Senior User Researcher

📍 Job Overview

Job Title: Senior User Researcher

Company: Made Tech

Location: Any UK Office Hub (Bristol / London / Manchester / Swansea)

Job Type: Permanent

Category: User Experience & Research Operations

Date Posted: 2026-09-17

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

Remote Status: Hybrid

🚀 Role Summary

• This Senior User Researcher role focuses on applying user-centered design (UCD) principles within the public sector to improve societal outcomes through technology.

• You will act as a research subject matter expert, collaborating with multidisciplinary teams, including UCD colleagues, Data & Tech teams, and external stakeholders.

• The core of the role involves conducting comprehensive user research using a variety of qualitative and quantitative methodologies to inform the end-to-end design of public services.

• You will be responsible for synthesizing research findings into actionable insights that drive confident decision-making, ensuring services are helpful, usable, and successful for citizens.

📝 Enhancement Note: The "Senior" title and the emphasis on acting as a subject matter expert, supporting hiring, and contributing to design principles suggest a role that involves leadership and mentorship beyond individual contribution. The salary range of £50,000 - £55,000 aligns with a mid-to-senior level researcher in the UK, likely requiring 5-10 years of relevant experience. The mention of SC clearance indicates a need for candidates to be eligible for security vetting for government projects.

📈 Primary Responsibilities

• Serve as the dedicated research subject matter expert within multidisciplinary teams, overseeing the entire research lifecycle from planning to delivery.

• Lead the scoping of research initiatives, ensuring clear objectives and a shared understanding of success criteria among team members and stakeholders.

• Select and apply the most appropriate qualitative and quantitative research methods for each project, demonstrating a strong command of diverse research techniques.

• Independently conduct user research within client delivery teams, acting as a solo researcher when required.

• Champion the value and application of user research to project teams and key stakeholders, fostering a user-centric approach.

• Develop research plans that directly inform the design of public services, ensuring they meet user needs for helpfulness and usability.

• Guide teams in analyzing research data and synthesizing findings effectively to confirm or challenge existing understandings of problems and user needs.

• Generate compelling and actionable insights tailored to specific research development phases, ensuring practical application.

• Proactively identify key project stakeholders, build robust relationships, and maintain regular communication regarding research progress.

• Present research findings clearly and concisely in 'show & tells' and key stakeholder meetings.

• Advocate for data-driven decision-making, ensuring that research findings are the basis for team decisions.

📝 Enhancement Note: The responsibilities highlight a blend of hands-on research execution and strategic influence. The emphasis on "end-to-end research process," "scoping," and "advocating for teams to make decisions based on research findings" points to a role that requires not just execution but also strategic thinking and leadership in research practices.

🎓 Skills & Qualifications

Education: While no specific degree is listed, a strong academic foundation in a relevant field (e.g., Psychology, Sociology, Human-Computer Interaction, Design, Anthropology) or equivalent practical experience is implied by the seniority and responsibilities.

Experience: Significant practical experience in user research, particularly within agile and lean environments, is essential. The role implies at least 5-10 years of hands-on research experience.

Required Skills:

• Deep expertise in user-centered, lean, and agile research methodologies.

• Proficiency in a range of qualitative research methods, including:

  • Usability testing
  • Contextual enquiry
  • Rapid research

• Proficiency in quantitative research methods, including:

  • Survey development
  • Measurable and evaluative research

• Strong understanding of accessibility and inclusive design principles.

• Thorough knowledge of and adherence to Made Tech’s research standards, the MRS code of practice, and GDPR regulations.

• Excellent communication skills for clear and informative interactions with research participants, including explaining GDPR policies.

• Proven ability to act as a research subject matter expert and advocate within multidisciplinary teams.

• Experience in stakeholder management, including identifying, building relationships with, and updating key stakeholders.

• Ability to synthesize complex research data into actionable insights and compelling narratives. Preferred Skills:

• Experience in Service Design.

• Experience in Content Design.

• Experience in Interaction Design.

• Experience supporting the hiring and onboarding of researchers.

