Mid Level User Researcher - 3 Month Contract

📍 Job Overview

Job Title: Mid Level User Researcher - 3 Month Contract

Company: NEC Software Solutions (NECSWS)

Location: Remote, United Kingdom

Job Type: Full-time Contract

Category: User Experience / Product Research Operations

Date Posted: May 13, 2026

Experience Level: Mid Level (2-5 years)

Remote Status: Fully Remote (United Kingdom)

🚀 Role Summary

• GDS-Centric User Research Delivery: Execute end-to-end user research activities, adhering to Government Digital Service (GDS) standards and best practices, within a dynamic, multidisciplinary project team.

• Complex Problem Solving: Tackle intricate, sensitive, and rapidly evolving challenges, leveraging user insights to directly influence and shape public service outcomes.

• Stakeholder Engagement & Collaboration: Navigate complex stakeholder landscapes, fostering strong collaborative relationships and effectively communicating research findings to diverse audiences.

• Societal Impact Focus: Contribute to high-impact programs that have a meaningful societal benefit, ensuring user needs are at the forefront of service development.

📝 Enhancement Note: While the job title is "User Researcher," the emphasis on "GDS experience," "multidisciplinary teams," and "complex, sensitive, fast-moving problems" strongly suggests a role within a government or public sector technology delivery environment. This necessitates a focus on process adherence, robust documentation, and clear communication of research insights to drive tangible service improvements. The "Operations" aspect comes from the structured delivery of research within a project lifecycle, ensuring efficiency and impact.

📈 Primary Responsibilities

• Design and conduct user research studies using a variety of qualitative and quantitative methods (e.g., user interviews, usability testing, surveys, card sorting, diary studies) to understand user needs, behaviors, and pain points.

• Collaborate closely with product managers, designers, developers, and other stakeholders within multidisciplinary teams to define research questions, plan research activities, and integrate findings into the product development lifecycle.

• Analyze research data, synthesize findings, and translate them into actionable insights, recommendations, and user stories that inform design decisions and strategic direction.

• Produce clear, concise, and compelling research reports, presentations, and artifacts for various audiences, including senior leadership and delivery teams.

• Advocate for user-centered design principles and best practices throughout the project lifecycle, ensuring that user needs are consistently represented and addressed.

• Manage research timelines and deliverables within a fast-paced, agile delivery environment, adapting methodologies as needed to meet project objectives.

• Identify and engage with complex stakeholder groups, managing competing priorities and ensuring alignment on research objectives and outcomes.

📝 Enhancement Note: The core responsibilities are framed around the practical execution of user research in a GDS context. This implies a structured approach to research planning, execution, and reporting, with a strong emphasis on translating findings into actionable product and service improvements. The "operations" component lies in the efficient and effective project delivery of research insights within a defined timeframe.

🎓 Skills & Qualifications

Education:

Experience:

• Proven experience (2-5 years) in a dedicated User Researcher role, with a significant portion focused on GDS (Government Digital Service) projects or similar public sector digital transformation initiatives.

• Demonstrated experience working effectively within agile, multidisciplinary delivery teams, contributing to the creation of user-centered digital services.

Required Skills:

• Proficiency in a wide range of qualitative and quantitative user research methodologies (e.g., interviews, usability testing, surveys, contextual inquiry).

• Expertise in GDS research standards, principles, and evaluation frameworks.

• Strong analytical and synthesis skills, with the ability to translate complex data into clear, actionable insights.

• Excellent communication, presentation, and interpersonal skills, with the ability to effectively engage with diverse stakeholders and advocate for user needs.

Preferred Skills:

• Experience working within the Health sector, understanding its unique user needs and regulatory considerations.

• Familiarity with UX design principles and tools.

• Experience with remote research tools and techniques.

📝 Enhancement Note: The emphasis on "GDS experience" and "multidisciplinary teams" is critical. Candidates should be prepared to showcase how they've applied GDS principles in practice and how they've collaborated effectively within these team structures. The "mid-level" designation suggests a need for demonstrated independence in research execution and a solid understanding of the research lifecycle, rather than just task execution.

📊 Process & Systems Portfolio Requirements

Portfolio Essentials:

• GDS-Compliant Case Studies: Showcase 2-3 detailed case studies demonstrating your user research process within GDS projects. Each case study should clearly outline the problem, your research approach (methodologies used, why they were chosen), key findings, and the impact of your research on the service or product.

• Methodology Diversity: Highlight your ability to select and apply appropriate research methods for different project phases and objectives, justifying your choices.

• Stakeholder Management Examples: Include examples of how you've managed complex stakeholder expectations, communicated research findings effectively to non-research audiences, and influenced decision-making based on user insights.

• Deliverable Showcase: Present examples of research outputs such as user journey maps, personas, usability reports, and research recommendations, demonstrating clarity, conciseness, and actionability.

