User Researcher x 2

Job summary

We are seeking 2 User Researchers to help create outstanding user-centred digital services.

The roles sit within Digital Archiving / Digital Services at The National Archives, the official archive of the UK Government and for England and Wales. We care for millions of public records spanning government, courts and parliament. Our oldest records are from over a thousand years ago. We are committed to making these collections accessible through high-quality digital services for future generations.

Job description

As a User Researcher, you will help teams understand user needs and behaviours through evidence-based research. Using a range of qualitative and quantitative research methods, you will generate insights that inform service design, support decision-making and ensure our products and services meet the needs of diverse users. You will work closely with multidisciplinary teams to identify opportunities, shape solutions and advocate for users throughout the product lifecycle.

This is a unique opportunity to undertake user research in an environment focused on complex information services rather than purely transactional services. You will work alongside experts from across our collections and research communities while contributing to the future access of public records through our digital services.

Person specification

About you
This role would suit someone who is curious, analytical and motivated by solving complex problems through research and evidence.

You will enjoy working collaboratively in multidisciplinary teams, communicating insights to a range of audiences and helping teams make better decisions based on user needs. You will be comfortable balancing short-term delivery priorities with the development of longer-term organisational understanding of users and their behaviours.

To be successful in this role, you will be able to demonstrate experience of the following :

Essential Experience and skills

• Experience conducting user research for digital products and services

• Demonstratable experience using qualitative and quantitative research methods to maximise insight with a strong desire to stay up to date with emerging methodologies and standards

• Ability to collaborate within a multidisciplinary team, stakeholder groups and User experience community across

• Experience of following ethical research practices, collecting and managing personal data safely in compliance with GDPR

• Familiarity with accessibility guidelines and digital inclusion principles and how they apply to user research

• Paying attention to detail with strong critical thinking and analytical skills

• Effective communication with an instinct to work in the open by sharing research workflows and breaking research findings down into actionable insights

• Organisational skills with experience planning and iterating research work and managing documentation over the lifespan of a service
Desirable:

Knowledge of the government digital service standard and experience of applying user research to digital services at different stages of development (Discovery, Alpha, Beta, Live)

Awareness of the technologies used to build and operate digital services

Experience researching systems that use AI or Large Language Models

Qualification in Human Computer Interaction (HCI), Psychology, Social science, Digital marketing, Product design or similar disciplines

(Desirable criteria will only be used if necessary, to differentiate between equally qualified top candidates during final scoring)

Working arrangements

This is a full-time post. However, requests for part-time working, flexible working and job share arrangements will be considered subject to business needs.

A combination of home and office working is available. Successful candidates must be able to travel regularly to our Kew site and work on-site for at least 60% of their time. Occasional travel for user research activities and very occasional out-of-hours working may be required.

We are unable to offer sponsorship for this role.
APPLICATION PROCESS:

Applicants will be required to:

• Submit Work history

• Answer three questions about your work experience, related to the essential criteria listed above

Your work history and your question answers will be assessed against the criteria.

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 visit the Civil Service Careers website where you can find further information on the use of AI in the application guidance section.
Assessment process

Successful candidates will be invited to interview onsite at The National Archives. This will include a practical activity. This is designed to give you the opportunity to show us how you approach research and will not be a test of your knowledge of The National Archives as an organisation. Full details will be provided in the interview invitation.

Benefits

Alongside your salary of £42,000, The National Archives contributes £12,167 towards you being a member of the Civil Service Defined Benefit Pension scheme. Find out what benefits a Civil Service Pension provides (opens in a new window).Alongside your salary there is a generous benefits package, including pension, sports and social club facilities, onsite gym, discounted rates at our on-site cafe and opportunities for training and development.

Additional benefits include:

Hybrid working arrangements.

Learning and development opportunities.

Access to professional communities of practice.

Opportunities to work with partner researchers, collections specialists and digital professionals.

Any move to The National Archives from another employer will mean you can no longer access childcare vouchers. This includes moves between government departments. You may however be eligible for other government schemes, including Tax-Free Childcare. Determine your eligibility at https://www.childcarechoices.gov.uk;

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

Reasonable adjustments:

If a person with disabilities is put at a substantial disadvantage compared to a non-disabled person, we have a duty to make reasonable changes to our processes.

If you need a change to be made so that you can make your application, you should:

• Contact The National Archives via careers@nationalarchives.gov.uk as soon as possible before the closing date to discuss your needs
• Complete the “Assistance required” section in the “Additional requirements” page of your application form to tell us what changes or help you might need further on in the recruitment process. For instance, you may need wheelchair access at interview, or if you’re deaf, a Language Service Professional

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

Security

Successful candidates must undergo a basic (or equivalent) 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.The Civil Service also offers a Redeployment Interview Scheme to civil servants who are at risk of redundancy, and who meet the minimum requirements for the advertised vacancy.

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.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 : Talent Acquisition
• Email : careers@nationalarchives.gov.uk

Recruitment team

• Email : careers@nationalarchives.gov.uk

Further information

If you feel your application has not been treated in accordance with the Recruitment Principles and you wish to make a complaint, in the first instance, you should contact The National Archives via email: careers@nationalarchives.gov.uk If you are not satisfied with the response you receive from the Department, you can contact the Civil Service Commission at http://civilservicecommission.independent.gov.uk/civil-service-recruitm…