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Researcher jobs in United Kingdom

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Found 25 jobs

Research Manager & Named Veterinary Surgeon

• London (Greater)
• Competitive
• Institute of Cancer Research (ICR)

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Postdoctoral Researcher - PNAC - Dr Jason Chin - LMB 2415

• Cambridgeshire
• £39,375 per annum
• UKRI(LMB) - Onefix Media

We are looking to recruit up to 4 postdoctoral scientists to join Jason Chin’s group at the MRC LMB. You will work with Jason Chin to develop found...

View details Postdoctoral Researcher - PNAC - Dr Jason Chin - LMB 2415

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Postdoctoral Project Research Scientist

• London (Central), London (Greater) (GB)
• From £43,210, subject to skills and experience, with benefits
• Francis Crick Institute

The Postdoctoral Project Research Scientist role is to provide support to interlinked projects within the Sahai group

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Water Quality Modelling Scientist

• Belfast (City/Town) (GB)
• Agri-Food and Biosciences Institute Northern Ireland (AFBI)

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Senior Research Fellow (Cellular Myologist)

• England, London
• University College London (UCL)

About usThe Department of Neurodegenerative Disease is recognised as internationally leading in the study of neurodegenerative diseases causing dement

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• From £43,210 per annum with benefits, subject to skills and experience

The role holder will be expected to produce independent, original contributions to the subject area, supervise junior lab members.

Postdoctoral Researcher

• WC1E 7HX, London (Greater)
• £42,365 rising to £48,424 per annum
• Birkbeck, University of London

Postdoctoral Researcher Salary: £42,365 rising to £48,424 per annum Contract type: Fixed term Mode: Full time Business Unit: School of Natural Scie...

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Research Technician

• Hammersmith and Fulham, London (Greater)
• £43,309 per annum
• Imperial College London (ICL)

Applications are invited for a 3-year research technician within the Drug Transport and Tumour Metabolism Group at the Institute of Clinical Scienc...

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Principal Research Scientist - In Silico Biologics Design

• Abingdon, Oxfordshire, England / Oxfordshire, England, Oxford
• £75000 - £90000 per year

Immunocore (NASDAQ: IMCR) is a pioneering, commercial-stage T cell receptor biotechnology company whose purpose is to develop and commercialize a new

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Research Fellow in Climate Innovation

• South Kensington, London (Greater)
• £52,417 - £61,855 per annum

The Grantham Institute, Imperial College London, with the support of Quadrature Climate Foundation (QCF) is looking for a researcher to work for us...

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• 4 days left
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Research Associate in Chemical Biology

• United Kingdom
• £36,024 to £44,263 per annum, depending on relevant experience
• University of Manchester

We are looking for an ambitious scientist who is keen to develop new biosynthetic pathways and/or chemoenzymatic routes to pharmaceutical targets

View details Research Associate in Chemical Biology

• 15 days ago
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Research Career Development Fellowships 2024

• Oxford, Oxfordshire
• Dependent on grant funding
• Department of Biochemistry | University of Oxford

Opportunity for early career researchers who wish to be sponsored for establishing an independent research group, as an externally funded fellow.

View details Research Career Development Fellowships 2024

• 16 days ago
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Research Fellow

• £42099 - £50585 per annum

About usApplications are invited for a Post Doctoral Research Fellow position in the UCL Division of Infection and Immunity in a research team led by

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• 5 days left
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Senior Scientific Officer

• Glasgow City (GB)
• Range: £25,767 to £43,197 depending on experience
• CRUK Scotland Institute

Senior Scientific Officer Salary Range: £25,767 to £43,197 depending on experience Transgenic Technologies – Dr Douglas Strathdee About us The CRUK...

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• 17 days ago
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RESEARCH CO-ORDINATOR- GRADE 7

• £38,205 - £44,264 pa
• University of Liverpool

This is a unique position that would suit an individual who has a passion for innovation and research

View details RESEARCH CO-ORDINATOR- GRADE 7

• 3 days left
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Biosciences is one of the world's foremost centres for research and teaching in the biological sciences and one of the largest Divisions within UCL, u

Translational Scientist

• Glasgow, Glasgow City
• 35000 - 50000

Translational Scientist- Prof. Owen Sansom   Scotland Institute lab: Colorectal Cancer and Wnt Signalling   Salary:  £35,000 to £50,000 (Depending ...

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• 22 days ago
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About usThe mission of the UCL Great Ormond Street Institute of Child Health is to improve the health and well-being of children, and the adults they

15 Professors, Faculty of Medicine and Dentistry

• Greater London
• Queen Mary University of London

Queen Mary University of London seeks at least 15 world leading translational researchers in medicine and dentistry.

View details 15 Professors, Faculty of Medicine and Dentistry

• 29 days ago
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POSTDOCTORAL RESEARCH ASSOCIATE IN INORGANIC MATERIALS SYNTHESIS AND DISCOVERY- GRADE 7

We are seeking a Postdoctoral Research Associate with expertise in the synthesis and characterisation of new inorganic materials.

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King's College London

Research vacancies at king's college london.

Research is core to King’s, what we do, what we care about, and how we educate.  It is how we channel our creativity to further knowledge and understanding, challenge convention and deliver impact.  Through world-leading and outward-looking research focused on meeting societal needs, our research roles aim to make the world a better place. 

Current vacancies

Clinical research associate i.

This advertisement does not meet the requirements for a Certificate of Sponsorship under Home Office regulations; therefore, the university will not be able...

Clinical Research Associate II

If you are an experienced CRA, we would like to hear from you.   We are looking for an experienced monitor; the successful applicant will have experience...

Clinical Research Associate in the Department of Psychosis Studies

The candidate will be based at the Department of Psychosis Studies at the Institute of Psychiatry, one of the leading clinical research centres in the world,...

Post Doctoral Research Associate

and project An exciting new job opportunity to work in a European wide project on homeworking, flexible working and its outcome on workers’ well-being and...

Post-Doctoral Research Associate

The Department of Informatics is seeking to recruit a Postdoctoral Researcher for an EPSRC-funded research project on the complexity of database query...

Post-Doctoral Research Associate - INTERNAL ONLY

The MHPRU is a joint initiative between two world-leading universities - KCL and UCL- and various collaborators. It has been running since 2017, with further...

Post-Doctoral Research Associate (INTREPID Project Coordinator)

Applications are invited from highly motivated candidates for a position of Postdoctoral Research Associate to work on an international research project on...

Post-doctoral Research Associate - INTERNAL ONLY

The School of Cardiovascular and Metabolic Medicine & Sciences (SCMMS) provides an outstanding multi-disciplinary environment for the pursuit of cutting-edge...

Post-Doctoral Research Associate in Translating In-Silico Cardiac Electrophysiolgy Procedure Guidance System using Advanced Digital Twin Modelling

The successful applicant will be located with the newly created Research Department of Digital Twins (North Wing of St Thomas’ Hospital), primarily supervised...

Postdoctoral Associate in Brain Cancer Immunotherapy

We are a Nanomedicine Research Group based at [Medicines Development research group](https://www.kcl.ac.uk/research/medicines-development), [Institute of...

Postdoctoral Research Associate

:  The appointee will join the School of Biomedical Engineering & Imaging Sciences, and the Department of Neuroimaging within the School of Neuroscience....

The Nott group is looking for a skilled and motivated Postdoctoral Research Associate with a strong background in structural biology, cell biology, or...

The School of Cardiovascular and Metabolic Medicine & Sciences (SCMMS), is one of six schools that make up the Faculty of Life Sciences & Medicine (FoLSM) at...

About King’s: Situated within the Faculty of Life Sciences and Medicine at King’s College London, the Centre for Gene Therapy and Regenerative Medicine...