Process Documentation:

• Demonstrate familiarity with documenting research plans, ethical considerations, participant recruitment strategies, and research findings in a structured and accessible manner, aligning with GDS documentation standards.

• Showcase experience in iterative research processes, where findings from one phase inform subsequent research activities and design iterations.

📝 Enhancement Note: For a GDS-focused role, the portfolio is paramount. Candidates must be ready to articulate their research process rigorously, showing not just what they did, but why they did it, and how it led to tangible improvements. The "operations" aspect here is about the structured, repeatable, and documented delivery of research insights to ensure quality and impact.

💵 Compensation & Benefits

Salary Range:

Benefits:

• Contractual Role: This is a 3-month contract position, offering flexibility and the opportunity to work on high-impact projects.

• Remote Working: Fully remote position within the United Kingdom, providing excellent work-life balance and eliminating commute time.

• Extension Potential: The contract has a strong possibility of extension based on performance and project needs.

• Societal Impact: Opportunity to contribute to services that have a direct and meaningful positive impact on the public.

• Professional Development: Exposure to complex GDS projects and multidisciplinary team environments offers significant learning opportunities.

Working Hours:

• Standard full-time working hours are expected (approximately 40 hours per week), with flexibility often afforded in remote contract roles, provided project deadlines and team collaboration needs are met.

📝 Enhancement Note: Salary for contract roles is typically quoted daily or hourly. The range provided is based on industry benchmarks for skilled contractors in the UK, specifically within the GDS/public sector domain who possess specialized skills like user research. Benefits are often more limited for contract roles compared to permanent positions, with the primary benefit being the nature of the work and the rate of pay.

🎯 Team & Company Context

🏢 Company Culture

Industry: Technology / Software Solutions, with a significant focus on Government & Public Sector, Healthcare, and Societal Impact Services.

Company Size: NEC Software Solutions (NECSWS) is part of the global NEC Corporation. While specific NECSWS employee numbers aren't detailed, NEC Corporation is a large multinational technology company, suggesting NECSWS operates with significant resources and established processes.

Founded: NEC Corporation was founded in 1899, indicating a long history of technological innovation and stability. NEC Software Solutions itself likely has a more recent but substantial operational history within the UK market.

Team Structure:

• The role is within a "multidisciplinary team," which is standard for GDS projects. This typically includes roles such as User Researchers, UX/UI Designers, Developers (Front-end, Back-end), Product Managers, Scrum Masters/Project Managers, and Business Analysts.

• Reporting will likely be to a lead user researcher, product manager, or project lead within the program.

Methodology:

• The emphasis on "GDS" strongly implies an Agile delivery framework, likely Scrum or Kanban, with a focus on iterative development, user feedback loops, and continuous improvement.

• User research is integral to the GDS approach, meaning it's not an afterthought but a core component of the discovery, alpha, beta, and live phases of service delivery.

• Data-driven decision-making is a cornerstone, with user research providing critical qualitative and quantitative data.

Company Website: www.necsws.com

📝 Enhancement Note: NEC Software Solutions appears to be a company focused on delivering critical software for public services. The GDS alignment means the user researcher will operate within a structured, agile, and user-centric framework, emphasizing tangible outcomes and evidence-based decision-making.

📈 Career & Growth Analysis

Operations Career Level: This role is positioned as "Mid Level." For a User Researcher, this means the individual is expected to operate with a degree of autonomy, manage their own research projects from conception to delivery, and begin mentoring more junior researchers or contributing to research strategy. They are beyond entry-level tasks but not yet leading large research functions or setting overarching strategic research direction.

Reporting Structure: The researcher will likely report to a Senior User Researcher, Lead UXer, Product Manager, or Programme Manager within the specific project team. This structure allows for guidance on complex issues while enabling independent execution of research tasks.

Operations Impact: The User Researcher's primary impact is on the usability, accessibility, and effectiveness of public services. By ensuring services meet user needs, they directly contribute to improved citizen experiences, increased service adoption, reduced support costs, and ultimately, greater public trust and satisfaction. In a GDS context, this impact is highly valued and directly influences project success and government efficiency.

Growth Opportunities:

• Specialization: Deepen expertise in specific research methodologies or domains (e.g., accessibility research, quantitative analysis, health sector research).

• Leadership: Progress to Senior User Researcher, Lead User Researcher, or UX Manager roles, taking on more strategic responsibilities, team leadership, and mentoring.

• GDS Expertise: Become a recognized expert in GDS standards and best practices, potentially leading GDS-aligned research initiatives or consulting.

• Cross-Domain Experience: Gain experience across various public sector domains, broadening understanding of diverse user needs and service delivery challenges.

