Design Researcher

Pontoon; Leeds; Hybrid; GBP 42,000 - 60,000; Full time

Job summary

Pontoon is seeking an experienced Design Researcher for a hybrid Leeds-based role with flexibility to work from Manchester, Bristol, or Edinburgh. The 6-month contract offers exposure to a high-profile digital transformation programme in financial services.

You will lead recruitment, run qualitative and usability studies, and collaborate with Agile product teams to turn insights into actionable product improvements.

Qualifications

• Proven experience in managing complex participant recruitment and research panels.
• Strong experience in Design Research, UX Research, or User Research.
• Excellent qualitative research skills and a solid background in usability testing.
• Experience sourcing participants with specific demographic, behavioural, or financial profiles.
• Strong stakeholder management and communication skills.
• Ability to translate research findings into clear actions and recommendations.
• Experience working within Agile product teams.
• Knowledge of both qualitative and quantitative research methodologies.

Responsibilities

• Planning and delivering end‑to‑end research activities across the product lifecycle.
• Leading qualitative research, including usability testing, interviews, concept testing, and contextual inquiry.
• Managing complex participant recruitment programmes and customer research panels.
• Recruiting niche and hard‑to‑reach customer groups using detailed screening criteria.
• Engaging with vulnerable or specialist customer segments as required.
• Synthesising insights into actionable recommendations for product enhancements.
• Creating research roadmaps and managing multiple concurrent workstreams.
• Partnering with Product, Design, and Engineering teams in Agile environments.
• Presenting findings to senior stakeholders and influencing decision‑making processes.
• Utilising tools such as Jira and Confluence to manage research activities effectively.

Skills

Recruitment management

Design research

Qualitative research

Usability testing

Stakeholder management

Insights synthesis

Agile product teams

Quantitative & qualitative methods

Tools

Jira

Confluence

Job description

Location: Leeds with flexibility to work from Manchester, Bristol, or Edinburgh.

Working Pattern: Hybrid- 2 days per week onsite.

Contract length: 6-months with potential extension.

The Opportunity

Our client is seeking an experienced Design Researcher to contribute to a high-profile digital transformation programme within the financial services sector. This is an exciting chance to help teams understand customer needs and behaviours, ensuring that customer insight drives product and business decisions from discovery through to delivery.In this pivotal role, the Design Researcher will manage complex participant recruitment and research panel activities, engaging a diverse range of participants, including those from hard‑to‑reach or specialist customer groups. This is a fantastic opportunity to deliver high‑quality research outcomes that will shape the future of the organisation's products and services.

What We're Looking For

• Proven experience in managing complex participant recruitment and research panels.
• Strong experience in Design Research, UX Research, or User Research.
• Excellent qualitative research skills and a solid background in usability testing.
• Experience sourcing participants with specific demographic, behavioural, or financial profiles.
• Strong stakeholder management and communication skills.
• Ability to translate research findings into clear actions and recommendations.
• Experience working within Agile product teams.
• Knowledge of both qualitative and quantitative research methodologies.

Desirable Experience

• Background in Financial Services, Banking, Government, or other regulated sectors.
• Familiarity with accessibility, inclusion, or vulnerable customer research.
• Experience in large-scale digital transformation programmes.
• Knowledge of ethnographic research, diary studies, or contextual inquiry.

What You'll Be Doing

• Planning and delivering end‑to‑end research activities across the product lifecycle.
• Leading qualitative research, including usability testing, interviews, concept testing, and contextual inquiry.
• Managing complex participant recruitment programmes and customer research panels.
• Recruiting niche and hard‑to‑reach customer groups using detailed screening criteria.
• Engaging with vulnerable or specialist customer segments as required.
• Synthesising insights into actionable recommendations for product enhancements.
• Creating research roadmaps and managing multiple concurrent workstreams.
• Partnering with Product, Design, and Engineering teams in Agile environments.
• Presenting findings to senior stakeholders and influencing decision‑making processes.
• Utilising tools such as Jira and Confluence to manage research activities effectively.

Why Join?

This role offers the chance to engage with one of the UK's largest Design Research communities, collaborating with seasoned researchers and influencing the services used by millions of customers. The position not only allows for the opportunity to impact product strategy and deliver meaningful customer outcomes but also provides an environment for professional growth and development.

If you are passionate about design research and want to make a significant impact in the financial services sector, this opportunity is for you!

We strive to respond to every application we receive. However, due to the volume of applications, if you have not heard from us within 10 working days, please assume that your application has not been successful on this occasion.

We use generative AI tools to support our candidate screening process. This helps us ensure a fair, consistent, and efficient experience for all applicants. Rest assured, all final decisions are made by our hiring team, and your application will be reviewed with care and attention.