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Scottish Graduate School of Social Science

Sgoil Cheumnaichean Saidheans Sòisealta na h-Alba
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      • Postdoctoral Fellowship (PDF) Scheme 2022/23
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Scottish Graduate School of Social Science

Sgoil Cheumnaichean Saidheans Sòisealta na h-Alba
Menu
  • About us
    • Governance
    • Pathways
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    • Equality, Diversity, and Inclusion
    • Contact us
    • Work with us
    • Complaints
    • COVID-19 FAQs
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      • Summer School 2022
      • Spring into Methods
      • Business Booster
      • Career Orientated Training
      • Disciplinary Specific Training
      • Methods and Methodologies
        • When Methods Meet
    • Training Funds
      • ESRC Training Funds
      • Training Event Funds
    • Internships
      • Current Opportunities
      • Open Call​
    • SFC Saltire Emerging Researcher (SER) Programme
      • Overview
      • Open Competition
      • Targeted Placements
    • Mentoring
      • Mentoring Overview
      • SGSSS RSE Mentoring Programme
      • SGSSS Career Pathways Mentoring Programme
    • Research Impact Competition 2022
    • Student Handbook
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    • Expenses Policy
  • Prospective Students and Fellows
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      • Overview
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      • Student-led Open Competition 2022/23
      • Eligibility
    • Fellowships
      • Postdoctoral Fellowship (PDF) Scheme 2022/23
  • Supervisors
    • Steers Competition 2022/23
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Scottish Government Internship Scheme

Projects starting Summer 2023

Application Deadline: Friday 03 March at 12pm

In July 2022 we will be launching the call for our Autumn Term internships. Subscribe to our Weekly Digest or follow us on Twitter to be notified when the call is launched.

Apply now

The Scottish Government is the devolved government for Scotland and has a range of responsibilities that include: the economy, education, health, justice, rural affairs, housing, environment, equal opportunities, consumer advocacy and advice, transport and taxation.  

Government social science research aims to provide high quality evidence and advice for Ministers and Scottish Government officials to inform policy development, implementation and evaluation. Analysts in government help generate new ideas and open debate, challenge assumptions, beliefs and attitudes, test policy ideas and develop a deeper understanding of issues as they affect Scotland.  

The core functions of researchers in government include:  

  • the interpretation of evidence and the provision of research based advice  
  • engaging with the academic and wider research community to bring expert knowledge into the policy making process  
  • commissioning external research projects  
  • undertaking research such as reviews of the existing evidence base  
  • disseminating research findings and encouraging their wider use  

There are internships available with social research, economist, statistician or mixed teams,  which all tend to work alongside each other in ‘Analytical Services Divisions’ in the Scottish Government.  

The Office of the Chief Researcher (OCR) in the Scottish Government is responsible for central co-ordination of this internship scheme.  

The internships

There are a number of advertised internship projects available, in addition to the ‘pool’ (applicants to the pool are considered for unfilled advertised projects or others which may later arise in any area of the Scottish Government).

It is anticipated that the majority of placements will commence in May/June 2023 and finish in August 2023. Each internship will have a tailored timeline which will be discussed with the host during the application process.

When live, you can browse the projects below, clicking through for full details of each one. Please pay attention to the reference numbers which you will require when making your application. You can also download a PDF of all of the placements and their details.

Internships Q&A

SGSSS will host a Q&A session on Tuesday 19 July, 1pm- 2pm. Registration link to be provided shortly.

Download Scottish Government Guidance
Download the Internship FAQs
Download Placement Details (pdf)
Submit application via SGSSS Apply
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Understanding The Barriers To Reporting Hate Crime

Internship reference: R17-26
Directorate General: DG Communities
Directorate: Equality, Inclusion and Human Rights
Division/Team: Connected Communities (to change to Inclusion and Mainstreaming as of 13 Feb)
The intern would be working with the hate crime policy team and would be specifically supporting the delivery of the above commitment to 'undertake an evidence review about the barriers to underreporting to better understand what these are and how we can address them'. This evidence will then be used...
Full Project Details
HateCrime

Developing a place-based approach to the Blue Economy

Internship reference: R17-16
Directorate General: Net Zero
Directorate: Marine Scotland
Division/Team: Funding and Strategy – Blue Economy Unit
The aim of internship is to identify evidence and social research needs as part of scoping/design of a Blue Economy pilot project.  This will involve: • Mapping of local socio/economic data within the regional pilot area to identify evidence and data that is available to support the development of the pilot and...
Full Project Details
#islands,Marinegovernance,NetZero

Global examples of “blue finance” initiatives and their potential for application in Scotland 

Internship reference: R17-15
Directorate General: Director General Net Zero
Directorate: Marine Scotland Directorate
Division/Team: Funding and Strategy Division; Marine Funding, Investment and Crown Estate Strategy Unit
The main aim of the project is to identify and conduct analysis of global examples of blue finance initiatives and produce a written report of findings.  This will involve:   - Identifying and reviewing key Blue Finance models/initiatives   - Undertaking literature reviews on wider Blue Finance issues  - Attending and summarising...
Full Project Details
globalbestpractice,greenbluefinance,sustainablefinancing

Exploratory analysis of new Scottish criminal justice journey times dataset

Internship reference: R17-14
Directorate General: Education & Justice
Directorate: Safer Communities
Division/Team: Justice Analytical Services
The successful intern will be responsible for performing specific analyses of the journey times data set. This may include an analysis of journey time by age, gender, SIMD and other justice system related factors. The specific analyses will be identified by the members of the justice systems analytical unit in...
Full Project Details
#justice,crossjustice,endtoendtime,journeytime,newdata

Digitalisation of the immigration system: an investigation into the impact of digital-only immigration status and electronic travel authorisations

Internship reference: R17-13
Directorate General: Strategy & External Affairs
Directorate: External Affairs
Division/Team: Population and Migration Division
The intern, working closely with the Citizens’ Rights policy team and Scottish Government analysts, will undertake desk-based research and analysis to support migration policy development. This internship will support the Citizens’ Rights team in their work to develop the Scottish Government’s position on digital-only immigration status and consider the potential...
Full Project Details
#digital,#immigration,travel

Analysis of the Ocean Literacy in Scotland Survey

Internship reference: R17-12
Directorate General: DG Net Zero
Directorate: Marine Scotland Directorate
Division/Team: Marine Analytical Unit
The main aim of the project is to conduct analysis of the data from the Ocean Literacy Survey using statistical software and to produce a written report of findings.  This will involve:  • Work with statistician and social research colleagues, to design and plan further analysis  • Clean and prepare the...
Full Project Details
blueeconomy,marinesocialresearch,oceanliteracy

Scottish Cancer Patient Experience Survey

Internship reference: R17-11
Directorate General: Health and Social Care
Directorate: Directorate for Population Research
Division/Team: Health and Social Care Analysis Division
This placement will focus on analysing and reporting on the free text comments from the third Scottish Cancer Patient Experience Survey (SCPES). The data, collected early in 2023 from people diagnosed with cancer in 2021, will identify what is working well, what could be improved, and what additional information respondents...
Full Project Details
#qualitative,Cancer,CPES,PatientExperience

The Cost of Living Crisis: Who does it affect and what should we do?

Internship reference: R17-10
Directorate General: Communities
Directorate: Office of the Chief Social Policy Adviser
Division/Team: Office of the Chief Social Policy Adviser
This internship will involve working on high profile and fast moving areas of cross Government interest.  At this point in time this is most likely to involve delivering analytical work and insights relating to the cost of living crisis. This will involve working with a range of analysts including economists,...
Full Project Details
#COVID,Costcrisis,Socialpolicy

Climate Change - Emissions Trading Scheme and Carbon Pricing

Internship reference: R17-09
Directorate General: Net Zero
Directorate: Energy and Climate Change
Division/Team: Domestic Climate Change
We are looking for a PhD student to support the Scottish Governments work on the UK ETS and run a project investigating the impacts of ETS Emissions Trading Schemes. The findings of this project will help us further develop our understanding of how effective UK ETS policy contributes to our...
Full Project Details
#ClimateChange,carbonpricing,NetZero

Developing evidence and insights on the current situation for Scotland's Third Sector

Internship reference: R17-08
Directorate General: Communities
Directorate: Local Government and Housing
Division/Team: Local Government Analytical Services/Third Sector Analysis
The internship will be based within the Local Governance and Reform Research team, a small team of researchers working with several different policy teams including the Third Sector and Public Bodies Division and the Public Services Reform Division.   The internship will provide analytical support to the work of the third...
Full Project Details
#PublicServiceReform,#thirdsector,Fairfunding,ScotlandsThirdSectorTracker,Socialenterprises