• Experience contributing to design principles and communities of practice.

• Proactive approach to continuous learning and knowledge sharing of new research methods and analysis techniques.

• Ability to provide and receive constructive feedback.

📝 Enhancement Note: The "Desirable" skills list is crucial, indicating that candidates with broader design backgrounds will be highly competitive. The requirement to adhere to specific standards (MRS, GDPR) and support hiring/onboarding suggests a senior role with responsibilities extending beyond project delivery.

📊 Process & Systems Portfolio Requirements

Portfolio Essentials:

• Showcase a strong portfolio demonstrating end-to-end user research projects, ideally within the public sector or complex organizational environments.

• Highlight case studies that clearly articulate the research problem, the methodologies employed (qualitative and quantitative), the research process, and the resulting actionable insights.

• Provide evidence of how your research directly informed design decisions and led to successful, usable, and helpful public services.

• Include examples of how you have synthesized complex data into compelling and actionable insights for diverse audiences.

• Demonstrate experience in stakeholder engagement and presenting research findings to project teams and senior stakeholders. Process Documentation:

• Document your approach to scoping research projects, including how you establish shared understanding of success criteria.

• Detail your process for selecting appropriate research methods based on project objectives and constraints.

• Illustrate your workflow for analyzing research data and synthesizing findings into actionable insights.

• Show examples of how you have advocated for and driven decisions based on research outcomes.

• Provide examples of how you ensure compliance with ethical standards, research guidelines (MRS, GDPR), and accessibility principles throughout your research process.

📝 Enhancement Note: For a Senior User Researcher, a portfolio is paramount. It needs to go beyond just listing projects; it must demonstrate strategic thinking, methodological rigor, and tangible impact on service design and user outcomes. The emphasis on "process documentation" implies a need to articulate how you work, not just what you've done.

💵 Compensation & Benefits

Salary Range: £50,000 - £55,000 per year. This range is competitive for a Senior User Researcher in the UK, reflecting the required experience and responsibility.

Benefits:

• Holiday: 30 days of paid annual leave plus bank holidays.

• Flexible Working: Flexible working hours, allowing for adaptation to personal needs and project demands.

• Parental Leave: Flexible parental leave options.

• Remote Working: Part-time remote working options available, supporting a hybrid work model.

• Wellbeing: Paid counseling services, as well as financial and legal advice.

• Flexible Benefits Platform:

  • Smart Tech scheme.
  • Cycle to Work scheme.
  • Individual benefits allowance for investment in a Health care cash plan or Pension plan.

• Social & Wellbeing: Optional social and wellbeing calendar of events.

Working Hours: The job description states "Flexible Working Hours – we are flexible with what hours you work," implying a standard full-time commitment (likely around 40 hours per week, as commonly understood in the UK) but with flexibility in scheduling.

📝 Enhancement Note: The salary range is clearly stated. The benefits package is comprehensive, with a strong emphasis on flexibility and employee wellbeing, which is attractive for operations and research roles that often require focused work and can involve client-facing pressures. The inclusion of a flexible benefits platform is a modern perk.

🎯 Team & Company Context

🏢 Company Culture

Industry: Technology, specifically focused on improving public sector services through design and technology. Made Tech operates within the Government & Public Sector, Technology, and Consulting domains.

Company Size: While not explicitly stated, the mention of "growing teams," "scaling quickly," and building a "community of designers and researchers" suggests a medium to large, rapidly expanding company. The existence of multiple office hubs (Bristol, London, Manchester, Swansea) also points to a significant presence.

Founded: Information not provided in the raw data.

Team Structure:

• The Senior User Researcher will be part of the "Strategy & Design" department.

• They will work within "multidisciplinary teams," implying collaboration with roles such as UCD colleagues, Data & Tech teams, Service Designers, Content Designers, and Interaction Designers.

• There is a dedicated "UCD community" and a "community of practice" for researchers, suggesting opportunities for peer support, knowledge sharing, and professional development within the company.