Postdoctoral Research Associate and Teaching Fellow in Population Mental Health

In April 2024, IoPPN, King’s College London established a national Population Health Improvement Cluster (PHIC) with a focus on mental health, funded by UKRI....

Jobs at King's

Find jobs at King's on our jobs search page

How we recruit

At King’s we seek to recruit and retain skilled and engaged colleagues to...

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Explore the jobs and vacancies available at the NIHR and build your career in supporting our health and social care research activity.

Jobs listed on this website are part of NIHR's 2 co-ordinating centres. These centres are hosted by NHS trusts, universities and life science organisations.

Work at the NIHR  and make a real contribution to how research is shaping the future of healthcare, social care, public health and global health.

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Data Analyst

Do you love working with data and want to make a real impact? Do you have great ideas to maintain information processes and analyse data sets into meaningful reports? Then we want to hear from you!

• Closing date: 05 June 2024
• Southampton

Associate Dean of the NIHR Academy, (Infrastructure & Capacity Building Structures)

We are looking for an exceptional person to be the Associate Dean, specialising in research training in the NIHR infrastructure and capacity building structures, for NIHR Academy. As Associate Dean, you will be accountable to the Dean of the NIHR Academy and the Executive Director, NIHR Academy.

• Closing date: 07 June 2024

Associate Dean of the NIHR Academy - Researcher Inclusion

We are looking for an exceptional person to be the Associate Dean, specialising in researcher inclusion, for NIHR Academy. As Associate Dean, you will be accountable to the Dean of the NIHR Academy and the Executive Director, NIHR Academy.

Finance Manager

Are you passionate about health and care research? The NIHR is looking for two Finance Managers with experience of finance management in the public sector and / or working in a research environment to join our teams providing financial management (monitoring budgets, business planning processes) for NIHR programme funding.

• Closing date: 09 June 2024

Head Of Programmes

This role will be responsible for leading the delivery of the strategy, operational planning and setting the overall standards and direction for the Programmes function.

• Closing date: 14 June 2024

Our day-to-day operations are managed by NIHR's 2 coordinating centres. These centres are hosted by a number of NHS Trusts, universities and life science organisations.

Review our governance

Find out how our work is making a positive difference for patients, service users, carers and communities.

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Medical research jobs in United Kingdom

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• Direct Employer   19

Found 19 jobs

Consultant psychiatrist.

• United Kingdom
• Over £300,000 per annum on a pro rata basis

Join Augmentive's CQC-registered clinic as a Consultant Psychiatrist: flexible, high-quality, well-supported private practice.

View details Consultant Psychiatrist

• 33 days ago
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Clinical Innovation Fellow- The Digital Health Validation Lab 

• £ 38,553 - £54,235 depending on experience
• University of Glasgow

The role will be split with 50% of the time dedicated to DHVL activities, 20% to PG Cert and 30% clinical.

View details Clinical Innovation Fellow- The Digital Health Validation Lab 

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Junior Surgical Research Fellow

• £43,923 per annum plus London zone allowance £2,162
• King's College Hospital NHS Foundation Trust

The Surgical Junior Research Fellow will be exposed to a wide variety of advanced surgical procedures, in a busy tertiary hospital

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Junior Surgical Research Fellow - Endocrine

• £43,923 per annum plus London zone allowance

The Surgical Research Fellow will be exposed to a wide variety of advanced surgical procedures, in a busy tertiary hospital

View details Junior Surgical Research Fellow - Endocrine

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Clinical Research Fellow in Oncology

• £43,923 to £55,329 a year pa pro rata
• University Hospitals Bristol and Weston NHS Foundation Trust

Clinical Research Fellow in Oncology This post is an opportunity to gain experience in the conduct of oncology clinical trials

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Health and Care Research Director (Medical)

• Depending on experience Dependent on experience
• The Royal Surrey NHS Foundation Trust

We are looking for a highly motivated, experienced and enthusiastic leader at Consultant Level

View details Health and Care Research Director (Medical)

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Clinical Research Fellow in Gynaecological Oncology

• £37,068 to £57,570 Per annum
• Barts Health NHS Trust

We are looking to appoint a clinical research fellow post based at Royal London Hospital in the Department of Gynaecological Oncology.

View details Clinical Research Fellow in Gynaecological Oncology

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Clinical Research Fellow in Cardiology

• £37,737 to £59,336 per annum
• Cardiff and Vale University Health Board

Principal duties of post will involve running of a clinical trial of pacing in patients undergoing cardiac surgery.

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Clinical Trials Research Fellow

• £43,923 per annum, including high cost area

An opportunity has arisen for a clinical trials research fellow at ST2 level to join the Department of Neurosurgery at King's College Hospital

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• 4 days left
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Senior Clinical Research Fellow in Adult Cystic Fibrosis

• Llandough, Penarth
• £37,737 to £59,336 a year pa

We are delighted to advertise a new post which is an exciting opportunity for the right candidate. Initially for a 1 year fixed term contract.

View details Senior Clinical Research Fellow in Adult Cystic Fibrosis

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Clinical Research Fellow - Haematology

• £43,923 to £63,152 per annum
• The Christie NHS Foundation Trust

The Haematology & TYA services are seeking to appoint to a senior/junior Haematology Clinical Trials Research Fellow post

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Senior Clinical Lecturer in Restorative Dentistry

• ACN3 (£96,963 - £128,841) or AM3B (£80,505 - £103,242) per annum
• University of Edinburgh

We are seeking to appoint a full-time Senior Clinical Lecturer, for 3 years fixed term, to support the delivery of Postgraduate education

View details Senior Clinical Lecturer in Restorative Dentistry

• 5 days left
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Clinical Research Fellow in Medical Oncology

• £43,923 to £63,152 per annum, pro rata

This role will allow senior medical trainees to work within the hepatopancreaticobiliary and neuroendocrine neoplasm disease group

View details Clinical Research Fellow in Medical Oncology

• 10 days ago
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Clinical Research Fellows (post-CST level) in General Surgery

• £37,737 to £59,336 Per annum pro rota
• Aneurin Bevan University Health Board

This post is suitable for doctors who have completed core surgical training or equivalent

View details Clinical Research Fellows (post-CST level) in General Surgery

• 2 days left
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Clinical Research Fellows (post-CST level) in Trauma and Orthopaedics

This post is suitable for doctors who have completed core surgical training or equivalent (at least 2 years' relevant experience

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Clinical Research Fellow in Transplantation

We have an opportunity for a fixed term appointment for a Clinical Research Fellow in Transplantation.

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• 11 days ago
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Director of Health Partnerships

• England, London
• £80000 - £90000 per annum
• University College London

About usUCL is a world leading, global university with a community of more than 50,000 students from 150 countries and over 16,000 staff which pursues

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Senior Clinical Fellow in Emergency Medicine 80:20 Research Fellowship

• £55,329 to £64,152 a year pa pro rata

The post include 80% time working in the adult emergency department and 20% paid time to develop in a specialist interest of the candidate's choice.

View details Senior Clinical Fellow in Emergency Medicine 80:20 Research Fellowship

• 15 days ago
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Clinical Research Fellow - Lower GI

This Fellowship will allow a senior medical trainee to work within the Lower GI disease-related group at The Christie NHS Foundation Trust.

View details Clinical Research Fellow - Lower GI

• 18 days ago
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15 Professors, Faculty of Medicine and Dentistry

• London (Central), London (Greater)
• Queen Mary University of London

Wish to attract at least 15 world-leading translational researchers at Professorial level in cancer, cardiovascular medicine, genomics, inflammation

View details 15 Professors, Faculty of Medicine and Dentistry

• 29 days ago
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Strategy The Strategy team leads on the charity’s corporate strategy. They work with more than 120 partners and philanthropists in the UK and around the world. 

