User Researcher (4078)

Job summary

Join Social Security Scotland as a User Researcher and play a key role in shaping services that truly work for people. You’ll plan and deliver research to understand the needs, experiences, and challenges of those who rely on our services, working closely with multidisciplinary teams to turn insights into practical improvements. Your work will help ensure services are simple, inclusive, and accessible for everyone. You’ll take ownership of smaller research projects, contribute to ethical research practices, and champion the voice of the user throughout the design process. This is a great opportunity for a confident, collaborative researcher who can work independently, knows when to seek support, and is keen to learn and grow within a supportive community.

This is a Fixed Term Appointment for 23 months, with the possibility of extension or permanency depending on business needs.

User Researchers conduct research to support the design of policies and services that meet user needs and achieve policy intent. They plan, design, and deliver research activities to build a shared understanding of users and how services are used, working both independently and within multidisciplinary teams. They advocate for inclusive, accessible, and user-centred design, contribute to ethical research practices, and ensure insights inform decision-making. They also engage with the wider research community and seek guidance where needed to maintain high-quality outcomes.

Job description

• Plan and carry out user research to understand what people need and how services can work better for them.
• Choose the right research methods and tools for each project, with support where needed.
• Review and analyse research findings to identify key themes and insights, involving others in the team where helpful.
• Share findings clearly through presentations and reports so others can understand and act on them.
• Make sure research includes a wide range of people, especially those who may face barriers or are less represented.
• Champion services that are easy to use, accessible, and fair for everyone, including people who need extra support to use digital services.
• Use research insights to help design services that meet people’s needs and deliver positive outcomes.
• Work flexibly and adapt research as projects change, using an iterative (test-and-learn) approach.
• Collaborate with different professionals across teams to plan and deliver research.
• Adjust research plans to work within time, budget, and other constraints.
• Set clear goals and scope for research activities so they align with project and organisational priorities.
• Contribute to wider user research approaches, balancing user needs with business goals.
• Keep improving your skills by learning from feedback, reflecting on your work, and following good practice.
• Build strong relationships with stakeholders and communicate in a way that meets their needs.
• Support collaboration and decision-making by using evidence to explain recommendations.
• Represent the voice of the user by sharing insights about their needs and behaviours.
• Stay aware of technology, including assistive tools, to support inclusive and effective research.

Person specification

Success Profiles
We use an assessment framework called ‘Success Profiles’ which lists the elements we test and provides detailed descriptions of each. Find out more about the framework here.

For this post, the following Success Profile elements will be assessed:

Experience

1. Experience using research analysis and synthesis methods to produce clear, practical insights that can be shared with colleagues and used to inform decisions.
2. Experience carrying out ethical and inclusive user research with a diverse range of users, and using this to represent user needs and support the design of accessible and inclusive services.
3. Experience selecting and using a range of user research methods, choosing the most appropriate approach for different situations and contexts.

Behaviours

• Communicating and Influencing (Level 3)

You can find out more about Success Profiles Behaviours here.

Technical / Professional Skills:
This role is aligned to User Researcher within the Government Digital and Data and Profession.

These skills will be tested during the Technical Assessment if you are successful at sift stage. They will be not be assessed at application stage. Please review the following to understand the skill expectations: User researcher - Government Digital and Data Profession Capability Framework

Benefits

Annual Leave - You will receive 25 days annual leave on joining us. This will increase to 30 days after four full years of service. You will also have 11.5 public and privilege days of leave every year. We also offer Flexi-time. Any extra hours you've worked can be taken as leave when suitable.

A Civil Service Pension - This job comes with a Civil Service pension. New joiners to the Civil Service will join a career average pension scheme as standard. Read more here - www.civilservicepensionscheme.org.uk.

Healthy work life balance - We can offer the possibility of full-time, part-time, term-time, and job shares. We also encourage flexible working.

Discounts - You can enjoy a vast range of retail, travel and lifestyle discounts through our benefit scheme.

Personal support for you - Our Employee Assistance Programme gives you confidential, independent information and guidance 24/7.

Volunteering special leave - Up to six days paid special leave a year for volunteering. We support our staff to help causes important to them.

Great locations - Our bright and modern offices in the heart of Dundee and Glasgow have been designed with staff in mind. Both locations are ideal for public transport.

Things you need to know

Artificial intelligence

Artificial intelligence can be a useful tool to support your application, however, all examples and statements provided must be truthful, factually accurate and taken directly from your own experience. Where plagiarism has been identified (presenting the ideas and experiences of others, or generated by artificial intelligence, as your own) applications may be withdrawn and internal candidates may be subject to disciplinary action. Please see our candidate guidance (opens in a new window) for more information on appropriate and inappropriate use.

Selection process details

Expected Timeline (subject to change)
Sift – w/c 29th June
Interview – w/c 20th July
Location – In Person in either Dundee or Glasgow

To apply please submit an application form by clicking on the ‘Apply at Advertisers Site’ button.

Feedback will only be provided if you attend an interview or assessment.

Security

Successful candidates must undergo a criminal record check.People working with government assets must complete baseline personnel security standard (opens in new window) checks.

Nationality requirements

This job is broadly open to the following groups:

• UK nationals
• nationals of the Republic of Ireland
• nationals of Commonwealth countries who have the right to work in the UK
• nationals of the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein and family members of those nationalities with settled or pre-settled status under the European Union Settlement Scheme (EUSS) (opens in a new window)
• nationals of the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein and family members of those nationalities who have made a valid application for settled or pre-settled status under the European Union Settlement Scheme (EUSS)
• individuals with limited leave to remain or indefinite leave to remain who were eligible to apply for EUSS on or before 31 December 2020
• Turkish nationals, and certain family members of Turkish nationals, who have accrued the right to work in the Civil Service

Further information on nationality requirements (opens in a new window)

Working for the Civil Service

The Civil Service Code (opens in a new window) sets out the standards of behaviour expected of civil servants.

We recruit by merit on the basis of fair and open competition, as outlined in the Civil Service Commission's recruitment principles (opens in a new window).The Civil Service embraces diversity and promotes equal opportunities. As such, we run a Disability Confident Scheme (DCS) for candidates with disabilities who meet the minimum selection criteria.

Diversity and Inclusion

The Civil Service is committed to attract, retain and invest in talent wherever it is found. To learn more please see theCivil Service People Plan (opens in a new window) and the Civil Service Diversity and Inclusion Strategy (opens in a new window).

Apply and further information

This vacancy is part of the Great Place to Work for Veterans (opens in a new window) initiative.The Civil Service welcomes applications from people who have recently left prison or have an unspent conviction. Read more about prison leaver recruitment (opens in new window).Once this job has closed, the job advert will no longer be available. You may want to save a copy for your records.

Contact point for applicants

Job contact :

• Name : Resourcing Team
• Email : Recruitment@socialsecurity.gov.scot
• Telephone : 08001577194

Recruitment team

• Email : Recruitment@socialsecurity.gov.scot

Further information

https://www.socialsecurity.gov.scot/working-with-us/help-with-your-application