User Researcher - Government Digital Service - SEO

Location

Bristol, London, Manchester

About the job

Job summary

The Government Digital Service (GDS) is the digital centre of government. We are responsible for setting, leading and delivering the vision for a modern digital government.

Our priorities are to drive a modern digital government, by:

1. joining up public sector services
2. harnessing the power of AI for the public good
3. strengthening and extending our digital and data public infrastructure
4. elevating leadership and investing in talent
5. funding for outcomes and procuring for growth and innovation
6. committing to transparency and driving accountability 

We are home to the Incubator for Artificial Intelligence (I.AI), the world-leading GOV.UK and at the forefront of coordinating the UK’s geospatial strategy and activity. We lead the Government Digital and Data function and champion the work of digital teams across government.

We’re part of the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology (DSIT) and employ more than 1,000 people all over the UK, with hubs in Manchester, London and Bristol.

The Government Digital Service is where talent translates into impact. From your first day, you’ll be working with some of the world’s most highly-skilled digital professionals, all contributing their knowledge to make change on a national scale.

Former DSIT recruitment campaigns are continuing as usual, but candidates should be aware that following the Government’s announcement on the changes to some civil service departments, roles will be subject to the machinery of government moves and will ultimately be in one of the new departments. We will provide more information if you are selected for a role. This work remains of high importance to the civil service, and we thank you for your continued interest. 

Join us for rewarding work that makes a difference across the UK. You'll solve some of the nation’s highest-priority digital challenges, helping millions of people access services they need. 

Job description

We are hiring a number of User Researchers to work on GOV.UK.  

GOV.UK is the trusted online home for government information and services. Every week millions of people rely on it to complete essential and often life-changing tasks. GOV.UK also supports government colleagues to publish content, ensuring accurate and accessible information is always available to the public. 

As a User Researcher, you will:  

• make an impact: work on and tackle challenges in public infrastructure, improving lives through solutions that are informed by high quality, evidence-based, insights.  
• deliver work that matters: driving change, delivering better value and outcomes for users and government, to empower and transform.  
• grow with us: thrive in a supportive research community that values experimentation, learning, failing fast and reflection as key steps to growth. With dedicated development resources, training and cross-government networks, you will have plenty of opportunities to grow.   

Your main responsibilities are:   

• Independently plan and conduct a wide range of user research activities aligned to team goals and priorities, including lean and iterative user research approaches that provide timely insights that support evidence-based decision-making and help teams deliver improvements at pace. 
• deliver high-quality, end-to-end research: from planning, research design, and participant recruitment to analysis and actionable reporting.  
• design and execute user research that drives the development and continuous improvement of government products/services, ensuring insights lead to informed decision-making. 
• collaborate with multidisciplinary teams and stakeholders throughout the research process, working closely with product managers, designers, and developers to transform user insights into impactful product and service features. 
• advocate for the user by maintaining a clear focus on their needs and behaviours, while also understanding wider business goals - bringing both perspectives together to deliver impactful research that fosters empathy and supports informed, balanced decision-making. 
• clearly and effectively communicate user research insights to teams, fostering a shared and deep understanding of research learnings. 
• be a reflective practitioner - consistently explore and implement innovative ways to deliver better outcomes, whether by refining existing methods/practices or experimenting with new, creative approaches.  
• manage time effectively to deliver high-quality research on time, while sharing ideas and learnings to support team growth and contribute to research libraries and reusable knowledge - helping to shape the future of the research community through collaboration. 

Person specification

You don't need government experience to apply for this role. We’re looking for User Researchers for GOV.UK with experience in applying a range of research methods and approaches.  

You’ll be a good communicator with a proven track record of advocating for users, delivering impactful research insights that drive informed decision-making.  

We’re also interested in people who can demonstrate: 

• experience and understanding of established user research methods, including those related with planning, recruitment of participants, analysis, and sharing of findings - to generate insights that inform inclusive, human-centred design, grounded in an understanding of user behaviour and psychology. 
• ability to present clear insights that colleagues can understand and use, through clear, compelling storytelling. 
• experience collaborating with multidisciplinary teams, actively engaging colleagues in research activities. 
• ability to include all kinds of users in appropriate research activities to help teams understand the diversity of users of government services. 
• understanding of social and technological contexts and their influence on user behaviour. Knowledgeable in user-centred design, accessibility, and inclusion practices. 
• demonstrates initiative and a proactive mindset by seeking creative and collaborative solutions - whether working independently or with support on complex projects - and consistently reflects on practice to drive improvement and deliver meaningful change.