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Our values represent who we are and will help us to bring our best to what we do and ensure Cancer Research UK is a great place to work. 

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We encourage a flexible working culture, including options such as home-working, reduced or flexi-hours, job shares, job-splits, compressed and core hours. We also offer a high level of flexibility for the vast majority of our office-based roles, meaning that you’ll only be required to work from a specific location for one or two days a week on average.  

Cancer Research UK 

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Cambridge, CB22 3AT

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London, NW1 1AT

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Clinical Research Associate, UK

• Location: Reading
• __vacancyopjusttionswidget.opt-Business Area__ ICON Strategic Solutions
• Categories Clinical Trial Management

About the role

Experienced UK-based Regional CRA/clinical research associate required to augment existing CRA team, for multinational biopharmaceutical company partner.

You will be part of an innovative and global Biotechnology company, who pride themselves to be one of the world's leading independent biotechnology companies. They focus on areas with unmet medical need with the ambition to help reduce the social and economic burden of disease in society today.

Amongst other tasks, your main responsibilities will be to;

• Contribute to the selection of potential investigators.
• Provide the required monitoring visit reports within required timelines
• Drive performance at the sites. Proactively identify study-related issues and escalate as appropriate.
• Perform source data verification according to SDV plan and ensure data query resolution
• Initiate, monitor and close study sites in compliance with client Procedural Documents. Share information on patient recruitment and study site progress within local Study Delivery Team.
• Train, support and advise Investigators and site staff in study related matters.

Strong experience (~>2 years') working as a UK clinical research monitor (or CRA), and already residing within the UK (with appropriate right-to-work in the UK already granted, if applicable)

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To excel as a Clinical Research Associate (CRA) in a Clinical Research Organization (CRO), you need a combination of education, skills, and the right mindset. Brazil-based CRA II Debora shares her

Brazil-based CRA II Debora Oh shares her tips on how to become a great CRA and provides insight into life at ICON.

Clinical Trial Managers and Clinical Project Managers are an integral part of the clinical market. Each role is essential in ensuring that clinical trials are well run and completed to a high stan

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Research jobs in Medicine and Dentistry

Universities are in fierce competition to attract visionary researchers to contribute to the latest breakthroughs in medical science.

If you are interested in academic dentistry jobs or a clinical career in medicine that is more research-oriented, there is a wide range of roles available for practising doctors and dentists or aspiring non-clinical medical researchers.

There are two types of academic research jobs in medicine and dentistry:

• Clinical research jobs: you must already be medically qualified and registered with the General Medical Council (GMC) or General Dental Council (GDC) to be a clinical researcher. Depending on the role, you might already be a practising doctor or dentist.
• Non-clinical research jobs: research roles that require candidates to be experts in their medicine or dentistry field but do not need to be practising clinicians.

Job descriptions

Clinical Researcher/Clinical Research Fellow

• Research Fellow (non-clinical)
• Research Associate (non-clinical)
• Research Assistant (non-clinical)

Clinical researchers and fellows are fully qualified doctors or dentists who carry out or lead clinical trials and research in their specialist field of medicine and dentistry.

Clinical research roles or fellowships are project-led and are available when funding is acquired for a specific area of medicine or dentistry research. These roles can be available in universities, research foundations/institutes or charitable foundations.

• Planning and conducting high-quality research, working alongside a team of researchers
• Facilitating and monitoring clinical trials involving patients and volunteers
• Collecting data and disseminating results in peer-reviewed journals
• Supervising junior researchers (senior clinical researcher/fellow)

What qualifications and experience do you need?

Most clinical research posts require candidates to have a full medicine or dentistry qualification, full GMC/GND registration and to have completed at least two years post-graduation training (Foundation 2 or above).

Depending on the role, you might also need significant clinical and research experience in your field.

What’s the pay?

Most clinical research jobs in medicine and dentistry are offered on a fixed-term basis (they end on a fixed date on completion of a specific research project) and can be either full or part-time. Clinical research jobs are generally marketed with a salary between £34,563 and £52,090 but can be higher, depending on the research project and specialism.

What can it lead to?

Career progression in clinical research is dependent on the success and quality of your research projects. With experience, you might progress to clinical research lead or manager, senior clinical research fellow or professor.

Where can I find clinical research jobs?

Clinical research jobs are project-driven and funding dependent, therefore the roles tend to be quite niche. In the UK, a high percentage of these roles are based in London, as the Imperial College London and UCL clinical trials units are based there.

Find clinical researcher jobs here

Research Fellow (Non-clinical)

Medicine and dentistry research fellows are those who have taken an academic route into the sector and are not practising clinicians. They work as part of a wider research team in universities, research institutes or charitable foundations, carrying out research in a specific field, such as cancer or dementia studies.

• Carrying out high-level research activities
• Day-to-day planning and management of a research project
• Undertaking laboratory research
• Advising and supervising junior researchers (senior research fellow)
• Producing high-quality research papers and outcomes
• Assisting in the preparation of grant proposals

A PhD in a relevant or related discipline is essential for research fellowships in medicine and dentistry. Candidates also need to demonstrate a proven track record of previous research outcomes.

Most medical and dentistry research fellowships are offered on a fixed-term basis and are dependent on funding and outcome. Research fellowships usually command a salary of between £36,770 to £50,296, higher for senior research fellowships.

Research fellowships in medicine and dentistry are senior research roles and, as well as gaining higher research skills, they also help you to gain management and leadership skills. Depending on the success of your research activities, a research fellowship can lead to more permanent and senior academic jobs within a higher education setting.

Where can I find research fellow jobs?

Owing to the project-based nature of research work, most of these roles are contracted. The busiest time for recruitment is in June and July.

Find research fellow jobs here

Research Associate

Research associate jobs tend to be the first step on a postdoctoral research career across the spectrum of medicine and dentistry specialisms. Most research associates will have just finished their PhD and are looking to continue their research in a related area.

• Developing and contributing to a research project in a specific area of medicine and dentistry
• Supporting on-going research projects and writing grant proposals
• Disseminating research activities and producing high-quality research papers
• Supporting junior researchers in the laboratory
• Undertaking some one-off teaching duties related to a research project

A PhD in a relevant area is essential for research associate jobs in medicine and dentistry. Previous experience on other research projects in the specific area being studied is desirable but not always necessary.

Most research associate positions are offered on a fixed-term basis and have a salary range of £31,406 to £40,927, depending on qualifications and experience.

A research associate role is an excellent opportunity for those just finishing their PhD to embark on an academic research career in medicine or dentistry.

The research skills you gain can enable you to apply for more senior, research fellowship jobs and look towards permanent academic roles in higher education.

Where can I find research associate jobs?

Research associate jobs tend to be highly specific and may be advertised for one element of one specialism. Therefore, you may have a wait for jobs in your specific area of expertise to become available.

Find research associate jobs here

Research Assistant

Research assistants are the most junior research roles you might find in a university medical or dental school.

Research assistant roles in medicine and dentistry offer those starting out on an academic career to hone their research skills and learn from senior academic staff across a variety of specialist areas.

If you are thinking about taking an academic research route, rather than clinical route into medicine and dentistry, a research assistant job would be an ideal first step.

• Supporting senior researchers in a variety of research tasks
• Gathering, analysing and presenting data
• Contributing to reports, lab meetings and seminars
• Administrative duties

An undergraduate degree (First class or Upper second class) in a related field is essential for research assistant roles in medicine and dentistry. Some organisations may also require other postgraduate training, such as a Master’s degree. Having already completed your PhD will give you a significant advantage.

