Senior User Researcher

Career Choices Dewis Gyrfa Ltd; Cardiff; On-site; GBP 44,000 - 60,000; Full time

Job summary

A government organization in Cardiff is seeking a Senior User Researcher to lead research activities and oversee other researchers. The role emphasizes inclusive practices and collaboration with multidisciplinary teams. Ideal candidates will have experience in user research, particularly within complex government services, and the ability to communicate findings effectively to enhance service design. This permanent full-time position offers a competitive salary and a commitment to quality research practices.

Benefits

Disability Confident employer scheme

Opportunities for professional development

Qualifications

• Experience as a Senior User Researcher in complex government services.
• Ability to plan and design user research activities.
• Knowledge of Government Service Standard and GDS guidelines.

Responsibilities

• Conduct user research in complex subject areas.
• Supervise and develop other user researchers.
• Effectively communicate findings to influence delivery.

Skills

User research

Agile methodologies

Inclusive research practices

Job description

£44,586 to £59,466 per year, London: £48,485 to £59,466 / National: £44,586 - £55,649 (including allowance). Your salary will be determined by your skills and capability as assessed at interview.

Contract Type:

Permanent

Hours:

Full time

Disability Confident:

Yes

Closing Date:

18/01/2026

About this job

About us The Department for Business and Trade (DBT) has a clear mission

• to grow the economy.

Our role is to help businesses invest, grow and export to create jobs and opportunities right across the country.

We do this in three ways.

Firstly, we help to build a strong, competitive business environment, where consumers are protected and companies rewarded for treating their employees properly.

Secondly, we open international markets and ensure resilient supply chains.

This can be through Free Trade Agreements, trade facilitation and multilateral agreements.

Finally, we work in partnership with businesses every day, providing advance, finance and deal-making support to those looking to start up, invest, export and grow.

The Digital, Data and Technology (DDaT) directorate develops and operates tools and services to support us in this mission.

The team have been nominated four times in a row for ‘Best Public Sector Employer’ at the Women in Tech awards As a Senior User Researcher, you'll play a key leadership role in our User Centred Design Community working as part of a multidisciplinary team collaborating with teams across DBT. You will be conducting your own research, championing quality, innovation, and creativity in how we approach all aspects of design and how we bring concepts to life for stakeholders to effect change.

Within your role you will understand the importance of inclusive research practices, taking pride in ensuring research is representative of a wide range of people and communities that DBT serve.

Senior User Researchers at the Department for Business and Trade plan, design and carry out research activities with users that help teams develop a deep understanding of the people that use government services, citizens, businesses, and government.

User research informs policy, proposition, service, content, and interaction design so that services work well for users and achieve policy intent.

As a Senior User Researcher, reporting to a Lead User Researcher, you will need to be an experienced practitioner who can plan, design, and conduct user research activities in larger teams and on complex government services.

Responsibilities

• Conduct user research in complex subject areas.
• Supervise and develop other user researchers to ensure research practice is high quality, ethical, and safe.
• Build user‑centred practices in multi‑disciplinary teams using agile and iterative user‑centred design methods.
• Effectively communicate user research findings to the team and the wider organisation, to influence delivery.
• Help teams to research inclusively with a wide range of users, including those with additional needs and other hard‑to‑reach groups.
• Take a dynamic role in the DBT user research community, helping develop and improve our practice across the department.
• Help teams build services that apply the Government Service Standard, supporting teams to prepare for service assessments in line with GDS guidelines for building a good service.
• Identify metrics and other data that’s available to support user research and use this data to enhance your team’s understanding of user needs.
• Lead on planning, designing and preparing a range of user research activities to support the design, development and continuous improvement of our services.

Proud member of the Disability Confident employer scheme.