📝 Enhancement Note: While this is a contract role, the "Mid Level" designation and GDS context provide a clear trajectory for career growth. Candidates should view this contract as an opportunity to build their portfolio with impactful GDS projects, which can lead to more senior contract roles or permanent positions within government or related technology firms.

🌐 Work Environment

Office Type: Fully Remote. This indicates a distributed workforce where communication and collaboration are primarily digital.

Office Location(s): United Kingdom. While remote, adherence to UK working regulations and potential for occasional in-person meetings (though unlikely given the contract length and remote status) might be relevant.

Workspace Context:

• Digital Collaboration: Expect to use a suite of digital collaboration tools (e.g., Slack, Microsoft Teams, Zoom) for team communication, meetings, and asynchronous discussions.

• Research Tools: Access to standard user research tools for remote testing, surveys, and data analysis will be provided or expected.

• Team Interaction: While remote, the "multidisciplinary team" structure implies a high degree of interaction through virtual stand-ups, planning sessions, retrospectives, and shared documentation platforms.

Work Schedule: While a full-time contract, remote work often offers some flexibility in structuring the workday, as long as core working hours for team collaboration and project deadlines are met. This allows for efficient management of research tasks and personal commitments.

📝 Enhancement Note: The remote nature of the role requires strong self-discipline, proactive communication, and proficiency with remote collaboration tools. Candidates should highlight their experience working effectively in distributed teams and managing their own time and tasks independently.

📄 Application & Portfolio Review Process

Interview Process:

• Initial Screening: A brief call with a recruiter to assess basic qualifications, GDS experience, and right to work in the UK.

• Technical Interview/Portfolio Review: This is likely the most critical stage. Expect to present 1-2 detailed case studies from your portfolio, focusing on your GDS experience. You'll be asked to walk through your research process, explain your decisions, and discuss the impact of your work. Be prepared for questions about methodology, stakeholder management, and handling ambiguity.

• Team/Hiring Manager Interview: A discussion with the hiring manager and potentially members of the multidisciplinary team to assess cultural fit, collaboration style, and deeper understanding of GDS principles and complex project delivery.

• Reference Checks: Standard professional references will be required.

Portfolio Review Tips:

• Focus on GDS Alignment: Explicitly mention how your process and deliverables align with GDS standards (e.g., user needs, iterative development, ethical research, accessibility considerations).

• Quantify Impact: Whenever possible, use metrics or qualitative evidence to demonstrate the tangible impact of your research on the service or product.

• Storytelling: Structure your case studies as compelling narratives. Clearly articulate the problem, your role, your actions, and the results.

• Be Prepared for Deep Dives: Anticipate detailed questions about your methodology, participant recruitment, data analysis, and how you handled challenges or conflicting feedback.

• Showcase Collaboration: Highlight instances where your research directly informed or enabled collaboration within the multidisciplinary team.

Challenge Preparation:

• You might be given a small, hypothetical research problem or asked to critique a current service from a user research perspective.

• Prepare to discuss how you would approach research in a complex, fast-moving, and potentially ambiguous environment.

• Think about how you would balance speed with rigor in delivering actionable insights for a short-term contract.

📝 Enhancement Note: The portfolio review is the gatekeeper for GDS roles. Candidates must be able to articulate their GDS-specific user research process and demonstrate tangible outcomes. The interview will assess not just research skills, but also the ability to operate effectively within a GDS multidisciplinary team.

🛠 Tools & Technology Stack

Primary Tools:

• User Research Platforms: Familiarity with tools for remote usability testing, surveys, and participant recruitment (e.g., UserTesting.com, Optimal Workshop, SurveyMonkey, Typeform, Lookback, Maze).

• Collaboration Suites: Proficiency with GDS-standard collaboration tools such as Slack, Microsoft Teams, Confluence, Jira, and Google Workspace.

• Design & Prototyping Tools (for understanding): Basic familiarity with tools like Figma, Sketch, or Adobe XD to understand and comment on design artifacts.

Analytics & Reporting:

• Experience with basic web analytics tools (e.g., Google Analytics) to understand user behavior data in context of research findings.

CRM & Automation:

• While not a direct CRM role, understanding how user feedback integrates with CRM or support ticketing systems to identify recurring user issues would be beneficial.

📝 Enhancement Note: While the role is User Researcher, GDS projects heavily rely on integrated digital toolchains. Proficiency with common collaboration and research platforms is essential for seamless integration into the multidisciplinary team and efficient remote working.

👥 Team Culture & Values

Operations Values:

• User-Centricity: A fundamental belief that services should be designed around the needs of their users, driving all decisions.

• Evidence-Based Decision Making: Relying on data and research findings to inform strategy and design, rather than assumptions.

• Collaboration & Transparency: Working openly within multidisciplinary teams, sharing insights, and seeking diverse perspectives.