Most research assistant roles in medicine and dentistry are offered on a fixed-term basis with a salary in the range of around £27,924 to £32,344, depending on qualifications and experience.

These are the most junior research roles and can be a springboard to doctoral studies or more senior research roles, such as research associate in medicine and dentistry (on completion of your PhD).

Where can I find research assistant jobs?  

Research assistant jobs in medicine and dentistry are more widely available than more senior, niche medical research roles.

Find research assistant jobs here

Further information:

• Jobs in Medicine
• Jobs in Dentistry
• Lecturing jobs in medicine and dentistry
• Senior Level Academic Jobs in Medicine and Dentistry

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Research Assistant in Environmental Epidemiology 2024

The London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine (LSHTM) is one of the world’s leading public health universities. Our mission is to improve health and health equity in the UK and worldwide; working in partnership to achieve excellence in public and global health research, education and translation of knowledge into policy and practice.

About the role

The Environment & Health Modelling (EHM) Lab is looking for a highly motivated research assistant to conduct environmental epidemiology analyses using novel epidemiological methods. The role will focus on analyses for the Constrained estimation project, although the successful candidate will also have the opportunity to be involved in other projects from the EHM Lab members. The EHM Lab is a team of researchers based in the PHES department at LSHTM. We have multi-disciplinary expertise spanning biostatistics, environmental epidemiology, data science, statistical computing and climatology.

Candidates are required to either have an undergraduate degree in statistics or epidemiology, or have strong experience with advanced statistical such as linear and nonlinear regression modelling as well as time series analysis. Required skills include a good knowledge of the R software and as well as epidemiology designs and analysis. The successful candidate should be willing to familiarise themselves with the state-of-the-art methods in environmental epidemiology and engage in rigorous scientific practice.

Additional information

The post is full time 35 hours per week, 1.0 FTE and fixed-term until August 2025. The post is funded by the Constrained estimation project and is available from September 2024 under the line management of Pierre Masselot.

The salary will be on the Academic Pathway salary scale, Grade 5 in the range £38,282 - £39,297 per annum (inclusive of London Weighting). The post will be subject to the LSHTM terms and conditions of service. Annual leave entitlement is 30 working days per year, pro rata for part time staff. In addition to this there are discretionary “Wellbeing Days”. Membership of the Pension Scheme is available. The post is based in London at LSHTM.

Applications should be made on-line via our jobs website. Online applications will be accepted by the automated system until 10pm of the closing date. Any queries regarding the application process may be addressed to [email protected].

The supporting statement section should set out how your qualifications, experience and training meet each of the selection criteria. Please provide one or more paragraphs addressing each criterion. The supporting statement is an essential part of the selection process and thus a failure to provide this information will mean that the application will not be considered. An answer to any of the criteria such as "Please see attached CV" will not be considered acceptable.

Please note that if you are shortlisted and are unable to attend on the interview date it may not be possible to offer you an alternative date.

The London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine is committed to being an equal opportunities employer. We believe that when people feel respected and included, they can be more creative, successful, and happier at work. While we have more work to do, we are committed to building an inclusive workplace, a community that everyone feels a part of, which is safe, respectful, supportive and enables all to reach their full potential.

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US says it could act against China firms, banks over Russian war support

The United States and other nations could take steps against Chinese firms and financial institutions over Beijing's backing for the Russian war against Ukraine, a top U.S. official said on Friday.

Russia launched a barrage of missiles and drones on Saturday that damaged energy facilities and critical infrastructure across Ukraine, injuring at least four people, and prompting President Volodymyr Zelenskiy to issue a fresh plea for more air defence assistance.

Research Technician

University of bristol - bristol veterinary school.

We are seeking to appoint a Research Technician to fully support research laboratory activities, ensuring that the laboratories are prepared for experimentation and are compliant with relevant Health and Safety and other legislative or policy requirements.  Will carry out specialised techniques and train others in these and essential core functions.

What will you be doing?

You will provide research support to a BSL2 molecular microbiology and protein biochemistry laboratory. You will primarily to support recombinant protein expression, protein purification, and protein characterisation/interaction components of an Academy for Medical Sciences funded project. You will be provided with training and supervision for all duties, but the ability, once trained, to work independently and report to the group leader in the laboratory is expected.

The overarching aim of the project is to use multi-disciplinary approaches (particularly recombinant protein expression and purification, molecular biology, and eukaryotic cell biology) to study proteins involved in host-pathogen interactions.

You should apply if

You have experience of recombinant protein expression, purification, and downstream analyses and/or experience in molecular biology approaches.

• Experience of working in a technical laboratory to include laboratory techniques, process improvement and problem solving.
• Good IT skills, and an ability to effectively use software such as excel and power point is required.
• Excellent organisational skills, with the ability to deal with and prioritise a range of ongoing tasks at the same time, and to be able to cope under pressure.
• Ability to carry out procedures in an accurate and timely manner, and contribute to process improvement.
• Ability to work with minimal supervision towards pre-defined goals Proven experience of completing tasks to a high level of accuracy.

Additional information

School/Unit: Bristol Veterinary School, Langford, Bristol BS40 5DU

S hift   pattern : 35 hours per week

For informal queries, please contact: Dr. Ian Cadby; [email protected]

This advert will close   at   23:59 UK time   on 11/06/2024

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Money: Why are concert tickets so expensive? Here's who is really responsible

Ticket prices for some concerts have reached astronomical levels in recent years - we've looked at why and who is profiting. Read this and the rest of our Weekend Money content below and join us for live updates again from Monday.

Saturday 1 June 2024 07:51, UK

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By Katie Williams , Money team

Spending a fair chunk on going to see your favourite big artist is not new - but it certainly feels like concert prices have entered a new stratosphere.

Fans of Bruce Springsteen have paid upwards of £120 for "rear pitch" standing tickets for his May 2024 tour, while some expressed disappointment recently over the £145 price tag of standing tickets for Billie Eilish's 2025 UK leg.

And while you could have nabbed Beyonce or Taylor Swift tickets in the UK for £50 (before fees) if you took a "nosebleed" seat, these had limited availability and quickly sold out. General admission standing tickets for Swift's Eras tour - which comes to the UK next week - started at £110.40 and those at the front had to shell out £172.25. It didn't stop there - by the time many fans got to the front of the online ticket queue, the only tickets left cost upwards of £300.

So what's behind rising ticket costs? These are some of the reasons...

Fans willing to pay for big spectacles

Simply put, ticket prices would come down if people voted with their feet.

Matt Hanner, booking agent and operations director at Runway, said prices at the top level had "risen considerably" - but the increase was partly being driven by demand.

"We're seeing a lot more stadium shows, greenfield, outdoor festival-type shows which are now a staple of towns around the country," he said.

"There's a growing number of people that are happy to spend a large chunk of their disposable income on going to a major music event."

Jon Collins, chief executive of LIVE, the trade body representing the UK's live music industry, had a similar view.

He said there were more large-scale shows and tours now than ever, and there was "massive appetite" among music lovers for "bigger spectacles".

Fancy shows mean higher costs - with staffing, the price of the venue, transport, artists' needs, insurance and loads more to factor in.

Of course, all these things are affected by inflation. Collins said ticket prices also factored in the rising costs that had hit every venue from the grassroots scene to major arenas.

"You've got a couple of different factors - you've got the spectacle of the show and the production cost and everything that goes into the ticket price. But then you've also got the fundamentals," he said.

The cost of venue hire has increased "significantly" in the past couple of years due to electricity and gas price rises, he added.

"You've got the increase in the cost of people… very justifiable costs like increases in minimum wage and living wage. At every stage of the process we've got these cost increases that will all push through the pressure on the ticket price."

Are artists being greedy?

