GES Summer JD - BIST 2027

Department for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade

(BIST)  

Locations : Birmingham, Cardiff, Darlington, Edinburgh, London and Salford  

Number of placements: 4  

Salary:  National: £29,699 per annum | London: £33,890 per annum  

Security clearance: Baseline Personnel Security Standard (BPSS)  

Teams / Directorates 

Analysis & Wages, Employment Rights Directorate (2 placements); Economy and Strategic Analysis (2 placements)  

About the placements  

BIST is offering four Government Economic Service summer placements across the Analysis & Wages team in the Employment Rights Directorate and Economy and Strategic Analysis. The placements offer an opportunity to apply economic theory and analytical techniques to live policy questions, work alongside experienced analysts and see how evidence informs decisions across government.  

Analysis & Wages team, Employment Rights Directorate  

Two placements are available in the Analysis & Wages team in the Employment Rights Directorate. The team is part of a multidisciplinary community of more than 50 analysts providing evidence and insight across BIST’s labour market portfolio. The team’s work helps shape decisions affecting millions of workers and employers across the UK, ensuring policy is informed by robust analysis and a strong understanding of labour market trends.  

Employment rights is a top Government priority, with an ambitious programme of labour market reform being delivered through the Make Work Pay agenda. The team supports the development of a labour market that promotes high employment participation, good-quality jobs, fair pay and better working conditions.  

Analysts work closely with policy teams across areas including the National Minimum Wage, fair and secure work, workers’ rights, trade unions and workplace representation, support for working families, and the effective enforcement of employment law. Depending on the role, the summer student could:  

• Build and develop robust evidence bases using a range of analytical techniques, data sources and research methods.  

• Produce high-quality analysis to inform policy development, implementation, monitoring and evaluation.  

• Work with colleagues across Government, academia, business and representative organisations to strengthen evidence, test assumptions and improve analytical approaches.  

• Communicate analytical findings clearly to policy colleagues, senior officials and ministers.  

• Contribute to strategic analysis of labour market trends, risks, opportunities and challenges.  

Economy and Strategic Analysis  

Two placements are available in Economy and Strategic Analysis, covering the Industrial Policy Analysis team and the UK Macroeconomics team.  

Industrial Policy Analysis team  

This role supports the policy design and delivery of the Industrial Strategy. The summer student will contribute to cross-cutting analytical work examining how government interventions can support economic growth, productivity and resilience through skills, place and procurement policy.  

Working alongside experienced analysts, the student will help develop evidence and analysis that informs the Industrial Strategy and wider BIST growth priorities. The role offers scope to work across multiple policy areas, develop a broad understanding of the drivers of UK economic performance and apply economic theory and analytical techniques to real-world policy challenges.  

UK Macroeconomics team  

This role supports the delivery of timely, high-quality economic analysis for ministers, senior officials and colleagues across BIST. The summer student will contribute to the team’s macroeconomic briefing function by helping to produce briefing packs, data updates and short notes on key UK economic developments.  

The student will also support deeper analytical projects on topics such as growth, inflation, labour markets, living standards and productivity. The work may include analysing economic data, producing charts and presentations, undertaking desk-based research and distilling complex evidence into clear and accessible briefing products. The placement offers practical exposure to live economic policy issues and an understanding of how macroeconomic developments affect business, trade and growth policy.  

Skills and experience  

Successful candidates will be expected to demonstrate:  

• A sound understanding of economic concepts and an interest in applying economics to public policy.  

• The ability to collect, analyse and interpret qualitative and quantitative evidence.  

• The ability to present complex information clearly and accurately to technical and non-technical audiences.  

• Effective organisation, collaboration and stakeholder-management skills.  

• Initiative and the ability to deliver high-quality work to agreed deadlines.  

Working arrangements and locations  

Placements may be available in Birmingham, Cardiff, Darlington, Edinburgh, London and Salford. The specific team and location available to each successful candidate will be subject to departmental business needs and the allocation process.  

Eligibility and security requirements  

Candidates must meet the eligibility requirements set out in the central GES Summer Placement Scheme campaign, including the applicable Civil Service nationality and right-to-work requirements. Successful candidates will be required to meet the Baseline Personnel Security Standard (BPSS) and complete any other applicable pre-employment checks.  

Please note: sponsorship is not available for this scheme.