Job Summary

We are looking for a full-time Research Officer to join our Research and Intelligence team to contribute to data research across the HFEA, managing research applications to access large and sensitive datasets for specific research purposes. The HFEA holds the longest running national dataset of fertility treatment in the world keeping a record of every patient, partner, donor, and child born as a result of fertility treatment since 1991.

The Research Officer works to ensure applications for data meet requirements set out in our legal framework. The post holder will have previous experience working with large datasets and liaising with external audiences.

Main duties of the job

They will support our work to improve engagement with researchers through mailing lists and webinars to promote use of our national fertility register in research.

The post holder will also contribute to publications such as our flagship annual publication, Fertility Trends, working with team members to ensure accuracy and relevance to our audiences. Recent publications include our National Patient Survey and our Family formations in fertility treatment report.

This is an exciting opportunity for someone who is a skilled communicator with good analytical skills and can work effectively as part of a team, and including an ability to handle sensitive public enquiries relating to the data we hold.

Good time management skills and the ability to prioritise tasks effectively are key given the varied nature of this role. You will be educated to degree level or equivalent and have experience handling complex or sensitive datasets.

Interviews are expected to take place w/c 13th October 2025.

To progress your application, youll need to provide evidence of your right to work in the UK. Without valid right to work you wont be eligible for the role.We are unable to offer sponsorship for this role.

We reserve the right to close this role early should we receive sufficient applications. You are advised to apply when you see the post rather than waiting for the closing date.

About Us

The HFEA is the UK's independent regulator overseeing safe and appropriate practice in fertility treatment and embryo research. We license and monitor clinics carrying out IVF, donor insemination, and human embryo research.

This post is offered as either office based (in which case you will need to attend the office at least one day per week)or home based (in which case office attendance will be specified by your line manager based on business need, this could be up to a maximum of 3 days per month). Our office is in Stratford, east London, in attractive new premises on the edge of the Olympic Park, alongside several other health Arms Length Bodies. In addition to flexibility and hybrid working we offer generous annual leave and pension arrangements.

The HFEA is a member of the Community Race and Work Charter and the Disability Confident Charter. We are committed to ensuring an inclusive and supportive working environment that is free from any form of discrimination. We recognise that there are real benefits of having a diverse community of staff and aim for our workforce to be truly representative of all sections of society. Additionally, we adopt a culture that hopes to attract and retain talented individuals that want to work with us.

In November 2024, the HFEA was awarded People Insight's Outstanding Workplace Award 2024.

Details

Date posted

18 September 2025

Pay scheme

Other

Salary

£34,500 a year

Contract

Permanent

Working pattern

Flexible working

Reference number

G0002-25-0017

Job locations

2nd Floor

2 Redman Place

London

E20 1JQ

Job Description

Job responsibilities

The Research Officer supports with managing data research at the HFEA, including the work of the Register Research Panel (RRP). The RRP review requests from researchers to access disclosable protected information from our register for specific research purposes. The Research Officer is responsible for smooth running of the panel, including reviewing applications and preparing papers for the panel. Additionally, they contribute to responding to Freedom of Information requests (FOIs), data enquiries from patients, the public, media, and external organisations and parliamentary questions (PQs).

The post holder will be involved in our research engagement activities to promote applications for access to our data, including preparing our quarterly data research newsletters and contributing to research-focused webinars. The Research Officer will aid in meetings with data researchers to advise on applications. They will also contribute, where required, to external official statistics publications such as our flagship annual publication, Fertility Trends, working with team members to quality assure data.

The Research Officer will be a skilled communicator with good analytical skills and have the ability to work as part of a team. A key part of this role will be to act as secretary to the Register Research Panel and to support our growing relationships with researchers to meet the HFEAs strategic objective to promote research.

