Department for Work and Pensions (DWP)
User Researcher
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This role may be located in one of the following locations; Birmingham, Blackpool, Leeds, Manchester, Newcastle or Sheffield.
Please find further information on the Corporate hub locations here.
Please note that for candidates requesting to work in Newcastle, the role will initially be based at Benton Park View. It will then move to 1 Pilgrim Place in Newcastle city centre by the end of 2027.
Job Summary
As a user researcher at one of the largest government departments, you will use your research skills to put user needs at the heart of the UK’s digital services.
Our research helps teams understand the needs of the people that use our services, including some of the most vulnerable people in the UK, and of colleagues who use different systems and tools to deliver services.
As a User Researcher at DWP Digital, your research will uncover the insights that help teams design and improve services that make a real difference to people's lives. By helping teams understand the experiences, challenges and needs of users, you'll ensure our services are accessible, effective and designed around the people who use them.
If you want to use your research skills to directly influence the design and delivery of services that support millions of people and if you have experience of working in a research role or doing primary research as part of your academic studies, we want you to join us as a User Researcher.
Job Description
As a User Researcher you will:
- 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, both qualitative and quantitative, depending on the requirements of the programme.
- 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 DWP 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.
Person specification
The essential criteria are outlined in the selection process details.
If you would like to learn more about the role, please contact Natalie.selby1@dwp.gov.uk.
Technical skills
We'll assess you against these technical skills during the selection process:
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- Research
- Strategic Insight
- User Centred Analysis
- Relationship Management
We only ask for evidence of these technical skills on your application form:
- Research
- Strategic Insight
- User Centred Analysis
Salary Information
Pay for this role is from £44,447 to £46,547.
Our offer to successful candidates will be based on an assessment of your skills and experience as demonstrated at interview.
Existing Civil Servants who secure a new role on lateral transfer will maintain their current substantive salary.
Existing Civil Servants who gain promotion will move to the bottom of the grade pay scale or receive a 10% increase applied to their current substantive salary, whichever is greater.
Any temporary allowances that you are currently in receipt of will not form part of the calculation to determine your pay. Any allowances that are in payment will cease when you move into your new role.
Selection process details
This vacancy is using Success Profiles (opens in a new window), and will assess your Experience and Technical skills.
Stage 1: Application
Your Application Will Consist Of Three Parts
- A Personal Details application form.
- Your employment history detailing your responsibilities, skills, accomplishments, plus your qualifications and relevant training. Please copy this information into the box field provided. When giving details in your employment history you should highlight your experience in line with essential criteria below:
- Demonstrable experience of conducting primary qualitative research, gained through a research role (such as market, social, academic or user research) or through academic study involving a significant qualitative research component, with the ability to gather, analyse and interpret findings to inform decision making.
- Technical statements(up to 250 words each). These include:
- Research - Please tell us about a qualitative research project you have been responsible for designing and carrying out. Please include the methods you used and the reasons you chose that approach.
- Strategic Insight - Please tell us about a research project you did that led to another person or stakeholder taking action or making a decision. Please include how you ensured that your research was understood to enable a decision to be made or action taken.
- User Centred Analysis - Please tell us about a project you have worked on where multiple sources of data were produced and analysed as part of the research process. How did you analyse this data in order to produce clear recommendations and actionable insights for your team, client or stakeholder?
Further details around what this will entail are listed on the application form.
To be successful you’ll need to demonstrate evidence of working in a research role (this could be market research, social research, academic research or user research) or completing academic studies which included a significant element of primary, qualitative research.
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Ensure that all examples provided in your statements are taken directly from your own experience and that you describe the examples in your own words. If you choose to use gen-AI to support your statements, you must follow the guidelines outlined in the Artificial intelligence and recruitment guide.
The sift panel will use the information in your employment history and technical statements to assess your experience, skills and knowledge.
For Hints and Tips on completing your application visit Applying for jobs at DWP Digital.
Stage 2: Interview
Technical Skill
If you’re successful at sift stage you will be invited to a video interview via Microsoft Teams. There, you will be assessed against the following Technical Skills and Experience:
- Research
- Strategic Insight
- User Centred Analysis
- Relationship Management
Experience
Planning and conducting research that considers the diversity of users, keeping in mind access needs and the ethical nature of research.
You will be asked to do a 10 minute presentation on a specific topic. Further details will be provided to candidates invited to interview.
Interviews will take place from late September 2026. Interview dates to be confirmed.
To help you prepare and settle into the interview you will be sent the interview questions in advance of the interview, at least 5 days prior to your interview. These questions should be treated as confidential and should not be shared. The interview panel may ask you other questions which will not be shared in advance, including follow-up questions, and those about your experience and abilities. Candidates may be asked further probing questions if their response is deemed to require further information to determine suitability for the role.
Candidates are strongly encouraged to secure their interview slot promptly to ensure fairness in preparation time with the questions provided in advance.
Feedback
Feedback will only be provided if you attend an interview or assessment.
Contact point for applicants
Job Contact
Name : Natalie Selby Email : Natalie.selby1@dwp.gov.uk
Recruitment team
Email : digitalrecruitment.grs@cabinetoffice.gov.uk
Further information
Appointment to the Civil Service is governed by the Civil Service Commission’s Recruitment Principles. If you feel your application has not been treated in accordance with these principles and you wish to make a complaint, you should in the first instance contact DWP by email: HR.BUSINESSASSURANCE@DWP.GOV.UK.
If you are not satisfied with the response you receive from the Department, you can contact the Civil Service Commission. Click here to visit the Civil Service Commission.
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