• The role may involve supporting the hiring and onboarding of junior researchers, indicating potential for team leadership or mentorship. Methodology:

• User-Centered Design (UCD): This is the foundational methodology, driving all design and research efforts.

• Lean and Agile Research: The team operates within lean and agile frameworks, emphasizing iterative development and rapid feedback loops.

• Design-Led Approach: Made Tech champions a design-led approach to service delivery, meaning design thinking and user insights are central to problem-solving.

• Data-Driven Decisions: Research findings are expected to directly influence and confirm decisions made by project teams.

Company Website: https://madetech.com

📝 Enhancement Note: Made Tech's mission to positively impact society through technology in the public sector is a strong cultural driver. The emphasis on community, collaboration, and a design-led approach suggests a company that values innovation, user empathy, and professional growth within its specialized domain.

📈 Career & Growth Analysis

Operations Career Level: Senior User Researcher. This level signifies a practitioner with substantial experience, capable of independent work, complex problem-solving, and influencing team and stakeholder decisions. It implies a level of autonomy and responsibility beyond junior or mid-level roles.

Reporting Structure: The Senior User Researcher will report within the "Strategy & Design" department. They will work closely with UCD colleagues and potentially report to a Head of Design, Head of Research, or a similar leadership role within the department. Their day-to-day work will be embedded within multidisciplinary project teams.

Operations Impact: The role has a direct impact on the design and effectiveness of public services. By ensuring services are helpful, usable, and successful for citizens, the Senior User Researcher contributes to improved societal outcomes and the efficient use of public resources. Their insights influence strategic decisions about service delivery and technology adoption.

Growth Opportunities:

• Leadership & Mentorship: Opportunities to support the hiring and onboarding of new researchers, contribute to the growth of the UCD community, and potentially mentor junior team members.

• Skill Specialization & Expansion: Proactive learning encouraged for new research methods, analysis techniques, and potential expansion into related design disciplines (Service Design, Content Design, Interaction Design).

• Community Contribution: Representing the research community internally and externally, sharing best practices, and contributing to Made Tech’s design principles.

• Project Leadership: Leading research for significant public sector projects, gaining experience with complex challenges and diverse stakeholders.

• Career Progression: Potential to move into more senior research leadership roles, lead research strategy for larger initiatives, or transition into related design leadership positions.

📝 Enhancement Note: The "Senior" designation combined with responsibilities like supporting hiring and contributing to design principles suggests a clear path for growth into leadership or principal-level roles within Made Tech's UCD community. The emphasis on continuous learning and cross-disciplinary skills development is a hallmark of progressive tech companies.

🌐 Work Environment

Office Type: The role is based within "UK Office Hubs" (Bristol / London / Manchester / Swansea), indicating a physical office presence. However, the "Part time remote working" benefit suggests a hybrid work model is standard.

Office Location(s): Bristol, London, Manchester, Swansea. These are major UK cities, offering accessibility and vibrant working environments.

Workspace Context:

• Collaborative Environment: The role emphasizes working within "multidisciplinary teams," requiring close collaboration with designers, developers, and data specialists.

• Hybrid Model: A blend of in-office work for collaboration and team cohesion, and remote work for focused research tasks and personal flexibility.

• Tools & Technology: While not explicitly detailed, it's assumed that standard user research tools, collaboration software, and potentially specialized government-related platforms will be available.

• Community Engagement: Opportunities to engage with the broader UCD community and communities of practice within Made Tech, fostering knowledge sharing and professional networking.

Work Schedule: Flexible working hours are offered, providing autonomy over the workday structure within the context of project needs and team collaboration requirements.

📝 Enhancement Note: The hybrid nature of the role, combined with flexible hours, offers a good work-life balance, which is increasingly important for attracting and retaining talent in specialized roles like User Research. The office hubs provide physical spaces for collaboration and team building.

📄 Application & Portfolio Review Process

Interview Process: Likely to involve multiple stages, typical for a senior role:

• Initial Screening: Review of CV and portfolio to assess core qualifications and experience.