How much money artists really earn off live touring is of interest to many - but the music industry is generally reluctant to release details.

The people we spoke to suggested it was not as simple as artist greed because, as we mentioned earlier, there's a lot to pay for before anything reaches their bank accounts.

The Guardian spoke to anonymous insiders about this topic in 2017. Its report suggested that between 50-70% of gross earnings were left for promoters and artists. The piece also cited a commonly quoted figure that the promoter takes 15% of what is left and the act will get 85%.

It all depends on the calibre of the artist and how much work the promoter has had to put in - they could end up with a bigger share if it was a hard push to get the show sold.

The people we spoke to said music acts and their teams would discuss the ticket price, and the bigger the act, the more sway they have - but it's ultimately set by the promoter.

Taylor Swift - arguably the biggest popstar on the planet right now - is personally earning between $10m and $13m (£8m - £10.5m) on every stop of her Eras Tour, according to Forbes. She is reported to take home a whopping 85% of  all revenue  from the tour.

But it's worth pointing out, too, that she's been known to be generous with her cash, having given $100,000 bonuses to the dozens of lorry drivers working on the tour.

What have other artists said? 

Some artists have been critical of the high ticket prices being demanded by others.

Tom Grennan told ITV two years ago that he had seen "loads of artists putting tickets out that are way too expensive for the times that we are in", adding that he wanted people to enjoy shows without worrying if they could pay their bills.

Singer-songwriter Paul Heaton was also praised for capping ticket prices for his tour with Jacqui Heaton at £30 in a bid to tackle music industry "greed" and help people during the cost of living.

British star Yungblud recently announced his own music festival, Bludfest - saying the industry was too expensive and needed to be "shaken up".

"I believe that gigs are too expensive, festivals are too expensive, and I just wanted to work to create something that has been completely done by me," he told Sky News.

Meanwhile, frequent Swift collaborator Jack Antonoff has said "dynamic pricing" by ticket sale sites such as Ticketmaster was also an issue when it came to cost.

He told Stereogum that he wanted artists to be able to opt out of the system - which basically means ticket prices increase when a show is in demand - and be able to sell them at the price they choose.

On its website, Ticketmaster describes its "Platinum" tickets as those that have their price adjusted according to supply and demand.

It says the goal of the dynamic pricing system is to "give fans fair and safe access to the tickets, while enabling artists and other people involved in staging live events to price tickets closer to their true market value".

The company claims it is artists, their teams and promoters who set pricing and choose whether dynamic pricing is used for their shows.

Ticketing website fees

As well as dynamic pricing, "sneaky" fees by online ticket sites are also causing issues for live music lovers, according to the consumer champion Which?.

A report from the group last month said an array of fees that isn't seen until checkout can add around 20% to the cost of concert and festival tickets.

Which? has urged a crackdown on the "bewildering" extra charges, which include booking, "delivery" and "transaction" fees, venue charges and sometimes charges for e-tickets.

The Cure lead singer Robert Smith tweeted that he was "sickened" after fans complained last year about processing fees  on Ticketmaster that wound up costing more than the ticket itself in some cases.

Responding to the Which? findings, Ticketmaster (which was far from the only company named) said: "Fees are typically set by and shared with our clients… who all invest their skill, resource and capital into getting an event off the ground. Ticketmaster supports legislation that requires all-in pricing across the industry."

Live Nation and Ticketmaster sued over 'dominance'

The US government is suing Ticketmaster owner Live Nation over allegations the company is "monopolising" the live events industry.

Justice department officials said it was unfair for the firm to control around 70% of primary ticketing for concerts in America. 

Live Nation has been accused of using lengthy contracts to prevent venues from choosing rival ticket companies, blocking venues from using multiple ticket sellers and threatening venues that they could lose money and support if Ticketmaster wasn't the chosen seller.

Live Nation said the lawsuit reflected a White House that had turned over competition enforcement "to a populist urge that simply rejects how antitrust law works".

"Some call this 'anti-monopoly', but in reality it is just anti-business," it said.

And it said its share of the market had been shrinking and its profit margin of 1.4% was the "opposite of monopoly power".

The lawsuit "won't solve the issues fans care about relating to ticket prices, service fees and access to in-demand shows", the company said.

"We will defend against these baseless allegations, use this opportunity to shed light on the industry and continue to push for reforms that truly protect consumers and artists."

As well as reportedly controlling most of the ticketing market, Live Nation also owns and represents some acts and venues.

Canadian artist Dan Mangan told Moneywise this was enabling the company to take "more and more of the pie".

He said when venue rent, equipment and other costs were taken into account, lesser known artists could take as little as 20% of ticket sales.

Another major cost on tickets in the UK is VAT (value added tax).

At 20%, it's pretty hefty. It was brought down to 5% and then 12.5% as the live music industry was hampered by COVID, but returned to the pre-pandemic level in April 2022.

The charge puts the UK "out of step" with other countries, Collins said.

"In competitive major markets like France, it's 5%. Germany it's 7%, Italy it's 10%. Sales tax in the US is typically 6% or 7%. So we are significantly out of step with other markets when it comes to how much VAT we charge on tickets," he said.

Touring now bigger source of income for major stars

With the decline of physical products and the rise of subscription listening, artists are earning less from making music - and income from live shows has become more important for the biggest stars.

Writer and broadcaster Paul Stokes said major stars who would have toured infrequently in the past were now willing to put on more shows as it becomes increasingly profitable.

Some artists will even pencil in multiple nights at huge venues like Wembley Arena, he said - something that wouldn't have been considered two decades ago.

"When Wembley was built and they said 'we'll be doing regular shows' you'd think 'are there acts big enough to fill this massive stadium?'

"It's become absolutely part of the live calendar that artists will come and play not just one night at Wembley, but two or three every every summer."

Stokes said this demand has also prompted the scale of shows that we've become used to seeing, featuring expensive production and pyrotechnics.

Not being felt evenly

While a night out seeing a platinum-selling artist is likely to be an expensive affair, industry figures are also keen to point out that the escalation in ticket prices isn't necessarily happening at a lower level.

Collins said that while major stars were putting on arena shows, there would be plenty of other live music taking place at the same time, "from the free pub gig to the £10 ticket at the grassroots venue, to the £30 mid-cap".

"There's an absolute range of opportunities for people to experience live music, from free through to experiencing the biggest stars on the planet," he said.

But concertgoers choosing to save their cash for artists they're more familiar with may have led to a "suppression" of prices for lesser-known acts, Hanner noted.

"Everyone's short of disposable income because there's a cost of living crisis. [Artists' and promoters'] core costs are going up as well, so it's more expensive for everyone. That fear of pricing people out is just being compounded," he said.

"I think [that] has definitely led to prices being suppressed [at the lower level], when really they should have been going up."

With May in the rearview mirror, here are the key money dates for your calendar in June. 

1 June onwards - benefit changes

While benefits rose 6.7% from 8 April for many claimants, those who had their last assessment period before then will have had to wait until June to receive the new, higher rate. 

The exact date in June when that payment is made will depend on when you were assessed.

Also from 1 June, all people claiming Housing Benefit alone will be asked to claim Universal Credit instead within three months of receiving the letter.

Failure to do so could result in you losing your entitlement.

1-2 June - Heathrow disruption

Hundreds of border force officers at Heathrow Airport are striking until Sunday in a dispute over rosters.

More than 500 of its members working on passport control at terminals 2, 3, 4 and 5 are taking action.

Disruption is expected over the weekend as families return to the UK at the end of the half-term holiday.

5 June - new banknotes

Banknotes featuring the face of the King will enter circulation across the UK. 

Notes that feature the portrait of the late Queen will remain legal tender and will co-circulate.

The new banknotes will only be printed to replace those that are worn and to meet any overall increase in demand.

