Design Researcher Agentic AI (12 Months FTC)

📍 Job Overview

Job Title: Design Researcher Agentic AI (12 Months FTC)

Company: Lloyds Banking Group

Location: Leeds Wellington Place, United Kingdom

Job Type: Full-Time, Temporary

Category: User Experience Research / Product Development

Date Posted: April 01, 2026

Experience Level: Mid-Senior Level (5-10 years)

Remote Status: Hybrid

🚀 Role Summary

• Drive the research strategy for critical business areas within a leading financial institution by leading the design and execution of user research initiatives.

• Collaborate closely with multi-disciplinary design, product, and engineering teams to translate complex customer needs into actionable insights that inform product and service development.

• Manage the end-to-end research plan and roadmap, ensuring alignment with strategic objectives and delivery timelines for a key service or product area.

• Conduct a range of qualitative research methodologies, including generative and evaluative studies, to uncover customer problems and identify new opportunities.

📝 Enhancement Note: This role is a fixed-term contract (FTC) for 12 months, indicating a project-based need or a temporary backfill. The focus on "Agentic AI" suggests an interest in how AI agents can be researched from a user perspective, potentially involving AI-driven user experiences or research tools. The scale of Lloyds Banking Group implies a significant impact and exposure to complex financial services products.

📈 Primary Responsibilities

• Develop and lead the research strategy for a designated service or product area, ensuring it aligns with business objectives and customer needs.

• Create and manage comprehensive research plans and roadmaps, defining key research questions, methodologies, and timelines.

• Execute a variety of qualitative research methods, including usability testing (moderated and unmoderated), concept testing, in-depth interviews, and ethnographic studies (e.g., contextual inquiry, diary studies).

• Synthesize research findings into clear, impactful, and actionable insights, presenting compelling customer stories to foster a shared understanding across design, product, and engineering teams.

• Act as a key influencer by communicating research outcomes and their implications to wider business stakeholders, guiding strategic decision-making.

• Triangulate research data with other sources of information (e.g., analytics, customer feedback) to build a holistic view of user behavior and opportunities.

• Foster a culture of continuous learning by sharing expertise, mentoring junior researchers, and actively learning from the broader Design Research and Analytics community.

• Contribute to the development and refinement of research practices and methodologies within the team.

📝 Enhancement Note: While not explicitly stated as a core responsibility, the mention of "Agentic AI" implies a need to research user interactions with or perceptions of AI-driven systems, which could involve understanding user trust, control, and the ethical implications of AI in financial services.

🎓 Skills & Qualifications

Education: While no specific degree is mandated, a strong academic foundation in Human-Computer Interaction (HCI), Psychology, Sociology, Anthropology, Design Research, or a related field is highly beneficial.

Experience: A minimum of 5-10 years of progressive experience in user research, with a proven track record of leading research initiatives within product development environments.

Required Skills:

• Demonstrated experience in developing and executing research strategies and roadmaps for product or service areas.

• Deep expertise in qualitative research methodologies, including usability testing (moderated/unmoderated), concept testing, and in-depth interviews.

• Proven ability to synthesize complex research data into clear, actionable insights and compelling narratives.

• Strong communication and influencing skills, with the ability to present findings effectively to diverse stakeholder groups, including senior leadership.

• Experience in identifying and prioritizing research questions collaboratively with design, product, and engineering teams.

• Proficiency in triangulating research findings with quantitative data and other insights sources to build a comprehensive understanding of user needs.

Preferred Skills:

• Experience combining qualitative and quantitative research methods to provide richer insights.

• Ethnographic research experience, such as contextual inquiry or diary studies.

• Specialized experience in accessibility research and/or research involving vulnerable customer segments.

• Familiarity with AI concepts and their application in user experience research, particularly "Agentic AI."

• Experience within the financial services industry.