Strategic assessment to inform policy and practice in managing a changing and complex prison population

Internship reference: R17-07
Directorate General: Scottish Prison Service
Directorate: Office of the Chief Executive
Division/Team: Strategy and Improvement
The SPS’ first Strategic Assessment was developed in 2017 and is due for renewal.  The Strategic Assessment aims to inform medium term (one to three year) priorities for the SPS and provide a robust evidence base in support of strategic themes within the SPS Corporate Plan and associated Annual Delivery...
Full Project Details
#justice,#prisons,outcomes

Encouraging long term behaviour change in agriculture – reviewing the evidence

Internship reference: R17-06
Directorate General: DG Net Zero
Directorate: Environment & Forestry
Division/Team: Rural and Environment Science and Analytical Services (RESAS)
This is an exciting opportunity to use your analytical and communication skills to inform evidence-based policy. The project would involve creating a briefing on long-term behaviour change in agricultural practice. The candidate would be expected to finalise the scope of the briefing and inclusion criteria, but it could include socio-economic...
Full Project Details
#behaviourchange,#ClimateChange,farming

Constitution, democracy and governance in Scotland

Internship reference: R17-05
Directorate General: Strategy and External Affairs
Directorate: Performance, Delivery and Resilience
Division/Team: Central Analysis Division / Constitution, International and Migration Analysis team
The precise nature of the internship will depend on the requirements of the team at the time, as well as the successful intern’s own interests. However, the internship is likely to include a project working with analysts and policy colleagues to bring together data and evidence on trust in government,...
Full Project Details
#democraticparticipation,#opengovernment,#transparency,constitution,publicattitudes,trustingovernment

The role of communication technologies in creating a safer environment on public transport

Internship reference: R17-04
Directorate General: Transport Scotland
Directorate: Transport Strategy and Analysis
Division/Team: Research, Statistics & Evaluation Unit
The precise work done during the internship may further develop in response to the demands on Transport Scotland’s Social Research Team, within which the successful candidate will based. We are currently following a hybrid model of working with both remote and in-office working, details of this will again be determined...
Full Project Details
communicationtechnologies,public transport,safety

Social research support to develop further tobacco harm prevention proposals for Scotland

Internship reference: R17-02
Directorate General: Health and Social Care
Directorate: Population Health
Division/Team: Health Improvement: Healthy Living Unit and Health and Social Care Analysis: Population Health Unit
The intern will be working within the Health, Attitudes, Behaviours and Inequalities Team (HABIT) which provides analytical support primarily across a range of population health areas including: alcohol and tobacco harm prevention; diet, physical activity and healthy weight; women's health; and health inequalities.  The work will be focussed on providing support...
Full Project Details
#tobacco,healthbehaviours,smoking,vaping

Social research support to develop proposals to restrict marketing of alcohol in Scotland

Internship reference: R17-01
Directorate General: Health and Social Care
Directorate: Population Health
Division/Team: Health Improvement: Healthy Living Unit and Health and Social Care Analysis: Population Health Unit
The intern will be working within the Health, Attitudes, Behaviours and Inequalities Team (HABIT) which provides analytical support primarily across a range of population health areas including: alcohol and tobacco harm prevention; diet, physical activity and healthy weight; women's health; and health inequalities.  The work will be focussed on providing support...
Full Project Details
#alcohol,#marketing,health behaviours

Developing Improved Rehabilitative Service Delivery in Scottish Prisons 2023-28

Internship reference: R17-03
Directorate General: Scottish Prison Service
Directorate: Office of the Chief Executive
Division/Team: Strategy and Improvement
SPS is developing its Corporate Plan 2023 – 2028 which will translate national strategy and policy – including the Vision for Justice in Scotland - into action.  The Corporate Plan will be introduced on 1 April 2023 and will set strategic priorities and outcomes for Scotland’s prison system and how...
Full Project Details
#justice,#prisons,outcomes

Understanding the Personal Assistant Workforce in Scotland

Internship reference: R17-25
Directorate General: Health & Social Care
Directorate: Social Care & National Care Service Development
Division/Team: Adult Social Care Workforce & Fair Work
This internship will be based within the Personal Assistant (PA) policy team, which sits within Adult Social Care Workforce & Fair Work Division. The policy team works closely with a range of stakeholders, including PAs and PA employers and representative organisations, to improve conditions and support the development of the...
Full Project Details
#independentliving,#mixedmethods,#personalassistants,#selfdirectedsupport,#socialcare

Show me the money: Improving Scottish public spending decisions

Internship reference: R17-24
Directorate General: DG Scottish Exchequer
Directorate: Public Spending and Budget
Division/Team: Public Spending Team
The internship is based at the heart of the Scottish Government, and will be hosted in the Directorate for Public Spending and Budget within the Public Spending Division.  This is a multi-disciplinary policy/analytical team, including policy advisers, finance, economics and research professionals.   This is a fast moving part of government,...
Full Project Details
#publicspending,#scottishbudget

Determining the main factors behind fishers' compliance and non-compliance to marine and fishing laws in the Scottish Fishing Fleet

Internship reference: R17-23
Directorate General: Marine Scotland
Directorate: Marine Analytical Unit
Division/Team: Marine Analytical Unit
The project will seek to establish and review the non-economic factors influencing a fishers choice to comply or not comply with Scotland’s fishing regulations and laws. In terms of economic factors, in theory a fisher will comply or not comply based on the personal economic benefit gained from either option....
Full Project Details
#fishing,compliance,normativefactors

Applying an intersectional approach to the analysis of Scottish devolved employability service – Fair Start Scotland

Internship reference: R17-22
We want to develop an approach to intersectional analysis of employability support data and learn more about how intersectionality impacts on Fair Start Scotland. This learning will help shape thinking around employability support in the future. Using existing equalities data held by Scottish Government this project would i) assess the...
Full Project Details
#equality,#quant,employability,intersectionality

How Scotland Can Thrive in a Digital World - Developing the Evidence Base

Internship reference: R17-21
Directorate General: DG Corporate
Directorate: Directorate for Digital
Division/Team: DIG: Connectivity
There are a number of projects the intern could be involved in depending on their skills and experience:  1) Conducting reviews of existing evidence to identify and fill evidence gaps, and to inform future research. Topics could include: • Digital infrastructure and impacts on emissions  • Relationships between improved connectivity (for example...
Full Project Details
#broadband,#connectivity,#digital

Addressing Rural and Island Depopulation in Scotland: Investigating the role, impacts and benefits of land and land use

Internship reference: R17-20
Directorate General: DG Strategy and External Affairs
Directorate: Directorate for External Affairs
Division/Team: Population and Migration Division – Population Team
The final scope, objectives, and outputs of the project will be agreed at the outset of the internship. However, the intern will be expected to review and summarise key available (academic and non-academic) literature and documentary evidence, and produce a series of evidence papers to inform the development of the...
Full Project Details
#demography,#islands,#population,land,rural

Reactive project in support of Drugs Policy and the National Mission on Drugs

Internship reference: R17-19
Directorate General: Health & Social Care
Directorate: Health and Social Care Analysis
Division/Team: Substance use
Drugs Policy is a high-profile area of government, where policy needs change rapidly and, from an analytical perspective, there is often a need to be reactive to these. This SGSSS internship, based within the analytical team, is a great opportunity to work closely with policy officials and produce analytical outputs...
Full Project Details
#drugs,#substanceuse,nationalmission

Considering Intersectionality in Gender Based Violence

Internship reference: R17-18
Directorate General: Education and Justice
Directorate: Safer Communities
Division/Team: Justice Analytical Services
You will be working with the Justice Analytical Unit, and supporting the work of the Violence against Women and Girls (VAWG) policy team. The project will focus on understanding the intersection between gender based violence and other protected characteristics such as ethnicity, disability and LGBTQ. The Equally Safe strategy recognised...
Full Project Details
#equality,genderbasedviolence,intersectionality

Armed Forces Veterans Dashboard: Making Data Accessible & Engaging

Internship reference: R17-17
Directorate General: Education and Justice
Directorate: Safer Communities
Division/Team: Justice Analytical Services
JAS has created an initial monitoring framework for the Strategy, which consists of a number of outcomes and associated indicators, for each of the Strategy’s themes and cross cutting factors. We have identified evidence required to assess the delivery of activities and progress towards outcomes, drawing on available or upcoming...
Full Project Details
armedforces,datadashboard,veterans
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