10 June - £500 cat fines

All cats over 20 weeks old in England must be microchipped by 10 June.

You could face a £500 if you miss the deadline and don't get your cat microchipped in the following 21 days.

The law does not apply to the rest of the UK.

16 June - Father's Day

As the day dedicated to dads and father figures approaches, it may be worth remembering to put some cash aside to treat them in mid-June.

19 June - inflation data released

We'll get May's inflation data in the monthly drop from the Office for National Statistics. 

This will give us the clearest indication of whether the Bank of England will lower interest rates.

Remember, the Bank's target is 2% (April's headline rate was 2.3%), so the closer we get to that number the better. 

20 June - interest rate decision

Another Monetary Policy Committee meeting at the Bank of England will determine whether we finally get a drop in interest rates. 

Many economists predict a cut from 5.25% will happen in August, but June isn't ruled out.

27 June - doctors' strike

Junior doctors in England will begin a five-day strike at 7am over pay.

The last strike by junior doctors led to 91,048 appointments, operations and procedures being postponed.

30 June - meter readings

Not a fixed date - more of a reminder.

From 1 July, the energy price cap will fall by £122 per year.

Your provider will do most of the work, but you can help keep your bill accurate by submitting meter readings (unless you have a smart meter) ahead of this date. 

The big topics covered in the Money blog this week that got you commenting were...

• Manchester United giving staff who don't want to come into the office a week to resign
• Raheem Sterling offering to pay for 14 people to go to university
• Fines for pebble-taking tourists on beaches
• The standing charge rising despite the energy price cap being cut

Let's start with the two football-related stories. 

Sir Jim Ratcliffe, new part-owner of Manchester United, sent an email round on Tuesday offering all non-playing staff the chance to resign (with their annual bonus paid early) within the week if they do not like his plan to stop working from home ...

Some praised his decision... 

Well done Sir Jim Ratcliffe. Finally, somebody who has the guts to stand up and end this 'working from home' nonsense! edwinbasnett

Sir Jim has got it right, decisions are decisive and provide clear expectations and an option to get out. WFH doesn't work at the levels seen following COVID, I'm sure it does for some but many take advantage and it's far more difficult to manage. Tel

Others not so much...

Thankfully there's not quite so stark an ultimatum from my employer, but I am planning to leave soon. It's a nonsense commuting to an office where I then engage with other colleagues over Teams/Zoom. Jim

Who wants to work for a **** like that anyway with that attitude? No filter

Earlier in the week, we learnt Raheem Sterling will financially support 14 students through university. 

Applications for the Raheem Sterling Foundation Scholarship Programme - which closed on Thursday - were open to students of black, African and Caribbean heritage from socio-economically under-represented backgrounds to help bridge the equality gap.

This will be the second year the Chelsea forward will assist successful applicants at King's College London and the University of Manchester.

Readers said...

Sterling is a credit to sport, football and his heritage. I hope more footballers will join him and his endeavours. Judy

This is brilliant - I have never understood why professionals in many fields do not give more back to their communities. Just a visit to their old primary school could turn a bright light on for so many kids. Why don't many more do it? Old white woman

Well done Raheem Sterling for financially supporting 14 students who would like to attend university. Sometimes professional football players get a negative press but this is amazing, well done. Anthony G

Away from football and to Cumbria - where beach-goers have been warned they could face a fine of up to £1,000 if they remove pebbles or shells across the area.

You said...

Why aren't the same rules applied to stop Southern Water dumping all their s*** into our seas. They take millions of pounds from normal people who trust them to process it correctly. Anti s outhern water

So that means the thrill of going to the beach and collecting a few shells is stopped. What about the scallop shells used in restaurants and supermarkets? What about the sacks of shells sold at garden centres? What about the tonnes of sand used every day etc etc? JR

Has the world gone mad? £1,000 fine for taking pebbles home from a beach? I think most children take a few pebbles home with them.  Bob

Many of you responded to last Friday's announcement that while the energy price cap would fall in July, standing charges - the set amount you pay for gas and electric each day regardless of use - would be going up.

Martin Lewis's explanation of it can be read here...

Here's what you said...

Are there any regulations for energy supplies regarding the standing charge? Every time the unit price drops my supplier raises the standing charge. SianW

Our energy bills have dropped, now the heating is off. However, the high daily standing charge means my bills are off the starting blocks even before the switches are flicked. Come the winter the price cap will rise again - not unlike profiteering in wartime. Porthy

My standing charges are almost three times what they used to be. I've cut back on my usage to the point I pay more a month in standing charges than I do usage so having the unit price drop makes little impact. P hunt

The energy companies have ripped us off for the last two years. The daily standing charge has to go. The shareholders have had real good dividends over the past few years, and therefore must pay for the people that can't pay their bills, because of the bonuses they have received. michael rogers

The Money blog is your place for consumer news, economic analysis and everything you need to know about the cost of living - bookmark news.sky.com/money.

It runs with live updates every weekday - while on Saturdays we scale back and offer you a selection of weekend reads.

Check them out this morning and we'll be back on Monday with rolling news and features.

The Money team is Emily Mee, Bhvishya Patel, Jess Sharp, Katie Williams, Brad Young and Ollie Cooper, with sub-editing by Isobel Souster. The blog is edited by Jimmy Rice.

An investigation has been launched into whether the biggest banking merger since the financial crisis could harm competition.

The Competition and Markets Authority announced the inquiry into Nationwide's £2.9bn takeover of rival Virgin Money this morning.

The move would bring together the fifth and sixth largest retail lenders, creating a combined group with around 24.5 million customers and nearly 700 branches.

It would spell the end of the Virgin Money brand, with Nationwide planning to rebrand the business within six years.

The CMA has invited interested parties to give their views on the deal, as it considers whether it could "result in a substantial lessening of competition" in the market.

Nationwide struck the takeover agreement in March, and last week a clear majority of 89% of Virgin Money shareholders voted in favour, helping to clear the path to complete.

The government has sold £1.24bn of its shares in NatWest, accelerating the process of private ownership.

The Treasury's shareholding in the high street bank has fallen by approximately 3.5 percentage points to 22.5%.

NatWest, formerly Royal Bank of Scotland, received multibillion-pound bailouts during the 2008 financial crisis, leaving the government with an 84% stake.

The government has been selling down its stake in the lender, with Chancellor Jeremy Hunt planning to sell all of its interest in the bank by 2025 or 2026 should the Conservatives be re-elected.

There was supposed to be a public share sale this summer, allowing individuals, not just institutional investors, to purchase stock, but the plans have been shelved due to the election.

In recent years, the sell-off has become more rapid. In 2018, the government owned 62% of the group, but by December of last year that was down to just under 38%.

In March, that fell below 30%, meaning the government was no longer classed as a controlling shareholder in the lender.

Earlier this year, NatWest wrote to shareholders asking them to support an increase in the amount of stock the bank could buy back from the government in a year, from just under 5% to 15%.

The establishment of Great British Energy is among the last remnants of the "green prosperity plan" devised and championed by Ed Miliband, the shadow secretary of state for energy security and net zero, three years ago.

The former Labour leader's vision was to spend £28bn per year in the first five years of an incoming Labour government on decarbonising the UK economy.

However, as the current leader Sir Keir Starmer recognised, the issue was swiftly weaponised by the Conservatives because all the money - as Mr Miliband himself had made clear - would have been borrowed.

More importantly, the plan did not survive contact with Rachel Reeves, the shadow chancellor, who has made fiscal responsibility her priority.

The £28bn-a-year spending pledge was watered down in February this year to one of £23.7bn over the life of the next parliament.

