Knowledge Analyst
Location
London – Office based
Job Type
Perm
Hours
9 – 5 Monday to Friday
Salary
Competitive with excellent benefits
About RSSB
RSSB is an expert body that helps the rail industry collaborate to continuously improve
and meet future challenges. It spans the whole railway, including in its membership
infrastructure companies, train and freight operators, rolling stock owners and suppliers
to the industry. RSSB supports rail in the areas of safety, standards, knowledge,
innovation and a wide range of cross-industry schemes.
A key part of RSSB activities is the management of the R&D cross industry programme
worth in excess of £9m each year. This delivers a wide range of answers, toolkits,
models and knowledge to improve the business of operating and engineering the
railway system.
The role
Within the R&D department, RSSB’s Knowledge Analysis team is responsible for:
 Carrying out knowledge search, technology watch and horizon scanning activities.
 Delivering reports capturing the state of current knowledge, potential gaps, future
trends and knowledge transfer opportunities.
 Presenting findings to industry stakeholders.
 Identifying, establishing and maintaining relationships with sources of intelligence in
rail and other sectors from GB and beyond.
As part of this team, using text-based research, technology watch activities, horizon
scanning techniques, and trends monitoring, this role will deliver ‘Knowledge Searches’,
intelligence reports created for RSSB and the wider industry. These reports aim to:
 Informing the industry on current state of knowledge and potential future trends in a
given subject area.
 Identifying opportunities and risks from emerging technologies.
 Identifying technology transfer opportunities.
 Identifying sources of intelligence in other sectors and countries.
 Providing analytical support to research projects and industry strategies.
1
The role work closely with the Evaluation Analysts and other Knowledge Analysts to
provide efficient and effective analytical services to R&D department and the wider
organisation.
Key responsibilities
 Conduct Knowledge Searches on a broad range of subjects.
 Produce a range of deliverables (reports, presentations, summaries) that effectively
communicate key findings and conclusions from the intelligence gathering and
analysis activities conducted.
 Research a wide variety of topics that can be highly technical by nature. Assess
technologies with regards to maturity, impact and applicability to rail.
 Contribute to the development of the Knowledge Analysis team. This includes
ongoing improvement of the services in offer, communication of their availability and
value, as well as the methodologies, models and templates that underpin them.
 Provide analytical support to the development of research ideas and projects. In
particular, support the identification of what research is already being done (by RSSB
or others) to address an issue or seize an opportunity, what are the knowledge gaps,
and what additional or future actions are required to address them and/or exploit
existing knowledge.
 Support the maintenance of an up-to-date evidence base to inform research decisions
and be a key contributor of content into SPARK, RSSB’s knowledge sharing hub.
 Keep intelligence gathering skills and analytical capabilities updated to meet the
changing needs of the R&D department.
Requirements
 Educated to a degree level or beyond, preferably in an engineering or scientific field.
 Proven research skills, preferably in scientific and engineering disciplines. Be able to
define and structure problems, critically review literature, analyse and interpret data
and draw conclusions.
 Excellent communication skills. Experience in conveying complex issues to nontechnical users.
 Excellent writing skills, from detailed reports to short targeted executive summaries.
 Be able to synthesise information from a wide variety of resources, including
academic literature, industry reports, forums and technology digests.
 Experience with applying horizon scanning techniques is useful.
 Confident in presenting findings and recommendations to a broad variety of key
clients and external stakeholders.
 Strong organisational skills.
 An ability to develop productive working relationships and work in teams.
2
How to apply
If you’re keen to fulfil your potential in the rail renaissance by joining us at RSSB, then
please email your CV and covering letter to vacancies@rssb.co.uk.
You can find out more about RSSB by visiting our website at www.rssb.co.uk
3