Skip to main content

These are exciting times at the Department for Education. We are transforming to become a user centred organisation, delivering better outcomes for all our users through agile and iterative software development and continuous improvement.

You will work with user researchers, product managers, designers, business analysts, delivery managers and content specialists as part of a multi-disciplinary team to directly deliver better outcomes for users. You will innovate to radically transform how public services are delivered and improved.

Read more about software development on the DfE Digital blog.

Junior user researcher

About the job

User researchers at Department for Education plan, design and carry out research activities with users that help teams get a deep understanding of the people that use our services, across education and social care. This research informs our policy, proposition, service, content and interaction design so that services work well for users and meet our policy intent.

Read more about user research at Department for Education

As a junior user researcher you will be embedded in a multidisciplinary team to carry out user research activities, supported by a more senior user researcher. You will:

  • work in an agile team, with the support of a more senior user researcher
  • deliver user research while getting regular guidance and training to produce your best work and develop your skills
  • research inclusively with a wide range of users, including those with additional needs and other hard-to-reach groups
  • be part of the DfE user research community

This particular role is in [programme area]. [Short details about the programme area, service, and broad types of users of the service. No more than ~50 words]

Selection criteria

Essential skills and expertise we will assess you against are:

  • Research methods and planning. Some experience of using user research methods
  • Analysis and synthesis. Some experience of analysing and synthesising qualitative data, and presenting findings
  • Inclusive research. Awareness of the diversity of government services and the need to make services usable and accessible for everyone
  • Agile working. Awareness of agile delivery methods

Desirable skills (used in the event of a tie-break situation between two candidates):

  • Government Service Standard. Awareness of the Government Service Standard
  • Digital delivery. Experience of working in a team delivering a digital product or service
  • [Add any other desirable skills relevant to your specific team or service – no more than one or two]

Successful applicants will be invited to a one hour interview consisting of a task and questions to assess your experience in the essential criteria listed above.