📝 Enhancement Note: The "5-10 years" experience level, combined with the responsibility for leading research strategy and influencing stakeholders, suggests this role is for a seasoned researcher capable of operating with a high degree of autonomy and strategic input. The emphasis on "transferable experience" indicates that the company values practical skills and diverse backgrounds over rigid educational or career path requirements.

📊 Process & Systems Portfolio Requirements

Portfolio Essentials:

• Showcase a minimum of 3-5 robust case studies demonstrating end-to-end research projects, from problem definition to actionable insights and impact.

• For each case study, clearly articulate the research objectives, methodologies employed, participant profiles, key findings, and the impact of the research on product/service development or business outcomes.

• Provide examples of how research insights were translated into tangible design or strategic recommendations.

• Demonstrate proficiency in synthesizing findings from multiple research activities or data sources.

Process Documentation:

• Evidence of creating and managing research plans and roadmaps.

• Examples of user journey mapping, persona development, or other outputs derived from research.

• Documentation illustrating how research insights were shared and integrated into the product development lifecycle.

• Showcases of how research contributed to solving customer problems or unlocking new opportunities.

📝 Enhancement Note: Given the "Agentic AI" focus, candidates might consider including any relevant research projects exploring AI-driven interfaces, user trust in AI, or the human-AI interaction design process, even if not explicitly requested, to highlight forward-thinking capabilities.

💵 Compensation & Benefits

Salary Range: £61,344 - £68,160 per annum.

Benefits:

• Generous pension contribution of up to 15%.

• Annual performance-related bonus.

• Share schemes, including free shares.

• Lifestyle benefits such as discounted shopping.

• 30 days of holiday per year, plus bank holidays.

• A comprehensive range of wellbeing initiatives.

• Generous parental leave policies.

Working Hours: Full-time, typically around 40 hours per week. The role is hybrid, requiring a minimum of two days per week (or 40% of time) in the Leeds Wellington Place office.

📝 Enhancement Note: The salary range provided is specific and falls within the mid-to-senior level for a Design Researcher in the UK financial services sector, especially in a major city like Leeds. The hybrid working model, with a defined minimum office presence, is standard for many large organizations post-pandemic, offering a balance between flexibility and in-person collaboration.

🎯 Team & Company Context

🏢 Company Culture

Industry: Financial Services. Lloyds Banking Group is one of the UK's largest financial institutions, offering a wide range of banking and financial services to individuals and businesses. This context means the role operates within a highly regulated environment with a strong focus on customer trust, security, and compliance.

Company Size: Large. As one of the UK's major banks, Lloyds Banking Group employs a significant number of people, offering opportunities for large-scale impact and exposure to diverse business units.

Founded: 2009 (Lloyds Banking Group PLC formed through merger). With a long heritage in UK banking, the group has a deep understanding of customer needs and market dynamics.

Team Structure:

• The Design Research team is substantial, comprising 40+ researchers, indicating a strong commitment to user-centered design and a robust internal community for knowledge sharing and support.

• Researchers work within multi-disciplinary design, product, and engineering teams, fostering close collaboration and integrated product development processes.

Methodology:

• A strong emphasis on shaping product and service development through user research.

• Encouragement to test and learn new research methods.

• Integration of research findings into the product development lifecycle, from generative exploration to evaluative testing.

• Potential for leveraging AI in research tools or studying AI-driven user experiences.

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

📝 Enhancement Note: The "Agentic AI" aspect may indicate that Lloyds Banking Group is exploring innovative AI applications, and this role is crucial in ensuring these advancements are user-centric and ethically deployed within the financial sector.

📈 Career & Growth Analysis

Operations Career Level: Mid-to-Senior Level Design Researcher. This role is positioned to lead research for specific product areas, manage roadmaps, and influence stakeholders, requiring autonomy and strategic thinking. It's a significant step beyond junior or associate researcher roles.

Reporting Structure: The researcher will report into a Design Research lead or manager and will be integrated into multi-disciplinary product teams. They will also be part of a larger community of 40+ researchers, benefiting from peer support and shared learning.