• Hiring Manager Interview: Discussion about your experience, motivations, and fit with Made Tech's mission and culture. This may include behavioral questions.

• Portfolio Presentation: A key stage where you will present case studies from your portfolio, demonstrating your research process, methodologies, insights, and impact. Expect to discuss your approach to stakeholder management and driving decisions.

• Skills Assessment/Workshop: Potentially a practical exercise or workshop, perhaps involving a mini research design task, data synthesis, or stakeholder communication scenario, to assess your applied skills.

• Team/Culture Fit Interview: Meeting with potential colleagues (UCD, tech, design) to assess collaboration style and cultural alignment.

• Final Interview: Possibly with a senior leader to discuss strategic contributions and long-term fit.

Portfolio Review Tips:

• Curate Strategically: Select 2-3 strong case studies that best represent your end-to-end research capabilities, impact, and suitability for public sector work.

• Focus on Process & Impact: Clearly articulate the problem, your research process (methodology, rationale for choices), your role, the insights generated, and the tangible outcomes or decisions influenced by your research. Use visuals where appropriate.

• Demonstrate Seniority: Showcase your ability to scope research, manage stakeholders, advocate for users, and mentor others. Highlight how you’ve driven significant impact.

• Tailor to Made Tech: Emphasize any experience with public sector services, agile/lean environments, and inclusive/accessible design.

• Prepare for Questions: Be ready to discuss your research philosophy, how you handle challenging stakeholders, how you ensure ethical research practices, and how you stay updated on new methods.

Challenge Preparation:

• Research Design: Be prepared to outline a research plan for a given public service problem, justifying your chosen methods, participant recruitment strategy, and timeline.

• Data Synthesis: Practice synthesizing qualitative data (e.g., interview transcripts) into themes, insights, and recommendations.

• Stakeholder Communication: Prepare how you would present complex research findings to a non-research audience, focusing on clarity and actionable recommendations.

• Ethical Considerations: Be ready to discuss how you ensure ethical research conduct, data privacy (GDPR), and informed consent.

📝 Enhancement Note: The emphasis on a "portfolio presentation" and "challenge preparation" is critical for this role. Candidates should prepare specific examples of how they have translated research findings into concrete service improvements and how they have navigated complex stakeholder environments within the public sector context.

🛠 Tools & Technology Stack

Primary Tools:

• Research Platforms: Proficiency with various user research tools for usability testing (e.g., UserTesting.com, Maze), session recording (e.g., Hotjar, FullStory), and remote collaboration (e.g., Miro, Mural, Figma for prototyping and concept testing).

• Survey Tools: Experience with survey platforms for quantitative data collection (e.g., SurveyMonkey, Qualtrics, Google Forms).

• Data Analysis Software: Familiarity with tools for qualitative data analysis (e.g., Dovetail, NVivo, ATLAS.ti) and potentially quantitative analysis (e.g., SPSS, R, Python for statistical analysis).

• Collaboration & Communication: Standard office suites and communication tools (e.g., Microsoft Office Suite, Google Workspace, Slack, Microsoft Teams).

Analytics & Reporting:

• Ability to integrate research findings with quantitative data from analytics platforms (e.g., Google Analytics, Pendo) to provide a holistic view of user behavior and service performance.

• Experience creating clear and compelling reports and presentations (e.g., PowerPoint, Google Slides, Keynote) that synthesize research findings and recommendations. CRM & Automation:

• While not a direct CRM role, understanding how user research data can feed into product development and service improvement pipelines, which may be managed via CRM or project management tools (e.g., Jira, Asana).

📝 Enhancement Note: The tech stack for a User Researcher is broad, encompassing tools for data collection, analysis, synthesis, and communication. The key is demonstrating flexibility and the ability to choose the right tool for the job, rather than just listing familiarity with specific software. For this role, tools that facilitate collaboration and data synthesis for multidisciplinary teams are particularly important.

👥 Team Culture & Values

Operations Values:

• Design-Led Approach: A core belief that design thinking and user insights are paramount to creating effective public services.

• Positive Societal Impact: A strong mission-driven focus on using technology to improve the country's future and society.

