A Research in Practice placement is a funded opportunity for a social science postgraduate researcher (PGR) to pause their PhD research and spend 3 months working with or within your organisation on a clearly defined project or research question based on the needs of the host organisation.
Placements can be in-person, remote or hybrid, full time or part time, and can be co-designed with a PGR, or proposed by the host.
They are a core component of ESRC doctoral training, designed to support professional development, build networks, and broaden researchers’ understanding of the environments their work connects with.
Placements are designed to be mutually beneficial. They give PGRs the chance to apply their specialist skills in real-world, non-academic settings. In return, host organisations benefit from fresh insight, dedicated capacity, and access to academic expertise.

Hosting a Research in Practice placement is a low-risk, high-value way to access the skills and insight of a doctoral researcher, at no salary cost to your organisation, with benefits that include:

Tangible outcomes
Placements are focused on a specific project, challenge or question that can be designed to provide insight and solutions to specific issues or challenges.

Skilled and research-ready
Our doctoral researchers possess exceptional critical thinking and analytical skills, bringing specialist expertise and advanced training in qualitative, quantitative, and mixed methods research that your organisation may not have regular access to. 

Innovation
NINE DTP students are actively engaged in producing innovative research and generating literature and presentations to inform, advise and guide.

Fresh perspective
PhD students bring independent thinking, critical analysis and up-to-date social science knowledge.

Driven to make a difference
Students are motivated by real-world change and are supported to deliver meaningful, socially engaged work.

Organisational developmentBuild relationships with our 7 partner universities in Northern Ireland and the North East and provide your team with opportunities to supervise or inform research colleagues.

Research in Practice placements are short-term, focused projects designed to make a practical difference. Each placement is tailored to your organisation’s priorities, with a clear brief. Here are some examples of what a placement might deliver:

Understanding your community
Analyse feedback, survey data, or public records to help you better understand the needs and behaviours of the people you serve.

Measuring your impact
Design and carry out an evaluation of a service, programme, or campaign, identifying what’s working and where improvements could be made.

Enhancing archival practice and research engagement
Host a researcher to support cataloguing, preservation, and digital access to archival collections, while gaining insights into how your materials are used in academic research. This can inform new approaches to access, interpretation, and public engagement.

Exploring a new idea
Research the feasibility or potential of a new project, policy, service model or product, and present options backed by evidence.

Improving your bids
Support your fundraising or commissioning strategy by reviewing past bids, analysing success factors, or preparing supporting data for upcoming applications.

Strengthening your networks
Map the landscape of your sector or region and identify opportunities for new partnerships, collaborations or routes to influence.

Developing and evaluating projects or programmes
Collaborate with a researcher to co-design, implement or evaluate a programme or project. Gain tailored insights into effectiveness, reach and impact, and strengthen the evidence base to support future development, funding, or policy engagement.

Research support
Literature reviews, stakeholder interviews, surveys, and data analysis to inform decision-making.

Policy development
Drafting briefing notes or consultation responses, contributing to inquiries, or organising policy events.

Data and reporting
Data collection, management and analysis; preparing internal or public-facing reports and presentations.

Projects may align with a student’s existing area of research, or introduce them to a new field entirely. What matters is that the placement provides space to apply and develop social science research skills in a real-world context.

Hosting a NINE DTP placement is designed to be straightforward and flexible. We’ll support you throughout, but here’s what’s typically involved:

A defined project or challenge
You’ll work with the student (or NINE DTP) to outline a focused, meaningful piece of work that aligns with your goals and the student’s skills.

A named point of contact
Someone in your organisation should be available to support the student, help them settle in, and act as a day-to-day contact.

A suitable working environment
This could be in-person, hybrid, or remote. The key is that the student has the tools and context they need to succeed.

Health and safety / safeguarding arrangements
You’ll need to confirm that appropriate policies are in place to support the student’s welfare.

A short feedback form after the placement
This helps us monitor the value and impact of placements and shape future opportunities.

Some hosts offer to contribute to reasonable travel and subsistence costs where possible. If this isn't an option, NINE DTP can support the student with these.

Review our current partners and opportunities for inspiration here: Current Placement Opportunities - NINE DTP

The ESRC website provides more information on placements and internships, including some case-study examples. A further example can be found in the UKRI’s Policy Internships Scheme, which many NINE DTP students have turned to as a source of placement opportunities.