A PhD can be wonderfully absorbing. You spend months refining a question, learning a dataset inside out, and stress-testing analyses until the results finally start to speak. However, even when the findings are strong, there is a persistent question that many doctoral researchers asked themselves quietly in the background: so what happens next?
For me, that question became a motivation. I wanted to understand what “impact” looks like inside government, how evidence competes with government priorities, and what it takes to translate research into something decision-makers can actually use. That is why, alongside my PhD, I undertook a three-month placement with the Open Innovation Team (OIT), a cross-government unit that works with academics and other experts to generate analysis and ideas for policy. The placement was from October to December 2024. It was short, intense, and genuinely transformative.
Why I applied
My starting point was a feeling many researchers will recognise: a sense of distance between the questions we ask in academia and the questions policy teams need answered very quickly. I was curious about that gap, and I also wanted to test whether policy could be part of my long-term career path.
The application process itself was an interesting experience. It began long before I walked into an office in Westminster. The timeline stretched from an April 2023 deadline, through a written test and interview process, to the eventual security clearance and funding requirements in Summer 2024 for the October start of the placement.
One part that stayed with me was the written test. The task was to draft a briefing note for a new minister, summarising the evidence, proposing a programme of work, and explaining how the OIT could help, all within an hour! It was a masterclass in prioritisation and working under pressure. When you are working against the clock, you cannot obsess over every word. At the same time, you also know that being too vague is not an option. It forces you to get to the point and say what matters.
What the Open Innovation Team actually does
In simple terms, the OIT helps government departments review evidence, engage experts, develop policy thinking, and evaluate impact. It works like an “in-house research consultancy” for the government, and it operates at a different pace compared to academia.
What surprised me early on was how much policy work is shaped by context, not just evidence. Evidence matters, but it has to be weighed alongside the governing party’s priorities, what constituents are asking for, what is feasible to deliver, and what is urgent right now. That is why relationships and communication matter so much. Evidence travels through conversations, trust, and clear writing that speaks to the decision in front of you.
What I worked on
Over the three months, I contributed to several projects, often in parallel. A major piece of work was with the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG), supporting a project exploring and developing a recommendation arising from the Grenfell Tower Inquiry. I was involved from the outset, helping with an extensive literature review and developing internal government reports. I helped identify academics and other experts for interviews, and took a central role in organising and conducting them.
My research background is in health inequalities, so engaging with the construction and building safety space was a completely new world for me. The work was technically demanding, and it highlighted how policy questions have direct real-world impact. It was also reassuring to see how carefully people worked, even under tight timelines, to reduce the risk of similar tragedies in the future.
I also carried out scoping work for other commissions, including work related to the new government’s health and safer streets missions, and a piece of work for the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero (DESNZ) on commercial-grade heat pumps and decarbonisation.
Beyond project delivery, there were opportunities to contribute to the OIT’s work with partner universities. I supported “impact advice clinics”, where the team provides tailored advice to academics on increasing the policy impact of their research. Topics ranged from AI algorithms to improving NHS efficiency, to the use of machine translation tools in public services.
One of my favourite experiences was supporting a “policy school”, where undergraduate students develop a mock policy proposal and present it to the OIT. I delivered part of the introductory session, mentored a student team, and later served as a judge for the presentations. It was brilliant to see so many young people bring fresh ideas and turn them into genuinely strong proposals. Watching them grow in confidence as they presented was a good reminder that you often find your voice by having a go, not by waiting until you feel completely ready.
Throughout the placement, I attended training on government and the civil service, project delivery, translating academic work for policy, interviewing, and workshop facilitation. I also gave a short 3-minute thesis-style talk to the team, which was a useful exercise in explaining my research clearly to a non-expert audience.
What I learnt, and what I will carry forward
- Policy is fast-paced
Policy work is fast. That does not reduce the importance of rigour. It sharpens the focus on producing evidence that is clear, decision-relevant, and usable in the time available. - Impartiality is not optional
In government, the discipline of impartiality is a professional anchor. It shapes language, it shapes how options are presented, and it shapes how you handle uncertainty. For researchers used to arguing for a conclusion, this can be a recalibration, and a useful one. - Communication is an intervention
You can have the best evidence in the world, but if it is wrapped in jargon or buried in methods, it will not travel. I learnt to start with the problem, be clear about what the evidence does and does not tell us, and spell out what it means in practice. - Culture matters
I was struck by the OIT’s supportive team culture, its diversity of backgrounds, and an explicit focus on wellbeing and psychological safety. That environment made it easier to ask questions quickly, learn fast, and feel part of the team.
Practical tips for researchers who want policy impact
A few lessons I would pass on, especially to PhD students and early career researchers:
- Make yourself easy to find. Put clear contact details on your profiles and papers, and keep a short, plain-English description of your expertise ready.
- Treat networking as part of the job. Build and maintain relationships, including through platforms like LinkedIn, not for popularity, but for connection.
- Lead with the “why”, then the “what”, then the “so what”. A simple narrative structure helps policy colleagues act.
- Avoid over-claiming. Be clear about uncertainty and limitations and make options visible rather than insisting on a single path.
- Remember the context. Ministers and decision-makers weigh evidence alongside constituency needs, public opinion, media attention, and party priorities. If you understand that reality, you can communicate more effectively without compromising integrity.
Get your research into the rooms where decisions are made. Write short blogs or explainers, connect with All-Party Parliamentary Groups (APPGs), follow select committees, and look for chances to share evidence in formats that policy teams can actually use
Closing reflections
When I went back to my PhD after the placement, something had changed. I still cared just as much about the rigour of my work and getting the methods right, but I found myself thinking more about how to explain the work clearly, who it needed to reach, and what it might be useful for. It did not pull me away from research. If anything, it helped me share it more confidently beyond academia.
If you are a doctoral student wondering whether your work can live beyond journals and conferences, my answer is yes. It can, and it should. Sometimes the most meaningful impact starts with a simple decision: to step into unfamiliar spaces, to learn the language of the people you hope to influence, and to keep showing up until evidence becomes action.
Enrico Pfeifer
UBEL-DTP Alumni (Pathway: Lifecourse and Social Epidemiology)