User Researcher

Role overview

The Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG) is recruiting a User Researcher to help improve the Cyber Assessment Framework (CAF) for local government. This role sits within the Local Digital team, which supports councils in England to deliver more secure, user-focused and cost-effective public services through open and reusable approaches.

You will work on research that helps the team understand the needs of users across the sector, build strong evidence stories, and shape products and services that better support local government cyber resilience. The wider objective is to help the sector become resilient to known vulnerabilities and attack methods by 2030.

There is also an additional opportunity for an SEO User Researcher to support the Publishing team. If you are not selected for the Local Digital post, you may be considered for that related vacancy using the same skill set.

Locations mentioned for this opportunity include Bristol, Darlington, Manchester and Wolverhampton. Interviews are expected to be held remotely by videocall.

What you will do

• Contribute to a design team that is improving the CAF for local government so it works well for different user groups.
• Make sure research includes people from a broad mix of backgrounds and user types, and represent their needs in conversations with internal teams.
• Plan and run research sessions with key user groups to understand their goals, experiences, and the effect of policies or programmes on them.
• Work with community, collaboration and engagement colleagues to collect insights about users’ experience with the CAF and help guide service and product priorities.
• Help create recruitment routes for research participants and design feedback loops so learning is captured and used well.
• Embed inclusive research practices so that research reaches a diverse range of users.
• Choose suitable research methods for each objective, then analyse and combine findings into clear insight and practical recommendations.
• Share research outcomes with stakeholders, including senior officials, in a clear and engaging format, and champion user needs in relation to the CAF.
• Support the creation of strategic insights and recommendations, including work linked to system mapping and visualisation.

What the role requires

• Experience working as a user researcher in a complex policy or delivery environment, with strong knowledge of user-centred design.
• Understanding of multiple qualitative research methods and when to use them.
• Experience designing and delivering inclusive research with a wide variety of users.
• Ability to involve internal stakeholders in research activities, including co-design with multidisciplinary teams and promoting strong monitoring and evaluation.
• Capability to analyse research data and turn it into clear, actionable findings with team buy-in.
• Confidence working to ambitious deadlines while producing high-quality research plans, playback sessions and reports.
• Strong communication skills for presenting research insights to internal and external audiences in a way that is tailored to the audience and easy to use.
• Comfort working with complexity, uncertainty and organisational constraints in a political setting.
• Experience of working openly and collaboratively as part of a multidisciplinary team.

Additional information

MHCLG states that it does not offer visa sponsorship, so applicants must already have a valid visa for the full duration of employment.

The recruitment process is split into two stages and uses Success Profiles criteria: behaviours, experience and technical skills.

Your CV must not include personally identifiable information.

Direct CV applications are not accepted; all applications must be submitted through the official application route.

Your CV and cover letter must be combined into one document before upload.

The cover letter should be no longer than one page and should explain how you meet the criteria in the job description.

If there are many applicants, an initial sift may be carried out using the lead sift question on inclusive research approaches.

Interview stage assessment will cover the behaviours Communicating and influencing, Working together, and Delivering at a pace, along with experience and technical questions based on the job criteria.

Sifting is expected during the week beginning 13 July 2026. Interviews are expected shortly afterwards and are currently planned to take place remotely.

Feedback is only provided to candidates who attend an interview or assessment.

Security and clearance

The successful candidate must pass a criminal record check and meet the required security standards before appointment. The required level of clearance is Security Check, and the role also requires BPSS and SC at National Office. People working with government assets must complete baseline personnel security standard checks.

Nationality and right to work

This role is open to UK nationals, Irish nationals, Commonwealth nationals with the right to work in the UK, eligible EU/Swiss/Norwegian/Icelandic/Liechtenstein nationals and their family members with settled or pre-settled status or a valid EUSS application, certain people with limited or indefinite leave to remain who were eligible for EUSS on or before 31 December 2020, and Turkish nationals and certain family members who have gained the right to work in the Civil Service.

Benefits and package

The salary is £44,004. MHCLG also contributes £12,747 towards membership of the Civil Service Defined Benefit Pension scheme. Additional benefits include tailored career pathways, flexible working, MyLifestyle Childcare Voucher, and Cycle to Work schemes.

Artificial intelligence guidance

AI tools may be used to support an application, but all information provided must be truthful, accurate and based on the candidate’s own experience. Using generated content or other people’s ideas as your own may lead to withdrawal of the application and possible disciplinary action for internal candidates.

Working for the Civil Service

The Civil Service Code sets out the standards of behaviour expected from civil servants. Recruitment is based on merit and fair selection principles.