User Researcher

UK Home Office

Croydon

Hybrid

GBP 46,062 - 50,182

Full time

14 days+

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Benefits offered by this job

Civil service pension with employer contribution

In-year reward scheme

Flexible working options

25 days annual leave

Paid parental leave

Paid leave for fostering processes

Support for carers

Job summary

A government agency in the UK is looking for a User Researcher to plan, design, and execute research activities aimed at enhancing the design of government services. The ideal candidate will utilize various user research methods and communicate insights to influence service design effectively. This mid-senior level role offers a full-time position with a competitive salary and extensive benefits, including a civil service pension and flexible working options.

Qualifications

Proficient in user research methods across different life-cycle phases.
Ability to articulate the benefits of a user-centred approach to stakeholders.
Apply ethical research standards ensuring participant wellbeing.
Conduct research with diverse user groups for inclusive services.
Analyze research data and communicate findings clearly.
Facilitate group work and seek feedback to improve outcomes.

Responsibilities

Plan and execute research activities for government service design.
Develop research plans, utilizing methods like usability testing and interviews.
Deliver insights from research to influence design decisions.

Skills

User research methods

Communication skills

Research ethics

Accessibility and inclusion

Data analysis and synthesis

Collaboration

Job description

User Researcher

Salary: £46,062 (National) or £50,182 (Croydon) plus up to £5,000 skills allowance, pending assessment

Location: Croydon, Manchester or Sheffield (hybrid with 60% office attendance)

Close Date: 11:55pm Monday 19th January 2026

Security Check: This role requires SC clearance, which would normally need 5 years’ UK residency in the past 5 years.

As a user researcher, you will plan, design, and carry out research activities to inform the design of government services. You will help teams to gain a deeper understanding of the people that use them. You will develop research plans and approaches for a given service. This includes a range of research methods, including usability testing, contextual interviews, observations, and rapid analysis that involves the wider team whenever possible. You’ll use your communication skills to deliver insights from research in impactful ways to delivery teams and stakeholders to drive change and improve government services.

Essential Skills

User research: understanding and applying a range of user research methods (including but not limited to usability testing, interviews, and contextual research) correctly for different life‑cycle phases
Communicate, persuade and advocate: clearly articulating to stakeholders the benefits of taking a user‑centred approach, based on evidence
Research ethics: applying ethical research standards and practices to ensure the safeguarding and wellbeing of participants and researchers
Accessibility and inclusion: conducting research with diverse audiences to deliver accessible and inclusive digital services
Analysis and synthesis: analysing and synthesising research data, communicating clear research findings to inform decisions
Collaboration: participating and facilitating group work, and actively seeking feedback on your work

Benefits and Allowances

A civil service pension with employer contribution rates of at least 28.97%.
In‑year reward scheme for one‑off or sustained exceptional personal or team achievements.
The ability to potentially adopt flexible working options that suit your work/life balance, plus the opportunity in future to take a career break.
25 days annual leave on appointment, rising with service.
Eight days public holidays, plus one additional privilege day.
26 weeks maternity, adoption or shared parental leave at full pay, followed by 13 weeks statutory pay and a further 13 weeks unpaid, after qualifying service.
Maternity and adoption support leave (also known as paternity leave) of two weeks full pay, after qualifying service.
Paid leave for fostering approval processes, support when a child is substantively placed with you plus a foster to adopt policy.
Support for guardians and kinship carers.
Corporate membership of ‘Employers for Carers’ providing additional information and advice for carers, plus a ‘Carer’s Passport’ to discuss workplace needs and underpin supportive conversations.
Time off to deal with emergencies and certain other unplanned special circumstances.