Research Assistant in User Experience and Front-End Development (9 months contract, 0.25 FTE) in St Mary's

The University of West London (UWL) is ranked as 41st in the UK in The Guardian University Guide 2026 and is the 1st London modern university in The Times/The Sunday Times Good University Guide 2026. We are also ranked 2nd in London, 6th in England and 8th in the UK for overall student satisfaction in the National Student Survey 2026.

The UWL community is a diverse body of students and staff who work together to create an environment of success and achievement. We celebrate the diversity of our staff and promote our values in practice through our commitment to inclusivity, progression, and success.

The School of Computing and Engineering is a professional and student-focused School with high-quality teaching, student experience, and research-informed teaching at the top of its priority list. The School has strong links with local, national, and international partners, and employability of graduates is the key to courses that we offer. The School enjoys state-of-the-art equipment and continues to invest heavily in its improvement. Our courses are fully accredited by relevant professional bodies across the board.

The School of Computing and Engineering is seeking a Specialist in Front-End and User Experience Development to support the delivery of the CyberPath project, an innovative initiative focused on enhancing cybersecurity skills development and workforce readiness. Working closely with the Project Lead and project team, the successful candidate will provide expertise in front-end development and user experience (UX) design, contributing to the creation of an intuitive, accessible, and engaging digital learning platform for educators and learners.

The role offers an exciting opportunity to work at the intersection of technology, education, and digital innovation. The postholder will be responsible for translating complex technical functionality into seamless user experiences, ensuring that CyberPath meets the expectations of modern digital learning environments. Working collaboratively with software developers, researchers, academics, and stakeholders, the successful candidate will contribute to interface design, usability evaluation, accessibility improvements, and iterative platform enhancements that support successful adoption and institutional uptake.

The postholder will also contribute to project outputs, user testing activities, dissemination of findings, and future development opportunities arising from the CyberPath initiative.

We are seeking a proactive and creative individual with a degree (or equivalent professional experience) in Computer Science, Software Engineering, Human-Computer Interaction (HCI), User Experience Design, Digital Media, Educational Technology, or a related discipline. The successful candidate will have strong front-end development and UX design skills, together with the ability to create user-centred digital solutions that are both functional and visually engaging.

An interest in digital learning technologies, learner engagement, and the application of innovative technologies to educational challenges is essential. The successful candidate will demonstrate a commitment to inclusive design, accessibility, and the delivery of high-quality user experiences that support diverse learner needs.

Experience of working on digital product development projects, educational technology platforms, agile development environments, or externally funded initiatives would be advantageous.

Interviews are expected to be held in the week commencing 21 September 2026. For informal enquiries about the position please contact Dr Alireza Esfahani, Senior Lecturer in Cyber Security, Alireza.esfahani@uwl.ac.uk.

Our school is under-represented in terms of staff from minority ethnic backgrounds, of LGBT+ identities, and with disabilities. UWL is committed to having a diverse and inclusive workforce, supports the gender equality Athena SWAN Charter, and is a Disability Confident Employer. We welcome applications from all sections of the community, particularly those mentioned above to increase diversity in our workforce.

Candidates must be able to demonstrate their eligibility to work in the UK in accordance with the Immigration, Asylum and Nationality Act 2006. Please be advised that it is expected that appointment within a grade will normally be at the minimum point. This position does not meet the University criteria for Skilled Worker sponsorship. We will intermittently review the applications as part of this open advert, therefore if successful, you will be shortlisted and contacted at any time. The University of West London reserves the right to close the role prior to this date should a suitable applicant be found.