Senior Researcher - Explorations

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Are you looking for the chance to lead cutting-edge research into new fields and emerging technologies? This is a unique opportunity to join Nesta’s foresight team as a Senior Researcher and be part of opening up the public conversation about the future.

About Nesta

Nesta is a global innovation foundation whose mission is to stimulate and shape new enterprise that will enhance how the world works for everyone. Working in partnership with others, we use our knowledge, networks, funding and skills to find solutions to some of the most difficult challenges we face today. Nesta’s Explorations function brings together our foresight capacity with the more experimental projects we undertake across the organisation. This portfolio of ‘exploratory’ work contributes to R&D for the organisation, helping us to anticipate new challenges and opportunities.

About this role

This role sits within Nesta’s Explorations team (reporting to the Director) but will involve active collaboration with all parts of the organisation- including the events, communications and practical programme teams. The Senior Researcher will apply their expertise in futures and foresight methods (from established approaches such as scenarios through to more experimental methods such as speculative design and science fiction) to explore emerging trends, behaviours and innovations in the priority areas Nesta is focused on - Health, Education, Government Innovation, Arts and Creative Economy and Innovation Policy. Alongside an emphasis on horizon scanning, the researcher will play a key role in devising content for dynamic events (including for Nesta’s flagship event, FutureFest).

The role will involve carrying out high quality research, and producing accurate and accessible papers, alongside developing more creative outputs (such as data visualisations, illustrations, stories or games) to open up Nesta’s work to a wider audience.

To make the role yours:

You must be educated to degree level (a relevant postgraduate degree is desirable) and have an interest in a diverse set of technologies and scientific fields as evidenced by a successful track record of working in policy, research or public engagement.. Experience of applying futures methodologies is also required, and knowledge of the fields of anthropology, ethnography and design would be an asset.

You’ll be up to date with the latest developments in academic literature and popular science publications and familiarity with the fundamentals of quantitative research is important too. You’ll need to be a confident public speaker, ideally with media experience, who has the sophisticated communication skills it takes to engage effectively with expert networks of researchers, innovators, technologists and scientists.

To apply

For further details about this post and to apply, please complete the application form on our website.

The closing date for completed applications is 23:45, Sunday 26 November.

1st Interviews will be held on Monday 4 December.

2nd Interviews will be held Wednesday 13 December.