The Rural Wales Local Policy and Innovation Partnership (Cymru Wledig LPIP Rural Wales) is offering four opportunities to join the Cymru Wledig LPIP Rural Wales team at either Aberystwyth, Bangor or Cardiff universities on limited-term paid placements to undertake a piece of research or analysis that will support your professional work and/or community activities within the scope of the Cymru Wledig LPIP Rural Wales themes.
What is on offer?
Cymru Wledig LPIP Rural Wales is offering four placements of up to 60 days each, which may be undertaken in one of the following formats:
- Full-time for 3 months (37.5 hours per week)
- Half-time for 6 months (18.75 hours per week)
The placements may start on any date from 1 June 2026 and must be completed by 30 November 2026.
Two placements are available at Aberystwyth University, one at Bangor University, and one at Cardiff University (Cardiff University placement is only available on a full-time basis). It is expected that the Placement Fellow will work on campus with the Cymru Wledig LPIP Rural Wales team for at least one day a week for a full-time placement (or a similar proportion of time for part-time placements), with remote working possible for the rest of the period.
The Placement Fellows will receive a contract of employment with the host university and will be paid the equivalent of a research assistant salary, approximately £32,546 per annum pro rata (or £8,136 for 3 months full-time) (the precise salary may vary between the universities). As it is anticipated that the Placement Fellow will be taking time out from their regular employment, it is up to the Placement Fellow to negotiate with their employer whether this salary may be topped-up from their regular salary and/or whether their foregone salary is used to backfill their usual work.
Who can apply?
The placement opportunities are open to anyone who is:
- Employed by a public body, third sector organisation, business, social enterprise, or community organisation in a role that supports inclusive, sustainable development and/or policy-making or delivery in Rural Wales.
- A volunteer with a charity, third sector organisation or community organisation in a role that supports inclusive, sustainable development and/or community cohesion in Rural Wales.
- Self-employed in a role that supports inclusive, sustainable development and/or community cohesion in Rural Wales.
Applications are especially welcome from individuals from backgrounds that are under-represented in the research and policy communities or whose interests may be under-represented in rural policy discussion, including, though not restricted to, ethnic and religious minorities, people with disabilities, Travellers, members of the LBGTQ+ community, and low-income households. Additional mentoring support will be provided to individuals who are not familiar with the research/university environment to build confidence and ensure effective participation.
What will the placement involve?
The Placement Fellow will work with a member of the Cymru Wledig LPIP Rural Wales team on a research or analysis project addressing a topic that they have proposed. This could take a number of different forms, but indicative examples include:
- Analysing Census data and other statistics to examine geographical variations or trends over time.
- Analysing data collected by Cymru Wledig LPIP Rural Wales, e.g. through surveys or a responsive research project, to explore a specific aspect relevant to the work of your organisation.
- Investigating ‘what works’ in addressing a specific challenge through studying initiatives in Wales, the UK or internationally through online searches and online interviews.
- Examining the effectiveness or legacy of previous policies or development projects through analysis of various data sources.
- Collecting new data through a small-scale survey, focus groups, or interviews to better understand a specific problem.
- Interviewing colleagues in your organisation to review how it works in relation to a specific policy area or challenge and considering how processes can be improved.
- Building on participation in an Innovation Lab to further explore the viability of a proposed ‘solution’.
- Building on participation in a Community-led Action Research project to investigate a topic in more detail or to make comparisons with other communities.
The main condition is that the proposed topic must fall within one of the four Cymru Wledig LPIP Rural Wales themes:
- Building a Regenerative Economy
- Empowering Communities for Cultural Recovery
- Enhancing Wellbeing in Place
- Supporting the Net Zero Transition
By working in collaboration with a member of the Cymru Wledig LPIP Rural Wales team, the Placement Fellow will benefit from their professional expertise, skills and guidance on the research process, but there will also be the opportunity for the Placement Fellow to learn and develop new skills and competencies.
The Placement Fellow will additionally participate in Cymru Wledig LPIP Rural Wales team meetings and Away Days and there will be opportunities to contribute to other Cymru Wledig LPIP Rural Wales projects, activities and events, as appropriate to the Placement Fellow’s interests, skills and availability.
The Placement Fellow will be required to produce a short report on their work which will be made publicly available, however the detailed data, findings and lessons will be available for the Placement Fellow to take back to their organisation and use in its work.
How to Apply
Applications must be submitted on the online application form, by 09:00 on Friday 17 April. Interviews with shortlisted applicants will be held in the week beginning 27 April.
Applications may be submitted in English or Welsh.
The application form asks for outline details of a proposed research or analysis project, including why the topic is important, expected outcomes or impacts, and how you will carry out the project. It also asks how your training, professional experience and/or lived experience have equipped you to undertake the project, and for your personal objectives for the placement (e.g. gaining insights into an issue, learning new skills, increasing understanding of research or data, professional development), as well as your preferred location for the placement and dates.
Applications will be assessed by members of the Cymru Wledig LPIP Rural Wales Executive Group on the following criteria: (1) Significance of the topic and likely impact; (2) Feasibility of the project; (3) Applicant’s capacity to undertake the project; (4) Benefit to the applicant; (5) Fit with Cymru Wledig LPIP Rural Wales remit and themes. Consideration will also be given to the diversity of the Placement Fellows appointed.
Further Information
For further information or any queries please contact Professor Michael Woods, m.woods@aber.ac.uk