User Researcher

Join to apply for the User Researcher role at UK Home Office

Salary: £46,062 (National) or £50,182 (Croydon) plus up to £5,000 skills allowance, pending assessment

Location: Croydon, Manchester or Sheffield (hybrid with 60% office attendance)

Close Date: 11:55pm Monday 19th January 2026

Clearance: This role requires Security Check (SC) clearance, which would normally need 5 years’ UK residency in the past 5 years

As a user researcher, you will plan, design, and carry out research activities to inform the design of government services. You will help teams to gain a deeper understanding of the people that use the services.

You will develop research plans and approaches for a given service. This includes a range of research methods, including usability testing, contextual interviews, observations, and rapid analysis that involves the wider team whenever possible.

You’ll use your communication skills to deliver insights from research in impactful ways to delivery teams and stakeholders to drive change and improve government services. You can learn more about design and research in the Home Office on our blog:
Making ethics part of the way we design products and services – Home Office Digital, Data and Technology.

• Process: User research: understanding and applying a range of user research methods (including usability testing, interviews, and contextual research) for different life cycle phases
• Communicate, persuade and advocate: clearly articulating to stakeholders the benefits of taking a user-centred approach, based on evidence
• Research ethics: applying ethical research standards to ensure safeguarding and wellbeing of participants and researchers
• Accessibility and inclusion: conducting research with diverse audiences to deliver accessible and inclusive digital services
• Analysis and synthesis: analysing and synthesising research data, communicating clear findings to inform decisions
• Collaboration: participating and facilitating group work, actively seeking feedback on work

The essential skills listed above reflect the Home Office Government Digital and Data Profession Career Framework.

• A civil service pension with employer contribution rates of at least 28.97%
• In-year reward schemes for exceptional personal or team achievements
• Flexible working options and potential for future career breaks
• 25 days annual leave on appointment, rising with service
• Eight public holidays, plus one additional privilege day
• Maternity, adoption or shared parental leave provisions
• Paid leave for fostering processes and support when a child is substantively placed
• Support for guardians and kinship carers
• Corporate membership of ‘Employers for Carers’ and related support

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• Mid-Senior level

• Full-time

• Information Technology, Design, and General Business

• Government Administration
• Design Services
• Information Services

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