Operations Impact: This role directly impacts the development of digital products and services by ensuring they meet customer needs, solve problems effectively, and unlock new opportunities. The research findings will guide strategic product decisions, influencing customer satisfaction, engagement, and ultimately, business growth within the financial services sector.

Growth Opportunities:

• Skill Specialization: Opportunity to deepen expertise in specific research areas, such as accessibility, quantitative methods, or ethnographic research, as highlighted in the preferred skills.

• AI Research Focus: Potential to become a subject matter expert in researching AI-driven experiences, particularly "Agentic AI," a growing and critical field.

• Leadership Development: Experience in leading research strategy and influencing stakeholders provides a strong foundation for future team lead or management roles within design research.

• Cross-Functional Exposure: Working with diverse product and engineering teams offers broad exposure to different aspects of digital product development.

• Mentorship: The team actively fosters mentoring, providing opportunities to both learn from experienced researchers and potentially mentor less experienced colleagues.

📝 Enhancement Note: The 12-month FTC nature means that while growth within this specific role is limited to the contract duration, the experience gained in leading research, handling complex financial products, and potentially exploring AI in research could significantly enhance a candidate's profile for future permanent or contract roles in design research, especially in cutting-edge areas.

🌐 Work Environment

Office Type: Hybrid working model. Colleagues are expected to spend at least two days per week (40% of their time) at the Leeds Wellington Place office. This suggests a blend of remote work flexibility and in-office collaboration.

Office Location(s): Leeds Wellington Place, United Kingdom. This is a modern, central business district location, likely well-equipped with amenities and good transport links.

Workspace Context:

• Collaborative Environment: The hybrid model and emphasis on multi-disciplinary teams suggest a dynamic workspace that encourages interaction, brainstorming, and knowledge sharing.

• Tools & Technology: While not specified, it's reasonable to expect access to standard design research tools, collaboration platforms, and potentially specialized AI research software, given the "Agentic AI" focus.

• Team Interaction: Regular face-to-face interaction with design, product, and engineering colleagues is a key component of the hybrid model, facilitating seamless collaboration and rapid iteration.

Work Schedule: Full-time, with a hybrid arrangement. While the exact daily hours are not specified, a standard 7-8 hour workday is typical, with flexibility offered as per the company's "Flexibility Works" policy.

📝 Enhancement Note: The requirement for 2 days in the office is a common hybrid model that balances remote flexibility with the benefits of in-person collaboration, essential for complex problem-solving and team cohesion in design research.

📄 Application & Portfolio Review Process

Interview Process:

• Initial Screening: Likely a recruiter or HR screening to assess basic qualifications, experience, and cultural fit.

• Hiring Manager/Team Interview: A deeper dive into your research experience, methodologies, and approach to problem-solving. Expect behavioral questions and discussions about your past projects.

• Portfolio Review: A dedicated session where you will present selected case studies from your portfolio. This is critical for demonstrating your research process, impact, and communication skills.

• Practical Exercise/Case Study: You may be asked to complete a short research-focused task or case study, either take-home or during an interview, to assess your analytical and problem-solving abilities.

• Final Interview: Potentially with senior leadership or key cross-functional stakeholders to assess strategic thinking and overall fit.

Portfolio Review Tips:

• Curate Strategically: Select 3-5 of your strongest, most relevant case studies that showcase a range of methodologies and demonstrate clear impact. Tailor your selection to highlight experience with qualitative research, roadmap development, and stakeholder influence.

• Tell a Story: Structure each case study with a clear narrative: the problem/opportunity, your role and approach, the research process, key insights, and the resulting actions/impact. Quantify impact where possible (e.g., "led to a 15% improvement in task success rate").

• Highlight Process: Clearly articulate your thought process, how you chose methodologies, and how you synthesized findings.

• **Demonstrate AI Relevance (