Political Researcher

Also known as:

Researcher, Political

Introduction

Political researchers carry out research for Members of the Scottish, UK or European Parliaments, political parties, pressure groups, think tanks or research institutions. They gather, analyse and present information on a wide range of political, economic and social issues. Researchers may draft speeches and handle publicity and the media.

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Work Activities

Political researchers track down and summarise information to help and support politicians. For example, they may help an MSP (Member of the Scottish Parliament), MP (Member of Parliament) or MEP (Member of the European Parliament) to prepare for a debate in parliament or deal with a complicated issue in their constituency. As well as finding information, researchers write reports, draft speeches and articles, and deal with the media.

Many researchers also have general administrative and secretarial duties, depending on the wishes of their employer. This may include keeping a politician's website up to date.

Researchers work in the offices of the main political parties, MSPs', MPs' or MEPs' private offices, or economic, political and social policy research institutions.

They work very closely with their employer, listening carefully and asking the right questions to find out the information they need to find. To carry out their research, they read newspapers and official publications, use the parliamentary intranet, use the Internet, visit libraries to look up information, and work with pressure groups and special interest groups.

They might sometimes deal with constituents' problems, either by phone or face to face at the surgeries.

Early in their careers, political researchers may do more routine administrative tasks than political research.

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Personal Qualities and Skills

To be a political researcher, you should be passionate about politics and current affairs. You must be enthusiastic and energetic, and willing to take on a heavy workload, especially at election time. You'll need very good organisation skills.

You must have very strong communication skills, including the ability to write reports, speeches and articles. You need a good memory for names, faces, facts and figures. You will need IT and Internet skills for research and writing reports.

This job demands a high level of commitment and perseverance. You must be able to work on your own and under pressure.

You must be able to listen sympathetically to constituents' problems and deal tactfully with confidential issues.

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Pay and Opportunities

The pay rates given below are approximate.

Political researchers earn in the range of £15,000 - £22,000 a year, rising to £26,000 - £30,000 for senior researchers. Higher earners can make around £38,000 a year.

While pay rates are based on 37.5 hours a week, you may need to work long or irregular hours, especially when an election is due.

Jobs are concentrated in London around Whitehall and Westminster, and in Edinburgh within the Scottish Parliament. There may also be some outlets through the European Union, particularly in Brussels.

Most MSPs, MPs and MEPs also employ small numbers of researchers to work in their local constituency offices throughout the country.

Relatively few people work in political research. The main party political offices only take on a handful of new entrants annually. The independent research institutions are also fairly small organisations.

Political researchers are frequently engaged on fixed-term contracts.

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Adult Opportunities

It is illegal for any organisation to set age limits for entry to employment, education or training, unless they can show there is a real need to have these limits.

Relevant skills can be gained in, for example, political activism or involvement in pressure groups. Voluntary work, for example, in trade unions, student politics or community groups, can be valuable.

The Open University offers a Diploma in Politics and Government by distance learning.

• 53% of people in occupations such as political researcher have flexible hours.
• 17% of employees work on a temporary basis.

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