Research Fellow (CenTax) (109360-1025)

For informal enquiries, please contact Beverley Morris (Centre Manager (CenTax)) at Beverley.morris@warwick.ac.uk

The Centre for the Analysis of Taxation (CenTax) is a research centre dedicated to advancing knowledge and understanding of taxation policies and practices. Led by Dr Arun Advani (Warwick) and Dr Andy Summers (LSE), research is undertaken to generate rigorous quantitative evidence on tax at the top, develop targeted and feasible reforms, and communicate findings transparently to policy, media and civil society stakeholders.  Projects include analysis of the characteristics, behaviours and impacts of high earners in the UK; analyses of the UK’s “non-dom” regime, top-end migration, capital gains, and evaluation of policies for taxing wealth in the UK. Further details are available on the CenTax webpage.

As a Research Fellow, you will undertake research contributing to and supporting work of CenTax, using administrative tax data accessed via the UK tax authority’s secure research facility, HMRC Datalab. In particular, you will contribute to new research focused on the taxation of trusts. As well as direct responsibility for data analysis, you will help to supervise a team of research assistants, and contribute to designing, writing and presenting academic papers and policy reports. There is particular emphasis on career development, supported by exposure to a range of research tasks and mentoring from lead researchers.

As part of the CenTax team, you would benefit from our existing data access and infrastructure built up over many years of research. This is by far the most comprehensive access to UK tax data of any research team, including several datasets on trusts and offshore income/gains that have never previously been used for research purposes.

Base Location

• HMRC Datalab, 14 Westfield Avenue, London E20 1HZ.
• There is also access to CenTax’s office spaces in the London School of Economics.

You will hold a good honours degree and a PhD in Economics (or be close to submission), ideally in the area of public economics, with a focus on offshore wealth and tax evasion/avoidance.

Any publication(s) or working papers in the area of offshore wealth and/or tax evasion and avoidance would be an advantage.

If you are near submission or have recently submitted your PhD but have not yet had it conferred, any offers of employment will be made as Research Assistant at the top of level 5 of the University grade structure. Upon receipt of evidence of the successful award of your PhD, you will be promoted to Research Fellow on the first point of level 6 of the University grade structure. 

For details on the experience and skills required, please refer to the job description attached as a PDF below.

The Department of Economics at Warwick is consistently ranked among the top economics departments both in Europe and globally. In the 2021 Research Excellence Framework, which assesses the quality of research in UK higher education institutions, 99% of the Department’s research was rated world-leading or internationally excellent - placing us 2nd in the UK for economics.

The base location will be the HMRC Datalab, 14 Westfield Avenue, London, E20 1HZ and a London weighting of £5,000 per year will be provided.

We are a world-leading research-intensive university founded in 1965. We are ranked 106th in the world and 8th in the UK.* Additionally, 92% of our research is rated world-leading or internationally excellent.**

Find out more about us at warwick.ac.uk/about/.

* World University Ranking 2024, Guardian University Guide 2025

** Research Excellence Framework 2021

CLOSING DEADLINE: Sunday 30th November 2025 at 11:55pm (UK Time)

To apply, please click "Apply" below and submit an application form by the closing deadline. You will be asked to include a CV and a cover letter.

Your CV should include:

• Your education and employment history (including your most recent employment).
• Any other relevant experience (e.g. volunteering, extracurricular, etc.).

Your cover letter should explain:

• Your motivations for applying to the role.
• Using examples, how you meet the essential and desirable criteria detailed in the job description (PDF attached below).

All essential criteria must be met by candidates who are invited to interview.

You are welcome to include details of any career breaks (e.g. parental leave, caring responsibilities, sick leave).

For guidance on writing a cover letter, see here. 

• Interview Date: Early January 2026
• Desired Start Date: To be confirmed 

Please note application forms must be submitted before the stated deadline - you will not be able to submit after 23:55 (even if you opened the form earlier). Only applications submitted via our official careers portal (warwick-careers.tal.net) will be considered.

We provide a comprehensive range of benefits, including:

• An attractive pension scheme.
• 30 days holiday plus University Christmas closure.
• Generous parental/adoption leave policy.
• Excellent learning and development opportunities.

We recognise the importance of a healthy work/life balance and offer access to flexible working arrangements. For more information, see here.

We are proud to be a Living Wage employer.

Equality, Diversity, & Inclusion

Warwick is committed to fostering a diverse, inclusive and respectful community where everyone can thrive. We welcome applications from all backgrounds, cultures, and communities, and actively encourage candidates from underrepresented groups to apply.

Find out more about our Social Inclusion work at Warwick.

Find out more about our awards and accreditations.

We are also one of the six founder institutions of the EUTOPIA European University Alliance.

Safeguarding & DBS

The University of Warwick is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of all those we work with.

• Roles involving regulated activity are subject to a Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check at the appropriate level, in line with the DBS Code of Practice.
• The University will ensure that anyone subject to a barring order does not undertake any work with the barred group (children and/or adults).
• All employees, volunteers, and partners are expected to share our commitment to safeguarding.

Rehabilitation of Ex-Offenders

The University will not discriminate against applicants who make a disclosure relating to a conviction.

Disclosures at application stage are only visible to the DBS team, not to hiring panels. This ensures fairness and removes bias from the shortlisting process.