Undergraduate Student Research Assistants
Gain experience of academic research and apply your learning to real social and economic challenges.

Get in touch
Nora Pau
Professional Liaison Administrator
nora.pau@bristol.ac.uk
Recent Research Publications
Research in Action: The Wellspring Settlement
Press Release: Wellspring Settlement secures major funding boost
Why apply?
You’ll gain research experience including data collection, analysis and reporting as well as improving your workplace skills that you can use to support applications for jobs and postgraduate study.
Working with leading academics and partner organisations you’ll make new connections and expand your professional network.
What's involved?
Research Assistant roles are generally btween 140-200 hours long and can be undertaken part-time during term time and full-time during your vacation time, depending on the requirements of the project.
You will be paid at least the Real Living Wage (£9.90/hour as of 1 April 2022).
Eligibility
To apply you must:
- be a current undergraduate student in the Faculty of Social Sciences and Law; OR
- be a recent graduate (within six months of graduation) of an undergraduate degree in the Faculty of Social Sciences and Law
Full list of eligible programmes
The University’s Access and Participation Plan (APP) 2020-2025 has identified five key groups of undergraduate students that face real barriers to academic and career development.
Therefore, if the role receives a high number of applications, we will give priority to applicants with a 'home' fee status who meet one or more of the following criteria:
- you are a Black, Asian or minority ethnic (BAME) student. We would particularly welcome applications from students from an ethnic group that is under-represented at the University of Bristol (Asian Pakistani; Asian Bangladeshi; Asian Indian; Black Caribbean; Black African; mixed backgrounds featuring one of these groups);
- you have a disability. Please note that the term disability is very wide; further details of what may be considered a disability are in the definition of disability;
- you are a mature student (aged 21 or over when you started your first undergraduate course);
- your postcode is listed as a '1' or '2' in the POLAR4 column on the POLAR checking tool;
- you are a care-leaver or an estranged student.
Applicants who do not meet any of these criteria are still eligible to apply.
Please note, you are ineligible to apply if you:
- are a postgraduate student in the Faculty of Social Sciences and Law and have not recently (within the last six months) completed an undergraduate degree in the Faculty of Social Sciences and Law at the University of Bristol;
- have previously worked as a Research Assistant on a Bristol Model project. Although you can only undertake the role once you can apply as many times as you like, including roles that are being advertised simultaneously;
- have previously undertaken an internship through the Professional Liaison Network (e.g. Q-Step Internship, EFM Internship). If you are unsure whether this applies to you, please get in touch and we can check this for you.
How to apply
Research Assistant opportunities will be listed here, advertised through mycareer, and all eligible students will also receive an email bulletin.
Applications are made using an online form and, if shortlisted, you will be required to attend an interview.
Please familiarise yourself with the relevant guidance document before applying. There you will find a more detailed outline of the application process, tips for applying and links to application and interview support provided by the Careers Service.
- Bristol Model Research Assistant guidance document
- Civic research Internships Research Assistant guidance document
If you have any questions, please email fssl-pln@bristol.ac.uk
Current opportunities
Project partner: AskingBristol
Deadline: Thursday 22 September 2022, 12 midday
Role description
Application form
Project partner: Black South West Network (BSWN) (3x roles) – part of the Bristol Model
Deadline: Thursday 23 June 2022, 12 midday
Role 1 – open to all years of undergraduate students: Role Description
Role 2 – open to current final year students only: Role Description
Role 3 – open to current final year students only: Role Description
Project partner: Lloyds Banking Group – part of the Civic Research Internships programme
Deadline: Thursday 26 May 2022, 12 midday
Role description
Project partner: Burges Salmon – part of the Civic Research Internships programme
Deadline: Thursday 12 May 2022, 12 midday
Role description
Project partner: Professional Associations Research Network (PARN) – part of the Civic Research Internships programme
Deadline: Thursday 12 May 2022, 12 midday
Role description
Project partner: Bristol City Council – part of the Civic Research Internships programme
Deadline: Thursday 5 May 2022, 12 midday
Role description
Project: Use of personal data with Privacy-Enhancing Technologies – part of the Civic Research Internships programme
Deadline: Thursday 28 April 2022, 12 midday
Role description
Project partner: West of England Combined Authority (WECA) – part of the Civic Research Internships programme
Deadline: Thursday 21 April 2022, 12 midday
Role description
Project: Bristol Model Evaluation
Deadline: Thursday 3 March 2022, 12 midday
Role description
Project partner: Black South West Network (BSWN)
Deadline: Thursday 24 February 2022, 12 midday
Role description
Project partner: West of England Combined Authority (WECA)
Deadline: Thursday 13 January 2022, 12 midday
Role description
Project partner: Institute for the Future of Work (IFoW)
Deadline: Thursday 6 January 2022, 12 midday
Role description
Project partner: Wellspring Settlement
Deadline: Thursday 11 November 2021, 12 midday
Role description
Project partner: Black South West Network (BSWN)
Deadline: Thursday 28 October 2021, 12 midday
Role description
Project partner: West of England Combined Authority (WECA)
Deadline: Thursday 22 July 2021, 12 midday
Role description
Project partner: Voscur
Deadline: Thursday 15 July 2021, 12 midday
Role description
Project partner: Wellspring Settlement
Deadline: Thursday 22 June 2021, 12 midday
Role description
Project partner: Voscur
Deadline: Thursday 27 May 2021, 12 midday
Role description
Project partner: West of England Combined Authority (WECA)
Deadline: Thursday 20 May 2021, 12 midday
Role description
Project partner: Black South West Network (BSWN)
Deadline: Thursday 11 March 2021, 12 midday
Role description
Project partner: Wellspring Settlement
Deadline: Thursday 10 August 2020, 12 midday
Role description