User Researcher (GDS/UCD)

Sanderson Government & Defence; City Of London; Remote; GBP 71,000 - 94,000; Full time

Job summary

Sanderson Government & Defence is seeking a User Researcher (GDS/UCD) to join a multidisciplinary team delivering user-centred digital services. Eligible for BPSS, the role emphasizes GDS and UCD expertise and independent planning of research activities to drive better service outcomes.

You’ll collaborate with designers, product managers and delivery teams, ensuring user needs guide decisions throughout the delivery lifecycle.

Qualifications

• Experience delivering user research within Agile environments.

Responsibilities

• Plan, conduct and analyse user research across various stages of service delivery
• Apply a range of qualitative and quantitative research methods to generate actionable insights
• Work collaboratively within multidisciplinary Agile teams
• Present findings and recommendations to stakeholders in a clear and engaging manner
• Create research outputs including reports, presentations, journey maps and insight summaries
• Support services through discovery, alpha, beta and live phases
• Champion user-centred design principles and evidence-based decision making

Skills

GDS standards

User-Centred Design

Stakeholder engagement

Research methods

Agile teams

Workshop facilitation

Report writing

Presentation skills

Job description

User Researcher (GDS/UCD)

£447.50 per day | Inside IR35 | 6-Month Contract | Remote with Quarterly Travel to Leeds | BPSS Eligible

We are looking for an experienced User Researcher to join a multidisciplinary team delivering user-centred digital services. This role is ideal for someone with strong GDS and User-Centred Design (UCD) experience who can independently plan and deliver research activities that drive better service outcomes.

You’ll work closely with designers, product managers, business analysts and delivery teams to ensure user needs remain at the heart of decision‑making throughout the delivery lifecycle.

Key Responsibilities

• Plan, conduct and analyse user research across various stages of service delivery
• Apply a range of qualitative and quantitative research methods to generate actionable insights
• Work collaboratively within multidisciplinary Agile teams
• Present findings and recommendations to stakeholders in a clear and engaging manner
• Create research outputs including reports, presentations, journey maps and insight summaries
• Support services through discovery, alpha, beta and live phases
• Champion user-centred design principles and evidence-based decision making

Essential Skills & Experience

• Experience delivering user research within Agile environments
• Strong knowledge of GDS standards and service delivery approaches
• Proven experience applying User-Centred Design methodologies
• Excellent stakeholder engagement and communication skills
• Ability to translate research findings into practical recommendations
• Experience facilitating workshops and research playback sessions
• Strong report writing and presentation skills
• Comfortable managing multiple research activities and priorities

Desirable Experience

• Public sector digital transformation experience
• Experience working within multidisciplinary product teams
• Understanding of accessibility and inclusive design principles
• Familiarity with service assessments and digital service standards

Clearance Requirements

• Must be eligible for BPSS clearance
• Right to work in the UK

Contract Details

• £447.50 per day
• Inside IR35
• 6-month contract
• Remote working
• Approximately 1 day onsite in Leeds every 3 months

This is an excellent opportunity for a User Researcher who is passionate about improving services through evidence-led insights and wants to help shape meaningful digital experiences for users.

Reasonable Adjustments:

Respect and equality are core values to us. We are proud of the diverse and inclusive community we have built, and we welcome applications from people of all backgrounds and perspectives. Our success is driven by our people, united by the spirit of partnership to deliver the best resourcing solutions for our clients.