At a Glance
- Tasks: Research and influence design decisions to create user-friendly digital experiences.
- Company: Join Places for People, the UK's leading social enterprise focused on community inclusion.
- Benefits: Enjoy a competitive salary, generous holiday, and perks like healthcare cashback and discounts.
- Other info: Inclusive recruitment process with guaranteed interviews for diverse candidates.
- Why this job: Make a real impact by improving lives through intuitive and accessible digital solutions.
- Qualifications: Experience in UX research and ability to communicate insights effectively.
The predicted salary is between 30000 - 40000 £ per year.
At Places for People, we hire People, not numbers! We are the UK's leading social enterprise dedicated to creating inclusive and thriving communities for both our customers and employees.
Our UX team sits at the heart of IT, shaping the design and usability of digital products across Places for People. We combine user needs with business goals to create solutions that are functional, intuitive, and accessible.
Reporting to the UX Manager, we are looking to recruit 2 UX Researchers on a permanent basis. In this role, you will be responsible for researching and influencing all stages of design and development, working closely with stakeholders across the business to ensure that decisions are driven by evidence and insight. You will leverage your experience in creating and maintaining Personas, service blueprints, and customer journey maps that help teams build a deeper understanding of our users. Applying both qualitative and quantitative research methods, you will surface insights, measure impact, and ensure our solutions are aligned to user needs as well as business goals. A key part of the role will be communicating findings in a clear and persuasive way, so that research directly shapes design direction. Ultimately, you will make sure the digital experiences we deliver are intuitive, accessible, and genuinely improve the lives of the people who use them.
Basic DBS checks are mandatory for all candidates.
Essential- Proven experience delivering UX research and clearly demonstrating impact on decisions and outcomes
- Experience planning, running and analysing research using a mix of qualitative and quantitative methods (e.g., interviews, usability testing, surveys, analytics)
- Ability to synthesise findings into insights and recommendations that teams can act on, and to communicate these clearly to stakeholders
- Knowledge of (or experience working within) an agile software development lifecycle and continuous discovery ways of working
- Experience creating and maintaining research artefacts such as personas, journey maps and service blueprints
- Understanding of inclusive research practice, including accessibility considerations and recruiting for diverse perspectives
- Experience using collaboration and research tools such as Miro (and similar)
- Experience supporting research operations (e.g., consent/ethics, GDPR-aware research practices, participant recruitment, repositories)
- Experience working with prototypes to validate concepts and iterate solutions through testing
- Experience working on complex services or large-scale digital programmes with multiple stakeholder groups
- Competitive salary, with a salary review yearly
- Pension with matched contributions up to 7%
- Excellent holiday package – up to 35 days annual leave with the option to buy or sell leave
- Cashback plan for healthcare costs – up to £500 saving per year
- Bonus scheme for all colleagues at 2%
- Training and development
- Extra perks including discounts and offers from shops and cinemas
We are committed to creating an inclusive and accessible recruitment process. We offer a guaranteed interview to candidates who are disabled, neurodiverse, or have served in the Armed Forces, provided they meet the essential criteria for the role. If you are a customer and need support with your application, please contact our skills and employment team.
StudySmarter Expert Advice🤫
We think this is how you could land UX Researcher
✨Show Off Your Portfolio
In the world of UX/UI design, your portfolio speaks volumes! Make sure it's packed with your best work and showcases your process, not just the final product. We want to see how you tackle design challenges, so consider adding case studies that reflect your thought process and user-centric approach.
✨Get Involved in Design Communities
Jump into local or online design meetups and workshops! Places like UXPA or local design events can be goldmines for networking and learning. Plus, mingling with fellow designers can introduce you to potential job openings that might not be listed elsewhere.
✨Tailor Your Applications
When you find a role that excites you, like the one at Places for People for a UX Researcher, make your application count! Highlight specific projects and skills that directly relate to the job description. Hiring managers are looking for candidates who fit into their specific team, so show them you’re the one!
✨Leverage Social Media
Don't underestimate the power of social media in finding a UX/UI design job! Follow design leaders on platforms like Twitter or Instagram, share your work, and engage in conversations. It’s a great way to get noticed by recruiters and even catch wind of openings at companies like Places for People before they go live!
We think you need these skills to ace UX Researcher
Some tips for your application 🫡
Showcase Your Design Process:When you're applying for a UX/UI Design role like UX Researcher at Places for People, make sure to include examples that clearly highlight your design process. We want to see not just the final product but also the journey that led you there—wireframes, user personas, and iterations demonstrate your thought process and user-centric approach!
Tailor Your Portfolio:A tailor-made portfolio is crucial for a full-time design role! Curate your best projects that align with the kind of work Places for People does. We suggest including 3-5 case studies that showcase a variety of skills such as wireframing, prototyping, and user testing to really make your application pop.
Craft a Compelling Cover Letter:Your cover letter should not just be a summary of your CV. Use it to express why you’re excited about UX/UI Design and what draws you specifically to Places for People. Mention any relevant experience, tools you’re proficient in (like Sketch or Figma), and how you can contribute to their projects.
Highlight Collaboration Skills:In the world of UX/UI Design, teamwork is crucial. Make sure to highlight any past experiences where you worked in cross-functional teams. Illustrate how you communicated design decisions and listened to feedback, as this will resonate well with the culture at Places for People.
How to prepare for a job interview at Places for People
✨Show Off Your Portfolio
When you're gunning for a full-time UX/UI design role, your portfolio is your best friend! Make sure you've got a solid selection of your work, showcasing not just the final designs, but the process behind them—think wireframes, user flows, and any user research you've conducted. During the interview with Places for People, be prepared to discuss your design decisions and how they solve specific user problems.
✨Prepare for Design Challenges
Expect to face some practical design tasks during your interview. Places for People might ask you to tackle a quick design challenge or critique an existing interface. Brush up on your problem-solving skills and try to articulate your thought process as you work through these scenarios. Showing how you approach a design problem is just as important as the final output!
✨Know the Tools of the Trade
Familiarise yourself with the tools commonly used in the industry—figma, Adobe XD, or Sketch should be second nature to you. Be ready to discuss your preferred tools during the interview and how they've shaped your design process at previous positions. This knowledge could give you an edge at Places for People!
✨Show Passion for User Experience
In a full-time UX/UI design role, having a genuine passion for improving user interactions can set you apart. Be prepared to share instances when you went above and beyond to ensure a great user experience in your previous projects. This will demonstrate that you’re not just a designer, but a user advocate, which is exactly what Places for People is looking for.