A sizeable chunk of that will be on Great British Energy, described by Mr Miliband as "a new publicly owned clean power company", which Labour has said will be initially capitalised at £8.3bn.

And, instead of the money being borrowed, Labour is now saying "it will be funded by asking the big oil and gas companies to pay their fair share through a proper windfall tax".

Read on  here... 

Edinburgh, Aberdeen and Dundee are joining Glasgow as cities with Low Emission Zones where motorists could face fines up to £480 if they don't comply.

The zones were introduced two years ago, but drivers were given a grace period before charges began.

In Dundee, the grace period ended today - in Edinburgh and Aberdeen it's tomorrow.

A non-compliant vehicle entering the zone can be charged £60, which doubles with each subsequent breach up to a maximum of £480.

If paid within 14 days, the initial fine will be halved to £30.

Despite the warning, only 55% of drivers in Scotland are confident they know where the zones are in operation, according to online marketplace Carwow.

Some 30% of Scottish motorists are not sure if they understand the rules and 24% are not sure if their vehicle is compliant.

"We therefore need to tackle the lack of understanding among motorists about Low Emission Zones in Scotland – where they are and which cars are compliant - because, without better knowledge, millions of drivers are at risk of being fined," said Sally Foote, chief commercial officer at Carwow.

The Low Emission Zones aim to discourage high-polluting vehicles from entering certain areas, just like those in English cities like Sheffield and Bristol.

Unlike English Clean Air Zones, Scottish LEZs apply to all types of vehicles except motorbikes and mopeds.

Non-compliant vehicles are not allowed into those zones whatsoever, unlike English LEZs, which apply a daily charge.

Ultra-low emission vehicles are automatically compliant, but others must conform to certain Euro emission ratings, which can be found in your V5C logbook - or you can check online.

Cars, vans, minibuses, taxis and private hire vehicles with a petrol engine must have at least a Euro 4 rating, while those with diesel engines should have a Euro 6.

Grants are available to people living within 20km of a LEZ who have no other choice but to sell or adapt their vehicles.

Hackers say they have stolen confidential information from all Santander staff and millions of customers, reports the BBC.

A gang going by the name of ShinyHunters posted an advert on a hacking forum claiming to be selling 30 million people's bank account details, six million account numbers and balances, 28 million credit card numbers and HR information for staff.

Earlier this month, the bank said data was accessed belonging to customers in Chile, Spain and Uruguay and all current Santander employees, but nothing that would allow transactions to take place.

As of March, Sandander as a whole employed more than 211,000 people and as of 30 June 2021, 20,900 employees worked for Santander UK.

Santander has declined to comment on the claims beyond a statement released on 14 May.

It read: "Certain information relating to customers of Santander Chile, Spain and Uruguay, as well as all current and some former Santander employees of the group had been accessed.

"No transactional data, nor any credentials that would allow transactions to take place on accounts are contained in the database, including online banking details and passwords. The bank's operations and systems are not affected, so customers can continue to transact securely.

"We apologise for the concern this will understandably cause and are proactively contacting affected customers and employees directly."

ShinyHunters have previously sold data stolen from AT&T and claim to be selling private data hacked from Ticketmaster, the BBC reported.

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The childcare conundrum: How can companies ease working parents’ return to the office?

Finding quality, affordable childcare has long been an issue for working parents in the United States, but events of the past two years have only intensified the challenge and highlighted what a porous, patchwork system childcare has become.

The global pandemic drove many day care centers, after-school programs, private nannies and babysitters, and other childcare resources to reduce their hours, change the scope of their services, or close their doors altogether. In response, some working parents in the United States left or considered leaving the workforce  as they struggled to meet employers’ work-from-home demands while still attending to the needs of homebound toddlers and school-aged children.

According to survey research we conducted recently with the Marshall Plan for Moms, 1 In February 2022, we conducted surveys of working parents across the United States. The surveys spanned multiple industries and demographic groups, with a population that was representative of census-tract demographics. There were 2,000 respondents who were parents of children under age 14 and 1,003 parents of children aged five and under. Marshall Plan for Moms (marshallplanformoms.com) is a campaign of the nonprofit organization Girls Who Code. the childcare conundrum continues: workable childcare options remain elusive for those planning a return to the workforce, for those who never left, and particularly for working mothers with preschool-aged children.

Indeed, the survey shows that 45 percent of mothers with children aged five and under who left the workforce during the COVID-19 pandemic cited childcare as a major reason for their departure, compared with just 14 percent of fathers who said the same. Additionally, 24 percent of the mothers with children aged five and under said they had considered reducing their hours or moving to a part-time schedule, compared with 18 percent of the fathers.

Many of these parents are midtenure employees who enhance the social fabric of their organizations— as many women managers have done in supporting colleagues’ health and well-being during the COVID-19 pandemic. If these parents do drop out, companies stand to lose functional expertise, institutional knowledge, managerial capabilities, and mentorship at a time when such skills are needed most.

As companies begin to think about managing returning talent and attracting new joiners—whether in traditional or hybrid work environments —they can no longer ignore employees’ (and potential employees’) childcare requirements. In this article, we review the findings from our research and outline the key challenges for working parents (particularly working mothers) with respect to affordability, quality, reliability, convenience, and accessibility of childcare.

Gone for now, or gone for good? How to play the new talent game and win back workers

We also suggest some ways for companies to better support their employees’ childcare-related needs. And it is important to start doing so now: the social contract between employers and employees in corporate America is being fundamentally rewritten on the fly. By removing penalties for parents who are taking care of young children, companies can turn the Great Attrition into the Great Attraction  and develop and advance more diverse talent.

Understanding the pain points

Our research points to five core challenges parents have had and are still facing in securing sustainable, equitable childcare.

Affordability. The cost of childcare varies across the United States depending on region and age of child; in general, however, care for very young children tends to be the most expensive given the recommended lower child-to-teacher ratios. 2 Hunter Blair and Elise Gould, “Who’s paying now? The explicit and implicit costs of the current early childcare and education system,” Economic Policy Institute, January 15, 2020.

It will likely come as no surprise, then, that for the working parents in our survey with children aged five and under, affordability was ranked as the top childcare concern (or tied for first with another concern). Cost was a particular concern for women and parents who worked hourly jobs and had to find care for children aged five and under (Exhibit 1).

The US Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) considers 7 percent of a family’s household income to be the threshold amount for childcare to be deemed affordable. Under that standard, the average annual cost of childcare for one child (about $9,400) would not be affordable for a family with a median household income below $130,000. 3 For information about family copayment contributions, see “Family Copayment Contribution,” Child Care Technical Assistance Network, accessed April 2022; and “Picking up the pieces: Building a better child care system post COVID-19,” Child Care Aware of America, July 2020.

Quality. Respondents ranked quality almost as high as affordability in our survey: 48 percent of parents with children aged five and under who are receiving some form of childcare said quality was their top concern (or tied for first with another concern). Parents overwhelmingly said they want their children in safe, supportive educational environments—though, according to academic research, only 13 percent of two-year-olds in the United States currently attend childcare settings that would be deemed high quality. 4 Emma K. Lee and Zachary Parolin, “The care burden during COVID-19: A national database of child care closures in the United States,” Sociological Research for a Dynamic World , Volume 7, January–December 2021.

Reliability. Industry data show that about 35 percent of childcare centers that were shuttered during the COVID-19 pandemic remain closed for various staffing and financial reasons. 5 Emma K. Lee and Zachary Parolin, “The care burden during COVID-19: A national database of child care closures in the United States,” Sociological Research for a Dynamic World , Volume 7, January–December 2021. When primary childcare options such as these are unavailable, working parents need access to reliable backups so they don’t have to significantly modify their work schedules or take time off entirely. However, only 8 percent of the working parents in our survey with children aged five and under said their employer provided access to emergency and backup childcare, and only 13 percent said their employer provided paid emergency-care days.