• Iterative Improvement: Embracing a cycle of building, testing, learning, and refining services based on continuous feedback.

• Societal Impact: A commitment to delivering services that genuinely benefit the public and contribute positively to society.

Collaboration Style:

• Integrated: User researchers are embedded within multidisciplinary teams, working side-by-side with designers, developers, and product managers.

• Iterative: Research findings are shared frequently and inform ongoing design and development cycles.

• Constructive Feedback: Open to receiving and giving constructive feedback to improve research processes and outcomes.

• Cross-Functional Communication: Proactive communication across different roles to ensure a shared understanding of user needs and project goals.

📝 Enhancement Note: The GDS framework fosters a specific culture that values pragmatism, collaboration, and a relentless focus on user outcomes. Candidates should demonstrate an understanding of and alignment with these values.

⚡ Challenges & Growth Opportunities

Challenges:

• Navigating Ambiguity: Dealing with complex, ill-defined problems where the scope and user needs may not be immediately clear. Mitigation involves iterative research and close collaboration with the team.

• Fast-Paced Delivery: Balancing the need for thorough research with tight project deadlines common in GDS projects. This requires efficient planning and prioritization.

• Complex Stakeholder Management: Managing expectations and priorities from various stakeholders with potentially differing views. Requires strong communication and negotiation skills.

• Remote Collaboration: Ensuring effective communication and integration within a remote multidisciplinary team. Requires proactive engagement and clear documentation.

Learning & Development Opportunities:

• GDS Best Practices: Deepen understanding and practical application of GDS design principles and research standards.

• Complex Domain Exposure: Gain experience in challenging public sector domains (potentially Health), understanding unique user needs and regulatory environments.

• Agile Delivery: Hone skills in agile research methodologies and adapting research to fast-paced development cycles.

• Cross-Functional Learning: Learn from designers, developers, and product managers within a multidisciplinary team setting.

📝 Enhancement Note: The challenges presented are typical of GDS projects and highlight the need for adaptable, resilient, and highly collaborative researchers. The growth opportunities are practical and directly tied to the project environment.

💡 Interview Preparation

Strategy Questions:

• "Describe a complex GDS project you’ve worked on. What were the key user research challenges, and how did you address them?" (Focus on your process, methodology, and stakeholder navigation.)

• "How do you ensure your research findings are actionable and effectively integrated into a multidisciplinary team's workflow?" (Highlight your communication, synthesis, and collaboration strategies.)

• "Imagine you have limited time and resources for a critical feature. How would you prioritize your user research activities to deliver the most impact?" (Demonstrate your ability to make pragmatic decisions under pressure.)

Company & Culture Questions:

• "What do you understand about GDS principles and how they apply to user research?" (Demonstrate your knowledge and alignment.)

• "How do you contribute to a collaborative team environment, especially in a remote setting?" (Highlight your teamwork and communication skills.)

Portfolio Presentation Strategy:

• Structure: Choose 1-2 strong GDS-focused case studies.

  • Context: Briefly introduce the project and the problem you were trying to solve.
  • Your Role: Clearly define your responsibilities as the User Researcher.
  • Methodology: Explain your research plan, chosen methods, and participant recruitment strategy, justifying your choices.
  • Process: Detail how you conducted the research and analyzed the data.
  • Findings & Recommendations: Present key insights and actionable recommendations.
  • Impact: Crucially, explain the impact of your research on the product/service and the team's decisions. Use metrics if possible.

• Visuals: Use clear, concise slides. Avoid dense text; focus on key points and visuals if appropriate.

• Engagement: Be prepared for interactive discussion and questions throughout your presentation.

📝 Enhancement Note: Interview preparation for GDS roles requires a deep understanding of their principles and a portfolio that clearly demonstrates practical application. Candidates should be ready to articulate their "why" behind every research decision.

📌 Application Steps

To apply for this operations position:

• Submit your application through the provided link on smartrecruiters.com.

• Portfolio Customization: Ensure your CV and LinkedIn profile highlight your significant GDS experience and success in multidisciplinary, remote teams. Tailor your CV to emphasize keywords from the job description.

• Case Study Selection: Identify and refine the 1-2 strongest GDS-focused case studies from your portfolio that best showcase your process, impact, and ability to handle complex challenges.

• GDS Principles Review: Refresh your understanding of the GDS Service Manual, particularly sections on user research, ethics, and accessibility. Be ready to discuss these in interviews.

• Remote Collaboration Readiness: Prepare to articulate your experience and strategies for effective collaboration and communication within a fully remote, multidisciplinary team environment.

⚠️ Important Notice: This enhanced job description includes AI-generated insights and operations industry-standard assumptions based on the provided input and general GDS practices. All details should be verified directly with NEC Software Solutions during the application and interview process. The salary range is an estimate for contract roles in the UK market.