User Researcher

DWP Digital; Birmingham; Hybrid; GBP 28,000 - 47,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Flexible hours

Hybrid working

Civil service pension

26–31 days leave

Flexi-time extras

Volunteer time off

Career development

Job summary

DWP Digital is seeking a User Researcher to plan, design, and deliver research using qualitative and quantitative methods, working with designers, product managers, and developers to test ideas and evaluate services.

You'll analyse findings, communicate insights clearly, and help teams build a shared understanding to place user needs at the heart of service design. This role supports a hybrid working model and a strong emphasis on work-life balance.

Qualifications

• Experience of conducting primary qualitative research, gained through a research role or academic study with qualitative components.
• Experience of planning, designing and delivering qualitative research, selecting appropriate methods to meet user, service and organisational needs.
• Ability to communicate research findings effectively and use evidence-based insight to inform decision-making and influence outcomes.
• Experience analysing and synthesising qualitative and quantitative data from multiple sources to identify user needs and provide actionable recommendations.

Responsibilities

• Plan, design and deliver qualitative and quantitative research.
• Collaborate with designers, product managers and developers to test ideas and evaluate services.
• Analyse findings and communicate insights to inform decision-making and influence outcomes.

Skills

Qualitative research

Research planning

Data analysis

Stakeholder communication

Education

Relevant research-focused education

Job description

Pay up to £46,547 plus 28.97% employer pension contributions, hybrid working, flexible hours, and great work life balance.

DWP. Digital with Purpose.

At DWP Digital, our User Researchers play a vital role in improving services used by millions of people across the UK, as well as systems that support over 100,000 colleagues in the UK's largest government department.

Whether you're researching services that support some of the most vulnerable people in the UK or tools used by colleagues delivering essential public services, your work will have a direct impact on how those services are designed and developed.

As a User Researcher, you'll plan, design and deliver research using a range of qualitative and quantitative methods.

You'll work closely with designers, product managers, developers and other specialists to understand problems, test ideas and evaluate services.

You'll analyse and communicate findings in a clear and meaningful way, helping teams build a shared understanding.

Joining DWP Digital means becoming part of one of the largest and most experienced digital communities in government. Come and work on services that make a genuine difference to people's lives, while helping to ensure user needs remain at the heart of everything we do.

What skills, knowledge and experience will you need?

• Experience of conducting primary qualitative research, gained through a research role (such as market, social, academic or user research) or through academic study involving a significant qualitative research component, with the ability to gather, analyse and interpret findings to inform decision making.
• Experience of planning, designing and delivering qualitative research, selecting appropriate research methods to meet user, service and organisational needs.
• Ability to communicate research findings effectively and use evidence-based insight to inform decision-making and influence outcomes.
• Experience of analysing and synthesising qualitative and quantitative data from multiple sources to identify user needs and provide actionable recommendations for teams and stakeholders.

Please pay attention to the specific criteria detailed on the Civil Service Job advert. To be successful you'll need to demonstrate evidence of working in a research role (this could be market research, social research, academic research or user research) or completing academic studies which included a significant element of primary, qualitative research.

Location:

You'll join us in one of our brilliant digital hubs in Birmingham, Blackpool, Leeds, Manchester, Newcastle or Sheffield, whichever is most convenient for you.

Hybrid Working:

We work a hybrid model - you'll spend some time working at home (40%) and some-time collaborating face to face in a hub or conducting research (60%).

Pay:

We offer competitive pay of up to £46,547.

Pension:

You'll get a brilliant civil service pension with employer contributions worth 28.97%.

Holidays:

A generous leave package starting at26 days rising to 31 days over time.

You can also take up to 3 extra days off a month on flexi-time. You'll also get all the usual public holidays.

We have a broad benefits package built around your work-life balance which includes:

• Flexible working including flexible hours and flex-friendly policies
• Time off volunteering and charitable giving
• Bring your authentic self to work with 'I Can Be Me in DWP'
• Discounts and savings on shopping, fun days out and more
• Interest-free loans to buy a bike or a season ticket, so it's even easier for you to get to work and start making a difference
• Sports and social activities
• Professional development, coaching, mentoring and career progression opportunities.

And we have an award-winning environment and culture:

• DWP have been recognised as 2024 Diversity Employer of the Year at the Computing Women in Tech Excellence awards
• Diverse and Inclusive Leadership at Digital Leaders Awards 2024
• Commended as Best Place to Work in Digital category in the Computing Digital Technology Leaders awards 2025
• Recognised as one of the Best Public Sector Employers at 2025 Women In Tech Employer Awards