User Researcher (Ref: 21819) in Edinburgh

Location: Staffordshire, UK; City of Westminster; Scotland; Wales, UKSalary: 42,914 - 53,081 per yearEmployment: FlexibleCategory: ITPosted: 2026-09-03Valid to: 2026-09-20Apply: https://jobs.justice.gov.uk/careers/JobDetail/21819?entityId=21819Employer: HM Courts and Tribunals ServiceJob summaryThis is a Nationally based roleJob descriptionHM Courts and Tribunals ServiceJob Title:User Researcher Grade: SEODirectorate: Digital and Technology Services (DTS)Location:National (includes London)Contract Type: PermanentWorking Pattern: Full-time/ Flexible WorkingIntroduction:HM Courts & Tribunals Service is an agency of the Ministry of Justice. We support the running of courts and tribunals and their administration to ensure that justice can be delivered. We work on crucial services across family, civil, tribunals and crime. Our work plays a vital role to the delivery of justice, and covers a wide range of users from staff, judges to vulnerable users going through life changing legal procedures. We are looking for talented people to join our existing team of exceptional researchers with our challenging, important and rewarding work. We are part of HMCTS Digital and Technology Services (DTS), a specialist technology directorate which provides support to HMCTS in the use of IT and Digital. DTS is committed to being a great place to work and part of our offer is brilliant training opportunities and support from expert colleagues. As well as that you’ll find flexible working, an inclusive cultureand a place where your opinion is valued. Please follow the link below for further information about HMCTS. Job Description:We are redesigning and rebuilding services around the needs of users. These changes cover digital services but also include the physical location and environment of courts and our telephony services.The User Research team’s current focus is producing, through primary research, actionable insights that inform and then validate the organisation’s user experience design. The team also helps maintain fundamental design principles of being user led and adopts agile ways of working and continuous improvement in the delivery of transformed HMCTS services and products.The team is made up of user researchers with a passion for driving the design and development of user experiences that fulfil HMCTS’s goal of being user-focused and evidence driven. Your research will touch on the lives of every type of citizen as well as a range of other users such as legal professionals and judges.Key Responsibilities:You will be responsible for planning and carrying out user research activities, embedded in a multidisciplinary team. This will include: Work independently on a multi-disciplinary team to design, plan and carry out research. Conduct user research using a range of research methods, selecting the appropriate method depending on the requirements of the programme. Source and procure participants and facilities to conduct user research activities, specifying requirements for user testing groups Test high level and specific aspects of a service, presenting research findings to help gain consensus and take action based on research findings. Generate new and useful insights related to HMCTS users for the project team and ensure where relevant that the insights influence design decisions. Communicate the insights gained from user research outputs to both the project team and wider stakeholders, helping to enhance organisational understanding of the users and drive decisions and actionable recommendations. Maintain and develop relationships across the product teams, guiding the team in understanding research findings and insights. Work within agile project teams, providing, to the team, a focus on user centred design. Be an advocate for research and user centred design within your team, using evidence drawn from data and research analysis to represent the user in product and design discussionsYou will be required to work in a flexible way and undertake any other duties reasonably requested by line management which are commensurate with the grade and level of responsibility of this post.Essential Criteria:To be successful in this post you will need to demonstrate the following: Demonstrable experience of conducting primary public-facing qualitative research, gained through a research role (such as market, social or user research) Experience of using the appropriate research methods to generate specific insights into user behaviour and needs Strong research and analytical skills, the ability to analyse multiple sources of data to produce clear recommendations and actionable insights Understanding of user-centred design principles and tools Experience of building and reaching consensus with stakeholders and working to improve stakeholder relationships using evidenceThe below criteria are desirable only. These will not be assessed throughout the recruitment process, but will be used in the event of tied scores between candidates Desirable Criteria: Experience helping teams design and deliver accessible services that work for all users, and effectively including all kinds of users in research; Experience managing, executing and analysing usability test sessions Research experience in an agile development environment with user-centred design teams, designers and developers creating new digital products and services Experience of working with the courts and tribunals service, in the legal community or justice sectorApplication process:This role will be recruited using a combination of Government Digital and Data (GDD) Profession Capability Framework and Success Profiles Frameworks during the sift and interview process. Using GDD we will then determine if you will be paid an additional allowance, on top of your basic salary. This role is within the User-centred design roles job family and is a User researcherat user researcherlevel and carries the titleUser researcher in DTS. To be successful you’ll need to demonstrate evidence of working in a research role (this could be market research, social research or user research). Stage 1 - Sift:Experience – As demonstrated in your application formAn anonymisedCV, setting out your career history, key responsibilities and achievements. Your CV will be assessed against the essential criteria outlined within the Essential Skills section of this advert. A Statement of Suitability 750 words which shouldgive us real life examples of how your skills and experience match those needed for this role. We recommend following the STARPlease access the following link for guidance on how to apply - Application GuidanceStage 2 - Interviews:Successful candidates who passed the sift will be invited to interview via Microsoft Teams. At interview stage, you will be assessed against the following –Technical, Behaviours. Details can be found under the interview stage assessment section on the advert. For Behaviours