Public Policy Researcher – Social Policy

Role overviewConducts applied social research, analyzes public policies, and evaluates government initiatives to develop practical, evidence-based recommendations. The role connects social trends and research findings with policy responses that improve societal well-being.Research areas include family and demographic change, youth, ageing, social cohesion, national identity, education, employment, social protection, housing, and quality of life.Key responsibilitiesSocial policy analysis: Review policies, legislation, and government strategies; identify policy gaps and emerging challenges; and assess regional and international approaches for their relevance to the UAE and Gulf context.Research design and implementation: Develop research proposals, methodological frameworks, questionnaires, interview guides, and focus group discussions using quantitative and qualitative methods.Data analysis: Analyze survey findings, administrative statistics, and official datasets using software such as SPSS, Stata, R, or Python, alongside qualitative analysis.Policy evaluation: Assess the relevance, effectiveness, efficiency, and social impact of government programs through needs assessments, baseline studies, evaluation frameworks, and performance indicators.Research communication: Prepare policy briefs, research papers, strategic reports, executive summaries, presentations, and visualizations that communicate findings clearly to decisionmakers.Stakeholder engagement and foresight: Collaborate with government institutions, universities, and research organizations, while monitoring emerging social risks and contributing to long-term policy planning.Qualifications and experienceMaster’s degree in public policy, Sociology, Social Policy, Political Science, Economics, Demography, or related discipline.At least 3–5 years of experience in applied social research, public policy analysis, or policy evaluation.Strong understanding of quantitative and qualitative research methods and the ability to translate evidence into feasible recommendations.Excellent research writing, presentation, project management, and collaboration skills.Excellent written and spoken Arabic; English proficiency is strongly preferred.A relevant PhD, specialized methodological training, and familiarity with UAE social development priorities are advantages.Expected outputs and performanceDeliverables include policy briefs, thematic research reports, surveys, policy evaluations, social indicators, research proposals, and executive briefings. Performance is assessed through research quality, methodological rigor, policy relevance, timely delivery, actionable recommendations, and effective collaboration.