Key responsibilities

Liaise with and advise external researchers who are applying for access to Register data for the purposes of research, ensuring business is conducted in line with statutory regulations.
Act as committee secretary to the Register Research Panel, including planning meeting agendas, logistics, drafting and presenting papers, liaising with the Chair and coordinating its work.
Be responsible for developing and maintaining the processes for responding to data-related enquiries from patients and external stakeholders including FOIs and PQs.
Support Research and Intelligence colleagues to translate and quality assure data extracts from the national register and other sources into publications and reports for internal and external use.
Manage small-scale intelligence projects and processes, and project management documents where needed.
Contribute to research engagement activities to promote data research using the HFEAs national register, including our quarterly data research newsletter and any webinars/events.

Job Description

Job responsibilities

The Research Officer supports with managing data research at the HFEA, including the work of the Register Research Panel (RRP). The RRP review requests from researchers to access disclosable protected information from our register for specific research purposes. The Research Officer is responsible for smooth running of the panel, including reviewing applications and preparing papers for the panel. Additionally, they contribute to responding to Freedom of Information requests (FOIs), data enquiries from patients, the public, media, and external organisations and parliamentary questions (PQs).

The post holder will be involved in our research engagement activities to promote applications for access to our data, including preparing our quarterly data research newsletters and contributing to research-focused webinars. The Research Officer will aid in meetings with data researchers to advise on applications. They will also contribute, where required, to external official statistics publications such as our flagship annual publication, Fertility Trends, working with team members to quality assure data.

The Research Officer will be a skilled communicator with good analytical skills and have the ability to work as part of a team. A key part of this role will be to act as secretary to the Register Research Panel and to support our growing relationships with researchers to meet the HFEAs strategic objective to promote research.

Key responsibilities

Liaise with and advise external researchers who are applying for access to Register data for the purposes of research, ensuring business is conducted in line with statutory regulations.
Act as committee secretary to the Register Research Panel, including planning meeting agendas, logistics, drafting and presenting papers, liaising with the Chair and coordinating its work.
Be responsible for developing and maintaining the processes for responding to data-related enquiries from patients and external stakeholders including FOIs and PQs.
Support Research and Intelligence colleagues to translate and quality assure data extracts from the national register and other sources into publications and reports for internal and external use.
Manage small-scale intelligence projects and processes, and project management documents where needed.
Contribute to research engagement activities to promote data research using the HFEAs national register, including our quarterly data research newsletter and any webinars/events.

Person Specification

Qualifications

Essential

Educated to degree level or equivalent

Desirable

Qualification in science or health related subject

Knowledge & skills

Essential

Knowledge of quantitative qualitative research methodologies
IT skills including a good working knowledge of Microsoft Outlook, Word, Excel and PowerPoint

Desirable

Understanding of information governance and data protection requirements

Experience

Essential

Good analytical skills involving large, complex or sensitive datasets
Ability to draw intelligence from data for internal and external audiences
Ability to liaise with external audiences including professionals and handling of sensitive enquiries
Good written and verbal communication skills including an ability to support understanding of complex information to a range of audiences
Ability to work effectively as part of a team

Desirable

Experience using Power BI, Tableau or similar
Experience of working with committees
Experience of responding to public enquiries FOIs and/or data subject requests

Managing work

Essential

Able to time manage and use initiative to prioritise workload
Good organisational skills and record keeping, using appropriate software and systems skilfully

Person Specification

Essential

Able to time manage and use initiative to prioritise workload
Good organisational skills and record keeping, using appropriate software and systems skilfully

Employer details

Employer name

Human Fertilisation & Embryology Authority

Address

2nd Floor

2 Redman Place

London

E20 1JQ

Employer's website

https://www.hfea.gov.uk/ (Opens in a new tab)

Employer details

Employer name

Human Fertilisation & Embryology Authority

Address

2nd Floor

2 Redman Place

London

E20 1JQ

Employer's website

https://www.hfea.gov.uk/ (Opens in a new tab)

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Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority (HFEA)

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