you will be expected to align your answers to the Government Digital and Data (GDD) Capability FrameworkLeadership - Research management, leadership and assuranceChanging and Improving - User research methodsSeeing the Big Picture- Agile research practicesCommunicating and Influencing- Stakeholder relationship managementAs part of the selection process, shortlisted candidates will be invited to deliver a presentation highlighting their technical skills, knowledge, and experience relevant to the person specification. A detailed presentation brief will be shared one week ahead of the interview.For further guidance on the interview process please click hereImportant informationOpportunities for development HMCTS is committed to staff development and offers an extensive range of training and development opportunities, such as 6 development days a year.You will have access to a wide range of tools to continually develop and enhance your skills, such as: access to Pluralsight digital skills platform, Microsoft Enterprise Initiative learning, Learning at Work Week, plus taught courses specific to your role.Salary detailsNew recruits to the Civil Service joining MoJ are expected to join at the band minimum.Existing Civil Servants applying on promotion, will usually be appointed on the salary minimum of the new pay band, or receive an increase of 10 percent on the current base salary, whichever is higher (This is restricted to the pay maximum of the new band).Travel requirementsThere will be a requirement to travel occasionally to any HMCTS site in line with business needs.Reserve List:HMCTS run a Reserve List, where candidates who are unsuccessful at interview by only a few points, can be offered other roles, at the same band, for up to 12 months. You will be able to view your status via the application screen. If you have been added to the Reserve List, your status will show either Merit or Reserve list.Proud to Serve. Proud to keep justice goingPerson specificationPlease refer to the Job DescriptionBehavioursWe'll assess you against these behaviours during the selection process:LeadershipChanging and ImprovingSeeing the Big PictureCommunicating and InfluencingBenefitsAlongside your salary of 42,914, HM Courts and Tribunals Service contributes 12,432 towards you being a member of the Civil Service Defined Benefit Pension scheme. Find out what benefits a Civil Service Pension provides (opens in a new window).Access to learning and developmentA working environment that supports a range of flexible working options to enhance your work life balanceA working culture which encourages inclusion and diversityA Civil Service pension with an employer contribution of 28.97%Annual LeavePublic HolidaysSeason Ticket AdvanceFor more information about the recruitment process, benefits and allowances and answers to general queries, please click the below link which will direct you to our Candidate Information Page. Link: Things you need to knowArtificial intelligenceArtificial intelligence can be a useful tool to support your application, however, all examples and statements provided must be truthful, factually accurate and taken directly from your own experience. Where plagiarism has been identified (presenting the ideas and experiences of others, or generated by artificial intelligence, as your own) applications may be withdrawn and internal candidates may be subject to disciplinary action. Please see our candidate guidance (opens in a new window) for more information on appropriate and inappropriate use.Selection process detailsThis vacancy is using Success Profiles (opens in a new window), and will assess your Behaviours and Experience.Feedback will only be provided if you attend an interview or assessment.SecuritySuccessful candidates must undergo a basic (or equivalent) criminal record check.People working with government assets must complete baseline personnel security standard (opens in new window) checks.Nationality requirementsThis job is broadly open to the following groups:UK nationalsnationals of the Republic of Irelandnationals of Commonwealth countries who have the right to work in the UKnationals of the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein and family members of those nationalities with settled or pre-settled status under the European Union Settlement Scheme (EUSS) (opens in a new window)nationals of the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein and family members of those nationalities who have made a valid application for settled or pre-settled status under the European Union Settlement Scheme (EUSS)individuals with limited leave to remain or indefinite leave to remain who were eligible to apply for EUSS on or before 31 December 2020Turkish nationals, and certain family members of Turkish nationals, who have accrued the right to work in the Civil ServiceFurther information on nationality requirements (opens in a new window)Working for the Civil ServiceThe Civil Service Code (opens in a new window) sets out the standards of behaviour expected of civil servants.We recruit by merit on the basis of fair and open competition, as outlined in the Civil Service Commission's recruitment principles (opens in a new window).The Civil Service embraces diversity and promotes equal opportunities. As such, we run a Disability Confident Scheme (DCS) for candidates with disabilities who meet the minimum selection criteria.The Civil Service also offers a Redeployment Interview Scheme to civil servants who are at risk of redundancy, and who meet the minimum requirements for the advertised vacancy.Diversity and InclusionThe Civil Service is committed to attract, retain and invest in talent wherever it is found. To learn more please see theCivil Service People Plan (opens in a new window) and the Civil Service Diversity and Inclusion Strategy (opens in a new window).Apply and further informationThis vacancy is part of the Great Place to Work for Veterans (opens in a new window) initiative.Once this job has closed, the job advert will no longer be available. You may want to save a copy for your records.Contact point for applicantsJob contact : Name : SSCL Recruitment Enquiries TeamEmail : moj-recruitment-vetting-enquiries@resourcing.soprasteria.co.ukTelephone : 0345 241 5359Recruitment teamEmail : moj-recruitment-vetting-enquiries@resourcing.soprasteria.co.ukFurther informationAppointment to the Civil Service is governed by the Civil Service Commission’s Recruitment Principles. If you feel a department has breached the requirement of the Recruitment Principles and would like to raise this, please contact SSCL (Moj-recruitment-vetting-enquiries@gov.sscl.com) in the first instance. If the role has been advertised externally (outside of the Civil Service) and you are not satisfied with the response, you may bring your complaint to the Commission. For further information on bringing a complaint to the Civil Service Commission please visit their web pages: