Design Researcher (12 Month FTC)

📍 Job Overview

Job Title: Design Researcher (12 Month FTC)

Company: Lloyds Banking Group

Location: Edinburgh, United Kingdom

Job Type: Full-time, Temporary

Category: Design Research / User Experience Operations

Date Posted: 2026-08-24

Experience Level: 5-10 Years

Remote Status: Hybrid (2 days in office)

🚀 Role Summary

• Lead the design research strategy and roadmap for a critical business area, ensuring customer problems are solved and product development is guided by actionable insights.

• Collaborate within multi-disciplinary design, product, and engineering teams to deliver impactful research findings that drive innovation and strategic direction.

• Conduct a range of qualitative and quantitative research methodologies across the entire product development lifecycle, from generative exploration to evaluative testing.

• Synthesize complex data from various sources to create compelling customer stories and influence senior and executive-level stakeholders with clarity and conciseness.

📝 Enhancement Note: This role is framed within a large financial institution, requiring a strong understanding of enterprise-level operations and the ability to navigate developing research practices within established business structures. The emphasis on influencing senior stakeholders and embedding evidence-led decision-making suggests a need for strategic thinking and robust communication skills beyond just research execution.

📈 Primary Responsibilities

• Develop and own the research plan and roadmap for a designated service or product area, aligning with business objectives and customer needs.

• Execute generative and evaluative research throughout the product development lifecycle, including but not limited to usability testing (moderated/unmoderated), concept testing, and in-depth interviews.

• Apply ethnographic research techniques such as contextual inquiry and diary studies to gain deep insights into user behaviors and environments.

• Combine qualitative and quantitative research methods to triangulate data, uncover comprehensive customer insights, and support evidence-led decision-making.

• Synthesize research findings into impactful and actionable recommendations, ensuring a shared understanding of user needs and opportunities across cross-functional teams.

• Present research findings, strategic implications, and recommendations confidently to senior and executive-level audiences, influencing product strategy and business decisions.

• Champion and evangelize the value of Design Research across teams, fostering a customer-centered approach and embedding evidence-led decision-making practices.

• Collaborate closely with Service Design and other disciplines to develop a holistic understanding of customer and colleague experiences across end-to-end journeys.

• Operate effectively in environments where research practices may be developing, building trust in insights and driving adoption of evidence-led approaches.

• Conduct research focused on accessibility and vulnerable customer needs, ensuring inclusive product design.

📝 Enhancement Note: The responsibilities highlight a senior-level researcher role requiring strategic ownership, cross-functional leadership, and significant influence. The explicit mention of developing research practices suggests a need for candidates who can not only execute research but also mature the research function within their domain.

🎓 Skills & Qualifications

Education: While no specific degree is mandated, a strong academic foundation in a relevant field (e.g., Human-Computer Interaction, Psychology, Sociology, Anthropology, Design Research, or related disciplines) is highly beneficial. Equivalent practical experience will also be considered.

Experience: A minimum of 5-10 years of progressive experience in design research, user experience research, or a closely related field, with a proven track record of leading research initiatives and influencing product strategy.

Required Skills:

• Proven experience working closely with design and product teams to identify, prioritize, and answer key research questions.

• Demonstrated ability to create comprehensive research roadmaps and plans that guide both short-term objectives and strategic direction.

• Deep qualitative research expertise, including mastery of usability testing (moderated and unmoderated), concept testing, and depth interviews.

• Strong proficiency in synthesizing insights into impactful and actionable formats that foster a shared understanding of user needs and opportunities.

• Excellent communication and influencing skills, with the ability to articulate research findings, recommendations, and strategic implications clearly and concisely to senior and executive-level audiences.

• Experience in combining qualitative and quantitative research methods to provide a holistic view of user behavior and needs.

• Experience with ethnographic research methodologies, such as contextual inquiry or diary studies, to understand user behaviors in their natural context.

• Ability to triangulate research and data from multiple sources to construct compelling customer narratives.

• Experience collaborating with Service Design and other disciplines to achieve a unified understanding of customer and colleague journeys.

• Aptitude for operating effectively in environments with developing research practices, building trust in insights and promoting evidence-led decision-making.

• Passion for championing and evangelizing the value of Design Research, embedding customer-centered thinking and data-driven approaches. Preferred Skills:

• Experience with accessibility research and/or research involving vulnerable customer segments.

• Familiarity with quantitative research techniques and data analysis tools.

• Experience in mentoring junior researchers or fostering a collaborative learning environment.

• Understanding of Agile development methodologies and how to integrate research within sprint cycles.

• Familiarity with the financial services industry and its unique customer needs and regulatory landscape.

📝 Enhancement Note: The "5-10 Years" experience level, combined with responsibilities like "lead the research strategy" and "influence senior and executive-level audiences," indicates a Senior or Lead Design Researcher position. The emphasis on developing research practices suggests a need for candidates who can also contribute to the maturity of the research function.

📊 Process & Systems Portfolio Requirements

Portfolio Essentials:

• A curated portfolio showcasing a range of end-to-end research projects, demonstrating your ability to define research questions, select appropriate methodologies, execute research, and deliver actionable insights.

• Case studies that highlight your process for synthesizing qualitative and quantitative data, and how these insights directly influenced product design, strategy, or business decisions.

• Examples of research roadmaps and plans you have developed, illustrating your strategic thinking and ability to align research with business objectives.

• Demonstrations of your communication and influencing skills, such as presentation decks of research findings and recommendations delivered to diverse audiences, including senior leadership.

• Evidence of your ability to work collaboratively within multi-disciplinary teams and integrate research seamlessly into product development workflows. Process Documentation:

• Showcase your approach to defining and documenting research processes, from initial stakeholder engagement and problem definition to insight dissemination and impact tracking.

• Examples of how you have structured and managed research plans and roadmaps, detailing the phases, methodologies, and expected outcomes.

• Documentation illustrating your methods for synthesizing complex research data and translating it into clear, actionable insights and strategic recommendations.

• Evidence of how you have championed and embedded research practices within teams or organizations, including any frameworks or guidelines you may have developed.

📝 Enhancement Note: For a Design Researcher role, the portfolio is critical. It should not just present completed projects but also demonstrate the candidate's strategic thinking, methodological rigor, synthesis capabilities, and impact on product and business outcomes. Emphasis on influencing senior stakeholders and developing research practices should be evident in the portfolio.

💵 Compensation & Benefits

Salary Range: £61,344 - £68,160 per annum (GBP)

Benefits:

• A generous pension contribution of up to 15% from the employer.

• An annual performance-related bonus scheme, rewarding individual and company achievements.

• Access to share schemes, including free shares, providing opportunities for ownership and long-term financial growth.

• A wide range of lifestyle benefits, including discounted shopping opportunities with various partners.

• A substantial annual leave allowance of 30 days, in addition to public holidays.

• Comprehensive wellbeing initiatives designed to support employee health and work-life balance.

• Generous parental leave policies, supporting new parents and their families.

Working Hours: Full-time, with an expected average of 40 hours per week. The role supports hybrid working, requiring colleagues to spend at least two days per week, or 40% of their time, at the Edinburgh office site.

📝 Enhancement Note: The salary range provided is specific to the UK market and the Edinburgh location. The benefits package is comprehensive, reflecting typical offerings from large, established organizations in the UK financial sector. The hybrid working model with a minimum office presence is clearly defined.

🎯 Team & Company Context

🏢 Company Culture

Industry: Financial Services. Lloyds Banking Group is a major UK-based financial institution with a long history, offering a wide range of banking and financial services to individuals, businesses, and institutions. This context means operations are subject to strict regulatory oversight and a strong emphasis on customer trust and security.

Company Size: Large Enterprise (likely 10,000+ employees, based on typical scale of Lloyds Banking Group). This size implies a structured environment with established processes, a broad range of departments, and significant opportunities for cross-functional collaboration and career development.

Founded: The history of Lloyds Banking Group spans over 300 years, with its origins tracing back to the merger of various banking entities. This deep heritage signifies a stable, established organization with a strong market presence and a commitment to long-term strategy.

Team Structure:

• The Design Research team is a significant community of over 40 researchers, indicating a well-established function with diverse specializations.

• Researchers work within multi-disciplinary design, product, and engineering teams, fostering close collaboration between research, design, development, and product management.

• The role involves reporting into a specific product or service area leadership, while also being part of a broader Design Research and Analytics community, suggesting a matrixed reporting or strong community of practice structure. Methodology:

• The team actively encourages testing and learning new research methods, fostering a culture of continuous improvement and innovation in research practices.

• A strong emphasis is placed on mentoring, collaboration, and mutual learning among researchers, promoting knowledge sharing and professional development.

• Research is integral to shaping product and service development, with a focus on solving customer problems, unlocking new opportunities, and guiding the creation of offerings.

• The organization is committed to embedding evidence-led decision making and customer-centered thinking across all teams.

Company Website: https://www.lloydsbankinggroup.com/

📝 Enhancement Note: The company's scale and industry dictate a culture that values stability, regulatory compliance, and customer focus. The internal structure supports specialized functions like Design Research while ensuring integration with product and engineering. The emphasis on continuous learning and evidence-led decision-making points to a forward-thinking approach within a traditional sector.

📈 Career & Growth Analysis

Operations Career Level: Senior Design Researcher / Lead Researcher. This role is positioned at a senior individual contributor level, responsible for strategic research planning and execution for a significant business area. It requires a high degree of autonomy, problem-solving ability, and influence.

Reporting Structure: The Design Researcher will typically report to a Head of Design Research, a Senior Design Manager, or a Product Lead within their designated business area. They will also be an active member of the wider Design Research and Analytics community, benefiting from peer support and shared learning.

Operations Impact: This role has a direct impact on the success of product and service development by ensuring that solutions are deeply rooted in customer needs and validated through rigorous research. The insights generated will influence strategic decisions, guide investment in new features or products, and ultimately contribute to customer satisfaction, business growth, and the organization's mission to help Britain prosper.

Growth Opportunities:

• Leadership Development: Opportunities to lead research strategy for larger or more complex initiatives, mentor junior researchers, and potentially move into formal leadership roles (e.g., Design Research Manager).

• Skill Specialization: Deepen expertise in specific research methodologies (e.g., advanced quantitative analysis, ethnography, accessibility research) or product domains within the financial services sector.

• Cross-Functional Mobility: Develop a broad understanding of product development, design, and business strategy, potentially leading to roles in Product Management, Service Design, or Strategy.

• Continuous Learning: Access to internal training, workshops, conferences, and collaborative learning within the large Design Research community to stay abreast of the latest research trends and techniques.

📝 Enhancement Note: The "12 Month FTC" (Fixed-Term Contract) nature of the role should be considered. While it offers significant responsibility and growth, it's important for candidates to understand the contract duration and potential for extension or conversion. The growth opportunities outlined assume a successful performance within the FTC.

🌐 Work Environment

Office Type: Hybrid Working environment, with a requirement to spend at least two days per week (or 40% of time) at the Edinburgh Princes Exchange office site. This indicates a blend of in-office collaboration and remote flexibility.

Office Location(s): Edinburgh Princes Exchange, Edinburgh, United Kingdom. This is a key operational hub for Lloyds Banking Group, likely offering modern facilities and a collaborative workspace.

Workspace Context:

• Collaborative Spaces: The office environment is designed to foster collaboration, with spaces for team meetings, workshops, and informal discussions, crucial for multi-disciplinary teams.

• Tools & Technology: Access to standard office technology, potentially including specialized user research labs or equipment, and digital collaboration tools essential for hybrid work.

• Team Interaction: Regular face-to-face interaction with design, product, and engineering colleagues, as well as other researchers, facilitating strong working relationships and knowledge sharing.

Work Schedule: Full-time, approximately 40 hours per week, with the flexibility inherent in a hybrid model. The focus is on delivering results and meeting project deadlines, with an understanding of balancing work responsibilities with personal life.

📝 Enhancement Note: The hybrid model is a key feature, requiring candidates to be comfortable with a structured approach to in-office collaboration while also valuing remote work flexibility. The Edinburgh Princes Exchange location suggests a well-equipped and professional office setting.

📄 Application & Portfolio Review Process

Interview Process:

• Initial Screening: Likely a review of CV and portfolio by a recruiter or hiring manager to assess basic qualifications and experience.

• Technical Interview/Portfolio Review: A deeper dive into the candidate's portfolio, discussing past projects, methodologies, problem-solving approaches, and impact. This will be a key stage to assess research expertise and strategic thinking.

• Behavioral/Situational Interviews: Questions designed to assess cultural fit, collaboration skills, stakeholder management abilities, and how the candidate handles specific work scenarios (e.g., dealing with challenging stakeholders, navigating developing research practices).

• Final Interview: Potentially with a senior leader or hiring manager to confirm fit and discuss the role's strategic importance.

Portfolio Review Tips:

• Structure for Impact: Organize your portfolio by project, clearly outlining the problem, your role, the methodologies used, key findings, and the impact/outcomes. Use a narrative approach to tell the story of each project.

• Demonstrate Strategic Thinking: Highlight how you identified research questions, prioritized them, and aligned them with business objectives. Show your ability to create research roadmaps.

• Showcase Synthesis & Actionability: Clearly articulate how you synthesized complex data and translated it into actionable insights that drove decisions. Quantify impact where possible (e.g., "resulted in a X% improvement in task completion").

• Highlight Collaboration & Influence: Provide examples of how you worked with cross-functional teams and influenced stakeholders, especially senior leadership. Include examples of presentations or communication strategies.

• Tailor to the Role: Emphasize projects that align with the requirements of this specific role, such as qualitative and quantitative integration, ethnographic research, accessibility, and working in evolving environments.

Challenge Preparation:

• Research Design Challenge: Be prepared for a hypothetical scenario where you might be asked to outline a research plan for a given problem or product. Focus on your process for defining objectives, selecting methods, and planning for analysis and reporting.

• Stakeholder Communication: Practice articulating research findings and recommendations concisely and persuasively, anticipating questions from different stakeholder perspectives (e.g., product managers, engineers, senior executives).

• Problem-Solving Scenarios: Prepare to discuss how you would approach a complex research problem, especially one where research practices might be nascent or require development.

📝 Enhancement Note: The emphasis on influencing senior stakeholders and operating in developing research environments suggests interviewers will probe for strategic thinking, communication prowess, and resilience. The portfolio review will be a critical component, so candidates must be ready to articulate their process and impact in detail.

🛠 Tools & Technology Stack

Primary Tools:

• User Research Platforms: Tools for conducting moderated and unmoderated usability testing, such as UserTesting.com, Lookback, Maze, or similar platforms.

• Survey & Data Collection Tools: Proficiency with survey platforms like Qualtrics, SurveyMonkey, or Google Forms for quantitative data collection and feedback gathering.

• Collaboration & Prototyping Tools: Familiarity with tools used by design and product teams, such as Figma, Sketch, Miro, and Jira, to understand workflows and integrate research findings.

Analytics & Reporting:

• Data Synthesis & Visualization Tools: Experience with tools for synthesizing qualitative data (e.g., Dovetail, Condens) and potentially basic familiarity with data visualization tools (e.g., Tableau, Power BI) if quantitative research is involved.

• Spreadsheet Software: Advanced proficiency in Microsoft Excel or Google Sheets for data analysis and reporting.

CRM & Automation:

• While not a direct CRM role, understanding how research insights feed into product development that might be tracked via CRM systems (e.g., Salesforce) is beneficial.

• Familiarity with project management and workflow tools like Jira or Asana for managing research timelines and collaborating with engineering teams.

📝 Enhancement Note: While specific tools aren't listed, the role implies a need for proficiency in standard user research platforms, survey tools, and collaborative design/product development software. The ability to synthesize qualitative data is paramount.

👥 Team Culture & Values

Operations Values:

• Customer Centricity: A core value driving all research efforts, ensuring that customer needs, pain points, and aspirations are at the forefront of product and service development.

• Evidence-Led Decision Making: A commitment to basing strategic and tactical decisions on robust research insights and data, rather than assumptions or intuition alone.

• Collaboration & Partnership: A strong emphasis on working effectively with cross-functional teams (design, product, engineering) to foster a shared understanding and collective ownership of customer solutions.

• Continuous Improvement: An openness to learning, testing new approaches, and refining research methodologies to enhance impact and efficiency.

• Integrity & Trust: Upholding high ethical standards in research practices and data handling, crucial within the financial services sector.

Collaboration Style:

• Integrated Teams: Researchers are embedded within multi-disciplinary teams, working hand-in-hand with designers, product managers, and engineers throughout the product lifecycle.

• Open Communication: Encouragement of open dialogue, feedback exchange, and shared learning among researchers and with partner teams.

• Proactive Engagement: Actively seeking out opportunities to collaborate, share insights, and influence decision-making at all levels.

• Mentorship & Knowledge Sharing: A culture that values sharing expertise, mentoring colleagues, and collectively building the capabilities of the Design Research function.

📝 Enhancement Note: The culture emphasizes a strong, collaborative, and evidence-driven approach to product development, with customer needs at its core. The values align with the responsibilities of influencing strategy and embedding research practices.

⚡ Challenges & Growth Opportunities

Challenges:

• Navigating Developing Research Practices: Adapting to and helping to mature research methodologies within parts of the organization where they may not be fully established, requiring patience and strong influencing skills.

• Balancing Strategic and Tactical Research: Effectively managing a research roadmap that balances long-term strategic insights with immediate product development needs and deadlines.

• Influencing Senior Stakeholders: Consistently communicating complex research findings in a clear, concise, and persuasive manner to gain buy-in and drive action from senior leadership.

• Data Triangulation Complexity: Effectively integrating and synthesizing diverse qualitative and quantitative data sources to build a cohesive and compelling narrative about customer needs and opportunities.

• Fixed-Term Contract Nature: Adapting to a 12-month tenure, requiring a focus on delivering maximum impact within a defined timeframe and managing expectations around long-term project involvement.

Learning & Development Opportunities:

• Advanced Methodologies: Opportunity to gain deeper experience in specialized research techniques like advanced ethnography, accessibility research, or complex quantitative analysis through project work.

• Strategic Influence: Developing advanced skills in stakeholder management, executive communication, and influencing product strategy at a senior level within a large financial institution.

• Cross-Disciplinary Expertise: Gaining a comprehensive understanding of product development lifecycles, service design principles, and the broader business context of financial services.

• Community of Practice: Learning from and contributing to a large, experienced community of over 40 researchers, sharing best practices and gaining exposure to diverse research approaches.

• Mentorship: Opportunities to be mentored by senior researchers or to mentor junior colleagues, fostering personal and professional growth.

📝 Enhancement Note: The challenges are typical for senior roles in large organizations, especially those focused on embedding new practices. The growth opportunities are tied to the scope of the role and the organizational context, offering significant professional development.

💡 Interview Preparation

Strategy Questions:

• "Describe a time you developed a research roadmap for a complex product area. What was your process, and how did you ensure it aligned with business goals?" (Focus on strategic planning, prioritization, and alignment.)

• "How would you approach introducing or maturing design research practices in a team that is new to them?" (Highlight your experience in evangelizing research, building trust, and demonstrating value.)

• "Walk us through a research project where you had to synthesize diverse qualitative and quantitative data. What were the key insights, and how did you ensure they were actionable?" (Emphasize synthesis, storytelling, and impact.) Company & Culture Questions:

• "What do you understand about Lloyds Banking Group's mission and how does design research contribute to 'helping Britain prosper'?" (Research the company's purpose, values, and recent initiatives.)

• "How do you foster collaboration within a multi-disciplinary team, particularly with product managers and engineers?" (Provide examples of your collaborative approach and communication strategies.)

• "Describe a situation where your research findings challenged existing assumptions or plans. How did you communicate these findings and influence stakeholders?" (Demonstrate your ability to present difficult insights persuasively.) Portfolio Presentation Strategy:

• Select High-Impact Projects: Choose 3-4 projects that best showcase your skills in strategic research planning, diverse methodologies (qualitative, quantitative, ethnographic), synthesis, and demonstrable impact on product/business.

• Tell a Compelling Story: For each project, clearly articulate the problem, your specific role and contributions, the research process, key findings, and the tangible outcomes or impact. Use visuals effectively.

• Quantify Success: Wherever possible, use metrics to demonstrate the impact of your research (e.g., "led to a 15% reduction in customer support calls," "informed a feature that increased engagement by X%").

• Highlight Influence: Show how your insights influenced decisions, and be ready to discuss how you presented your findings to different audiences, including senior leaders.

• Be Prepared for Deep Dives: Anticipate detailed questions about your methodology choices, synthesis process, and how you handled challenges or unexpected findings.

📝 Enhancement Note: Interview preparation should focus on demonstrating strategic thinking, strong communication skills, and a clear understanding of how design research drives business value within a large financial institution. The portfolio is the cornerstone of the interview process.

📌 Application Steps

To apply for this Design Researcher position:

• Submit your application through the provided application link on the Lloyds Banking Group careers portal.

• Tailor your CV: Highlight experience directly relevant to the job description, emphasizing qualitative and quantitative research, strategy development, stakeholder influence, and experience in financial services or similar large organizations. Use keywords from the job description.

• Prepare your Portfolio: Curate a digital portfolio that showcases your best work, focusing on impactful case studies that demonstrate your research process, synthesis skills, and influence on product or business outcomes. Ensure it's easily navigable.

• Practice your Pitch: Be ready to articulate your experience and present your portfolio confidently, focusing on how your skills and approach align with Lloyds Banking Group's values and the requirements of this role.

• Research the Company: Understand Lloyds Banking Group's mission, values, and recent strategic initiatives, particularly how they relate to customer experience and digital transformation.

⚠️ Important Notice: This enhanced job description includes AI-generated insights and operations industry-standard assumptions. All details should be verified directly with the hiring organization before making application decisions.