The lack of childcare backup may help explain why 50 percent of the working mothers in the cohort with children aged five and under believed their childcare responsibilities became “somewhat more difficult” or “much more difficult” during the COVID-19 pandemic; 40 percent of working fathers in this cohort said the same. Indeed, some 34 percent of working mothers reported childcare concerns as a top reason for voluntarily leaving the workforce, compared with 20 percent of working fathers (Exhibit 2). Those findings square with data from McKinsey and LeanIn.Org’s recent Women in the Workplace  report, which points to high rates of burnout among mothers of young children during the pandemic.

Convenience. Some 28 percent of the parents in our survey with children aged five and under who are receiving some form of childcare rated convenience as a top concern (or tied for first with another concern). While not as much of a deal breaker as affordability, questions of convenience did play a big role in these parents’ childcare decisions—for instance, is the childcare center close to the office (or close to home in the case of hybrid situations)? Do the center’s hours of operation match parents’ work schedules? If not, parents may be discouraged from signing up their children for caregiving programs, and the already-precarious work–life balance for employees may remain off-kilter.

Accessibility. In many US communities, there is often not enough childcare to adequately serve the population. According to a 2018 study by the Center for American Progress (CAP), more than half of US residents live in a childcare desert—communities where there may be three or more children for every available licensed childcare slot. These deserts are situated almost equally within rural and urban communities. 6 The Coronavirus will make child care deserts worse and exacerbate inequality , Center for American Progress Action Fund, June 22, 2020.

How can companies support employees’ childcare needs?

The working parents in our survey highlighted significant pain points in the childcare landscape, particularly in the care of very young children—but they also revealed some of what it would take to mitigate these issues and usher their return to the workplace. The data we compiled on recruitment, retention, and advancement may be of particular interest to companies that are reconsidering their employee value propositions in the wake of the Great Attrition . The employers who pay attention to this feedback, and act thoughtfully to support employees’ childcare needs, may gain a competitive edge with current and prospective employees. They may even establish themselves as destination workplaces over the long term—truly differentiating themselves in the ever-evolving talent game.

Recruitment and attraction

When it comes to recruitment and attraction, 69 percent of the women with children aged five and under who are currently looking for employment said they would be more likely to choose an employer that offered assistance with childcare expenses or provided access to on-site childcare. About half the respondents cited flexible working arrangements as the top reason they would pick one job over another, while 26 percent of respondents ranked predictable hours and scheduling as first priorities (assuming their compensation remained the same).

When deciding whether to stay with a company or switch to another, 83 percent of the women and 81 percent of the men in our survey with children aged five and under said that childcare benefits would be a “very important” or “somewhat important” factor in the decision. About 40 percent of respondents who were considering moving to a less-demanding job said that on-site childcare services at their current company may cause them to reconsider. And 38 percent of respondents said that their companies’ assistance with childcare expenses would also be a key factor in their staying put.

Advancement

The working mothers of children aged five and under in our research base said they received fewer professional-development opportunities as a result of their childcare responsibilities. Indeed, 57 percent reported feeling held back professionally for this very reason, compared with 38 percent of working fathers in our survey (Exhibit 3). Fifty-three percent of working mothers with children aged five and under who left the workforce temporarily, reduced their hours, or moved to a less-demanding job said they did so in full or in part because of childcare responsibilities. Additionally, 40 percent of respondents who refrained from pursuing promotion said having access to on-site childcare would have allowed them to reverse that decision.

Fifty-three percent of working mothers with children aged five and under who left the workforce temporarily, reduced their hours, or moved to a less-demanding job said they did so in full or in part because of childcare responsibilities.

Making the commitment

How companies choose to support employees’ childcare efforts will differ depending on industry context, operational implications, and available resources. However, particularly as people return to work (in whatever combination of physical and virtual presence that entails) and rebuild connections, there is no downside to polling working parents within your organization, identifying the childcare pain points unique to your organization, and discussing ways to address both the company’s and employees’ needs.

That’s what business leaders at the financial services company Synchrony did during the COVID-19 pandemic: they assessed the childcare needs of their corporate and call-center employees through surveys and listening sessions. As a result of that exercise, the company developed a package of benefits that has helped to empower and support working parents. The package included an extension from 25 to 60 days of backup childcare, the addition of virtual after-school and summer camp programs and tutoring, the distribution of laptops to further children’s education, and flexibility in employees’ hours and work location.

Other forms of commitment to employees may include:

• Addressing the childcare affordability gap. Companies may offer full or partial tuition subsidies for center- or home-based care, flexible-spending accounts for dependent care, or creative financing models to cover childcare costs in the first five years of a child’s life (the most expensive in terms of caregiving services).
• Expanding employees’ access to childcare. Companies may want to explore on-site day care initiatives, as Patagonia has done, offering childcare at its headquarters in California and at a distribution center in Reno, Nevada. Tuition is on a sliding scale, and services are available to both hourly and salaried workers. The company has reported 25 percent lower turnover rates among employees who use the childcare program compared with the overall workforce. 7 Kathryn Mayer, “Patagonia’s secret to employee engagement? Onsite daycare,” Employee Benefit News, June 28, 2017. Alternatively, companies could offer excess space in their facilities to childcare operators or provide demand guarantees to operators in childcare deserts.
• Making childcare more convenient. Companies can make childcare more convenient for working parents by addressing their need for flexible arrangements and hours—for instance, allowing them to change when they start and end their workdays so they can better meet childcare center drop-off and pickup deadlines. One professional-services firm has established a “bring your baby to work” program that allows new working mothers in particular to ease into changed routines at home and at work. Other businesses are offering telework and hybrid work arrangements to working parents (including both salaried and hourly employees). Synchrony, for instance, has adopted enhanced flex scheduling that allows team members to work through a centralized system to determine how and where they may be able to take hours off and make them up later. The company also employs split shifts, which lets employees complete a four-hour shift in the morning and a four-hour shift in the evening with extended time off in the middle of the day. Employees can also take vacation or personal time off in hourly increments.
• Ensuring greater reliability in childcare. Some companies offer services that give employees access to backup care if a nanny is sick, a home-based day care closes suddenly, or another emergency crops up. Such services may be subsidized by the company, in part or in whole. Synchrony’s backup-care benefit is notable in that the company cut the red tape and made it very easy for employees to choose the best provider for the situation ahead of time—whether a family member or a childcare center or other third-party option—ensuring that employees could get backup childcare on short notice.
• Raising the bar on quality. There are many ways employers can help working parents find quality childcare—including serving as a conduit to critical community information. A large clothing retailer, for instance, conducted a childcare census to understand the challenges and needs of working parents. Armed with such data, the company reached out to service providers and other key stakeholders in the community to identify the most relevant resources and share them with working parents.

Following the COVID-19 pandemic and the Great Attrition, the country is at a critical juncture where improving the childcare experience is fundamentally tied to gender equity and economic competitiveness. Corporate leaders have a unique opportunity to innovate in childcare support and help working families achieve their full potential. Providing this kind of support goes beyond the realm of employee benefits; it is core to employers’ value propositions and talent-development strategies.

Sarah Gitlin is an associate partner in McKinsey’s Washington, DC, office; Ayushi Gummadi is a consultant in the Bay Area office, where Alexis Krivkovich is a senior partner and Kunal Modi is a partner.

The authors wish to thank Kweilin Ellingrud, Dina Kuttab, Brandon Lu, Tracy Nowski, and Ramesh Srinivasan for their contributions to this article.

This article was edited by Roberta Fusaro, an executive editor in the Waltham, Massachusetts, office.

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