User Researcher

The Government Digital Service (GDS) is the digital centre of the UK government. It is responsible for setting, leading and delivering the vision for a modern digital government, including GOV.UK, the Incubator for Artificial Intelligence (I.AI), and the UK's geospatial strategy. GDS is part of the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology (DSIT) and employs more than 1,000 people across hubs in London, Manchester and Bristol.

The role

GDS is hiring multiple User Researchers to work on GOV.UK, the trusted online home for government information and services used by millions of people each week. The role sits within a supportive research community that values experimentation, learning and reflection. It is a permanent position at Senior Executive Officer grade, with five vacancies available across Bristol, London and Manchester.

What you would do

• Independently plan and conduct a wide range of user research activities aligned to team goals, using lean and iterative approaches that provide timely, evidence-based insights.
• Deliver end-to-end research: from planning, study design and participant recruitment through to analysis and actionable reporting.
• Design and run research that drives the development and continuous improvement of government products and services.
• Collaborate with multidisciplinary teams including product managers, designers and developers, turning user insights into product and service improvements.
• Advocate for users by keeping a clear focus on their needs and behaviours while also understanding wider business goals.
• Communicate research findings clearly and effectively to teams, building shared understanding of what has been learned.
• Reflect on and refine your own practice, experimenting with new approaches to deliver better outcomes.
• Manage your time to deliver high-quality research on schedule, contribute to research libraries and reusable knowledge, and support the wider research community.

What they are looking for

• Experience applying a range of user research methods, covering planning, participant recruitment, analysis and sharing of findings, to inform inclusive, human-centred design.
• Ability to present clear, compelling insights that colleagues can understand and act on.
• Experience collaborating with multidisciplinary teams and actively involving colleagues in research activities.
• Ability to include diverse users in research to help teams understand the full range of people who use government services.
• Understanding of social and technological contexts and their influence on user behaviour, including knowledge of accessibility and inclusion practices.
• A proactive mindset: able to seek creative solutions independently or with support on complex projects, and consistently reflects on practice to drive improvement.
• Government experience is not required.

Working arrangements

The role is based across Bristol, London and Manchester. GDS operates a discretionary hybrid working policy; staff are expected to attend the office or a non-home location for 40-60% of their time. Flexible working options are available, including part-time and condensed hours. Full home working is not normally offered. DSIT cannot offer visa sponsorship for this campaign.

Pay and benefits

Salary is £46,240-£53,640 (National) or £49,040-£56,440 (London), based on capability. The base salary for this grade is £45,740 (National) or £48,540 (London); offers above the base are made up with a specialist pay allowance. A Civil Service Defined Benefit Pension is provided with an average employer contribution of 28.97%. Additional benefits include 25 days annual leave rising to 30, an extra day for the King's birthday, an in-year bonus scheme, a training budget for personal development, an employee assistance programme, cycle-to-work scheme, 10 learning days per year, and five special leave days per year for volunteering.

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