is part of the wider National Quantum Technologies Programme (NQTP).
Join us and discover what’s possible!