At a Glance
- Tasks: Conduct user research to shape digital tools for critical infrastructure projects.
- Company: Join a leading consultancy driving major digital initiatives in the UK.
- Benefits: Competitive daily rate, predominantly remote work, and opportunities for professional growth.
- Other info: Work in a dynamic environment with potential for future opportunities.
- Why this job: Make a real impact by improving user experiences in complex digital environments.
- Qualifications: Experience in user research, strong communication skills, and ability to work in agile teams.
We are seeking a User Researcher to support discovery, design, validation and delivery across Strategic Infrastructure digital initiatives.
Strategic Infrastructure is at the heart of a major transition, helping deliver some of the UK’s largest and most complex capital programmes. These programmes depend on effective digital tools, reliable data, joined-up workflows, and systems that can be understood and used confidently by the people delivering critical infrastructure.
You will help ensure that future digital products and enterprise systems are shaped around real user needs, operational realities, and the complexity of capital delivery environments.
In this role, you will work closely with Product Owners, Product Managers, Business Analysts, UX Designers, delivery teams, subject matter experts and end users to understand how people currently work, where operational friction exists, and what future digital tools need to support.
You will plan and conduct research with users across complex business areas, helping teams understand user behaviours, needs, pain points, decision points, workarounds and system dependencies. Your work will help translate business processes and requirements into evidence-based product decisions, user stories, design recommendations and supplier evaluation criteria.
You will support projects across areas such as Land, Planning, Environment and Assurance, ESG, work management, portfolio delivery, and other enterprise digital products supporting Strategic Infrastructure.
This role is especially suited to someone who is comfortable working in complex organisational environments, where user journeys cross multiple teams, systems, governance points, approvals, handoffs and data flows.
You will help ensure that digital solutions are not only technically capable, but also clear, usable, traceable and adoptable by real users in real delivery contexts.
Key requirements:- Communication skills are key to this role. Whether speaking to end users, facilitating workshops or presenting research findings to stakeholders, your ability to listen carefully, ask the right questions and communicate clearly is essential.
- Proven experience as a User/UX Researcher.
- Experience working on complex digital products, services or enterprise systems.
- Strong qualitative research skills, including interviews, workshops and usability testing.
- Ability to understand workflows, user roles, pain points, handoffs and system interactions.
- Experience working in agile or multidisciplinary product teams.
- Ability to translate research findings into user needs, insights and clear recommendations.
- Experience producing clear research deliverables, including journey maps, task inventories, personas, work profiles and actionable insight summaries.
- Strong communication and stakeholder management skills.
- Confidence working with operational users, technical teams and senior stakeholders.
- Experience identifying usability, workflow, adoption and comprehension risks.
- Experience working in large, complex organisations or regulated environments.
- Design skills are welcome but not essential.
- Experience in utilities, infrastructure, construction, engineering, energy, transport or public sector environments.
- Experience researching enterprise systems such as work management, asset management, planning, environmental, assurance, reporting or project delivery platforms.
- Familiarity with Double Diamond, Service Design or Systems Thinking.
- Experience supporting RFPs, supplier evaluation or product selection activities.
- Ability to create concept designs, wireframes or low-fidelity prototypes is desirable but not essential.
Candidates will ideally show evidence of the above in their CV in order to be considered.
Please be advised if you haven't heard from us within 48 hours then unfortunately your application has not been successful on this occasion, we may however keep your details on file for any suitable future vacancies and contact you accordingly.
Pontoon is an employment consultancy and operates as an equal opportunities employer.
We use generative AI tools to support our candidate screening process. This helps us ensure a fair, consistent, and efficient experience for all applicants. Rest assured, all final decisions are made by our hiring team, and your application will be reviewed with care and attention.
User Researcher (Digital) in Edinburgh employer: Pontoon Solutions
As a User Researcher at our company, you will be part of a dynamic team dedicated to shaping the future of digital tools in the Strategic Infrastructure sector. We offer a predominantly remote working environment with rare travel to Scotland, fostering a flexible work culture that prioritises employee well-being and growth. Our commitment to professional development, coupled with the opportunity to work on impactful projects within complex organisational settings, makes us an excellent employer for those seeking meaningful and rewarding careers.
StudySmarter Expert Advice🤫
We think this is how you could land User Researcher (Digital) in Edinburgh
✨Tip Number 1
Network like a pro! Reach out to folks in the industry, attend meetups or webinars, and connect with potential colleagues on LinkedIn. The more people you know, the better your chances of landing that User Researcher gig.
✨Tip Number 2
Show off your skills! Create a portfolio that highlights your best research projects, showcasing your ability to translate user needs into actionable insights. This will help you stand out when chatting with hiring managers.
✨Tip Number 3
Prepare for interviews by practising common questions related to user research and your experience with complex digital products. Be ready to discuss how you've tackled challenges in previous roles and how you can bring value to their team.
✨Tip Number 4
Don't forget to apply through our website! It’s the best way to ensure your application gets seen by the right people. Plus, it shows you're serious about joining the team and ready to dive into the world of user research.
We think you need these skills to ace User Researcher (Digital) in Edinburgh
Some tips for your application 🫡
Tailor Your CV:Make sure your CV speaks directly to the User Researcher role. Highlight your experience with digital products and user research methods, and don’t forget to sprinkle in some examples of your communication skills!
Showcase Your Research Skills:We want to see your strong qualitative research skills in action! Include specific examples of interviews, workshops, or usability testing you've conducted, and how they led to actionable insights.
Be Clear and Concise:When writing your application, clarity is key. Use straightforward language to describe your experiences and avoid jargon. Remember, we’re looking for someone who can communicate effectively with various stakeholders!
Apply Through Our Website:Don’t forget to apply through our website! It’s the best way for us to keep track of your application and ensure it gets the attention it deserves. We can’t wait to hear from you!
How to prepare for a job interview at Pontoon Solutions
✨Know Your Users
Before the interview, dive deep into understanding the user demographics and behaviours relevant to the role. Familiarise yourself with common pain points and workflows in the utilities and infrastructure sectors. This will help you speak confidently about how your research can address real user needs.
✨Showcase Your Research Skills
Prepare to discuss specific examples of your previous research projects. Highlight your qualitative research skills, such as conducting interviews and usability testing. Be ready to explain how you translated findings into actionable insights and recommendations that influenced product decisions.
✨Communicate Clearly
Since communication is key for this role, practice articulating your thoughts clearly and concisely. Use simple language to explain complex concepts, and be prepared to facilitate discussions or workshops during the interview. This will demonstrate your ability to engage with stakeholders effectively.
✨Understand Agile Methodologies
Brush up on agile principles and how they apply to multidisciplinary teams. Be ready to discuss your experience working in agile environments and how you’ve collaborated with Product Owners, UX Designers, and other team members to deliver user-centric solutions. This shows you’re adaptable and ready to hit the ground running.
