Research Assistant
Who are we?
We are Manchester Students’ Union, the biggest SU in the country, supporting over 40,000 students throughout their time at university. We help to make student life the best it can be by supporting students to campaign for change, creating opportunities to meet new people, providing employment opportunities, providing advice and support and being a safe place on campus.
We are a values-centred organisation that employs around 90 permanent, full-time members of staff. We recruit a wide range of roles throughout the year within all our departments from our Commercial team operating Manchester Academy Venues, 13 Media, Bar 532 & Kitchen and Corridor Coffee to our Student Activities, Student Engagement, Marketing and Communications, Finance, HR and Facilities teams. Our team of around 400 part-time, studying staff are instrumental in providing to support to all departments as well as leading major projects like Student Angels. When you join UMSU, you’ll be immersed in an environment that empowers staff to make great things happen and we're always on the lookout for innovative, passionate, and proactive people to join us.
Our values are really important to us and shape the work that we do every day. As part of our recruitment process, we want you to demonstrate how your experiences, behaviours and skills align with our values. You can find more detailed explanations of our values on our website.
About the role
Are you a keen problem solver with a passion for data? Do you want to help shape the student experience while developing your research skills? The University of Manchester Students’ Union is looking for an enthusiastic Student Research Assistant to join our dynamic Research and Insight Team and support key projects that influence the Union’s work.
Research & Insight Team
The Research and Insight Team is at the heart of understanding the student community. We use data-driven insights to shape campaigns, inform decision-making, and enhance the overall student experience. Our mission is to ensure the voices of our members are heard loud and clear in everything we do, from Freshers' campaigns to Satisfaction surveys, Cost of Attending, and beyond.
As a Student Research Assistant, you'll play a crucial role in helping us achieve this goal by providing valuable support in research design, survey building, data analysis, and reporting. Your work will help the Students' Union develop a deeper understanding of student needs and priorities, enabling us to better serve our community and make student experience better for our members.
How the Role Fits Into Our Goals
This role is essential in driving our strategy to be truly data driven, transform education, and continually improve student experience, services and engagement. By working closely with other Union teams—like Education, Marketing, Volunteering, Groups and Commercial—you'll help design and implement research that directly impacts student life. Whether it’s through surveys or focus groups, your findings will contribute to initiatives like the Educate MCR, Build MCR, Cost of Attending, Lead MCR and other campaigns, and even market research for our commercial operations.
Key Responsibilities
- Research Design & Collaboration: Work with Union staff across different departments to design and implement research projects including market research, ensuring a collaborative and informed approach.
- Data Analysis: Support analyses of both quantitative and qualitative data from Union surveys, focus groups, and interviews.
- Reporting: Present your research findings through creative, visually appealing reports, using platforms like Canva, to inform decision-making and strategy.
- Focus Groups: Lead focus groups with students, gather meaningful insights, and produce detailed reports with actionable recommendations.
- Market Research: Conduct market research on commercial trends, food businesses, and social media trends that can inform our services.
- Mystery Shopper Programme: Participate in and evaluate our Union’s services as a secret shopper. This fun and unique element of the role also includes free gig tickets and meals!
Working Conditions
We offer flexible hybrid working options with a mix of desk-based and face-to-face activities, including remote work where possible. The role will involve tasks like designing surveys, holding focus groups, interacting with students on campus to gather data, and writing research reports. This is a zero hour, fixed-term contract with hybrid working arrangements, allowing you to balance your studies with this exciting opportunity.
Why Join Us?
This is more than just a research position. You'll be contributing to real change within the University of Manchester Students’ Union, shaping the student experience while honing your research and analytical skills. You’ll gain hands-on experience in research methodologies, data analysis, and reporting, while also building lasting professional relationships.
If you’re detail-oriented, a critical thinker, and excited about using data to make a difference, this is the perfect role for you. Apply now and be part of a team that's committed to enhancing student life at the University of Manchester!
Please read the full role profile before applying, as well as our guide to recruitment.
Feel free to use AI to clarify and organise your ideas; please don’t copy-paste AI-generated answers or let it replace your voice. Read our short guide on using AI in applications: UMSU Guide to AI use .
Details
Wage: £12.60 per hour + holiday pay
Contract: Zero Hours, Fixed-Term until July 2026
Hours: approximately 2-8 hours per week set out by your line manager. You can expect periods of no work during the year.
Eligibility: Must be eligible to work in the UK at the start of employment. Must be
a current student at the University of Manchester, Manchester
Metropolitan and University of Salford graduating in 2026 or later.
Our Reward Package
You'll get access to our reward package which you can see here.
Recruitment Guide
We have a guide that explains our full recruitment process. We recommend reading through this before beginning an application.
If you are invited to interview with us, we will share our interview questions in advance so you can prepare your responses. We’re more interested in hearing about your experiences and ideas than in testing your memory, and so we want you to feel as prepared as possible.
Inclusivity and Accessibility
We are committed to equality of opportunity, and we work hard to ensure we appoint based on skill and values.
We particularly encourage applications from Disabled or Black, Black British, Black Welsh, Caribbean or African candidates as these groups are currently underrepresented in our staff team.
If you have any accessibility requirements or require adjustments to support you to apply to work with us, please get in touch. We can offer reasonable adjustments at all stages of our recruitment process.
Recruitment Timeline
Applications opened: 23/09/2025 14:00pm
Applications close: 5/10/2025 23:59pm
Interviews: 17/10/2025
Role Commencing: ASAP
We may close applications early if we receive a high volume of applications. We recommend that you apply as soon as possible to avoid disappointment. In this case, all applicants who have started an application will be contacted 2 hours before we close the role if feasible.
Contact
People Team:
You can contact the People Team with any questions regarding this vacancy or our recruitment process.
Email: jobs.su@manchester.ac.uk
Phone: 0161 306 3279
Hiring Manager: Louie Pereira
You can contact the People Team with any questions regarding this vacancy or our recruitment process.
Email: louie.pereira@manchester.ac.uk