Senior Researcher (Freelance Contract)

Contract: Freelance/Self Employed , minimum 6-month commitment

Hours: Flexible, equivalent to 22.5–37.5 hours per week

Location: Home-based, with occasional UK travel

Day rate: Aligned to the pro-rata equivalent of an annual salary.

Are you an experienced social researcher who can confidently lead full research programmes from design through to delivery and turn insight into meaningful impact? We’re looking for a skilled freelancer to take on a key Senior Researcher role, driving vital behavioural research for a national campaign addressing one of the UK’s most persistent environmental challenges.

The Role

As a freelance Senior Researcher, you will lead the delivery of a high-profile, public-facing programme aimed at reducing litter across the UK. Working closely with the Research & Intervention Lead, you’ll design, manage and deliver a range of social and behavioural research projects and trials that support real-world change.

You will be responsible for:

• Designing and managing primary and secondary research projects
• Applying qualitative and quantitative methods to analyse data and measure impact
• Overseeing timelines, budgets and key stakeholder relationships
• Producing clear, compelling reports, presentations and case studies
• Ensuring evaluation rigour, statistical reliability and ethical standards
• Supporting creative campaign development and sharing insights across teams

About You

You’ll be a confident, experienced freelance researcher who can manage multiple projects independently while delivering high-quality work. You will bring:

• At least three years’ experience leading end-to-end social research or behaviour change projects
• Experience working within the not-for-profit sector (Essential)
• Strong project management and organisational skills
• Proven ability to deliver both quantitative and qualitative research
• Excellent analytical and report-writing skills with strong attention to detail
• Experience using Excel, SPSS or similar tools for statistical analysis
• Strong communication and presentation skills, translating data into actionable insights
• A proactive, flexible, collaborative approach and a genuine interest in social and environmental change

A good understanding of behavioural science and its practical application is an advantage.

Why Work With Us

You’ll be joining a passionate team dedicated to achieving lasting behavioural change for a cleaner environment. This freelance role offers the opportunity to lead a nationally significant research programme and see your work contribute to real-world impact.

If you’re available to start ASAP and are self employed plus ready to bring your expertise to a meaningful, high-impact project, we’d love to hear from you.