Research Officer in Evidence

Overview

Tipperary, Ireland Posted on 05/25/2026

Responsibilities

• Completing evidence products using a systematic approach
• Collaborating with an information specialist to implement a rigorous and documented search
• Mapping the information and literature available in collaboration with an information specialist
• Assessing the suitability of the literature to answer research questions
• Assessing the quality of the literature
• Extracting findings systematically
• Analysing and synthesising published data
• Identifying what is known about a topic, and subsequently, gaps in knowledge
• Preparing presentations and writing briefing papers and reviews in specific areas
• Commissioning evidence reviews
• Assisting with the preparation of a business case for the executive team
• Assisting with the completion of a needs assessment for evidence reviews with policy makers or planners and agreeing the review questions
• Preparing evidence review with the Head of Unit specification for the executive team and procurement review team
• Working with the Head of Unit and procurement manager to advertise the review, answer applicants' questions and evaluate tenders
• Working with the Head of Unit, procurement manager, and legal officer to prepare contracts and finalise the awardees work plan and timeline
• Representing the HRB and working with the academic team and policy maker to agree changes to questions, approach to literature search, and final report
• Managing the academic team to agree search methods, agree extraction sheet, agree quality assessment, and read draft reports
• Overseeing and negotiating with the academic team to ensure policy makers or practitioners comments are attended to
• Securing peer reviewers and ensuring their comments are attended to
• Managing the academic team to ensure the schedule of deliverables in the contract is complied with and payments for completed work are sanctioned
• Providing research training and mentoring to stakeholders
• The stakeholder training and mentoring will include information or assistance on completing a literature search, reading a research paper (including the tables and figures), critically appraising a paper, analysing basic statistical data, and analysing basic text-based data
• Assisting the HOU with the development of guidance documentation to ensure research work is completed using best practice and agreed standards through preparing and updating guidelines and protocols
• Measure the quality of research proposals and outputs
• Disseminate research (knowledge brokering)
• Protocols for managing large databases, mapping research, and conducting reviews using systematic methods
• Disseminating research to policy makers, service planners and practitioners using innovative methods which will include:
• Membership of DOH and HSE working groups (policy makers, service planners, service providers, service users and researchers)
• Presenting oral reviews
• Other novel methods

Requirements

Essential knowledge and experience

Formal requirements include

• A minimum of a NFQ Level 9 qualification (Masters' degree) with a heavy emphasis on research
• Four to five years' relevant research experience, which includes the completion and publication of evidence or quantitative, qualitative, or mixed methods systematic reviews
• A PhD and peer review publication record would be an advantage
• Knowledge and experience of meta-analysis, meta-ethnography, other qualitative review and/or mixed methods is desirable
• Knowledge and experience using referencing and review management packages is advantageous