• Collaboration & Community: Emphasis on working together in multidisciplinary teams and fostering a strong community of practice among designers and researchers.

• User Focus: Deep empathy and commitment to understanding and serving the needs of citizens using public services.

• Continuous Improvement: A proactive approach to learning, sharing knowledge, and refining methodologies to deliver better outcomes.

• Data-Driven Decisions: Valuing research findings as critical inputs for strategic and design decisions.

Collaboration Style:

• Cross-Functional Integration: Actively embedding within multidisciplinary teams, working closely with developers, data specialists, and other designers.

• Open Communication: Regularly updating stakeholders, presenting findings in 'show & tells', and fostering a transparent research process.

• Knowledge Sharing: Contributing to communities of practice, sharing new methods, approaches, and best practices.

• Constructive Feedback: Proactively seeking and providing feedback to colleagues to foster a culture of continuous learning and improvement.

📝 Enhancement Note: Made Tech's culture appears to be mission-driven, collaborative, and focused on professional development. The values align with a desire to create impactful, user-centered solutions within the public sector, appealing to individuals who want their work to have a tangible societal benefit.

⚡ Challenges & Growth Opportunities

Challenges:

• Navigating Public Sector Complexity: Public services often have legacy systems, diverse user needs, and complex stakeholder landscapes, requiring adaptable research strategies.

• Balancing Research Rigor with Agile Constraints: Ensuring robust research is conducted effectively within fast-paced, agile project timelines.

• Driving Decision-Making: Effectively translating research insights into actionable recommendations and ensuring they are adopted by teams and stakeholders, especially in environments less familiar with UCD.

• SC Clearance: The requirement for SC clearance can be a barrier for some candidates and involves a thorough vetting process.

• Maintaining Research Standards: Upholding high standards of research ethics, quality, and GDPR compliance across various projects and client engagements.

Learning & Development Opportunities:

• Advanced Methodologies: Opportunity to deepen expertise in specialized research methods or explore emerging techniques.

• Cross-Disciplinary Skills: Potential to develop skills in Service Design, Content Design, or Interaction Design, broadening your professional toolkit.

• Mentorship & Leadership: Growing into a more senior leadership role within the UCD community, mentoring junior researchers, and contributing to company-wide design principles.

• Public Sector Impact: Gaining extensive experience in designing and delivering services for a critical sector, contributing to meaningful societal change.

• Community Engagement: Representing Made Tech at industry events or within professional networks, enhancing personal and company visibility.

📝 Enhancement Note: The challenges are typical for user researchers working in complex, mission-driven environments like the public sector. The growth opportunities are substantial for a senior role, offering clear paths for leadership, skill expansion, and significant professional impact.

💡 Interview Preparation

Strategy Questions:

• "Describe a time you had to scope a research project with ambiguous goals. How did you define success, and what was the outcome?" (Focus on scoping, stakeholder alignment, and outcome-driven research.)

• "How do you ensure your research findings are not just presented, but actively influence design and development decisions within a multidisciplinary team?" (Highlight your advocacy, communication, and synthesis skills.)

• "Walk us through a complex research challenge you faced, perhaps involving difficult-to-reach participants or conflicting stakeholder demands. How did you navigate it?" (Demonstrate problem-solving, resilience, and ethical conduct.)

• "How do you balance the need for thorough research with the constraints of agile development timelines?" (Showcase your understanding of lean and agile research practices.) Company & Culture Questions:

• "What attracts you to Made Tech's mission of improving public services through technology and design?" (Connect your personal values and career goals to their mission.)

• "How would you contribute to Made Tech's UCD community and our approach to design principles?" (Discuss your experience with communities of practice, knowledge sharing, and mentorship.)

• "Describe your experience working in multidisciplinary teams. How do you collaborate effectively with developers, product managers, and other designers?" (Emphasize your teamwork and communication skills.) Portfolio Presentation Strategy:

• Structure: For each case study, clearly present: The Problem/Context -> Your Role & Responsibilities -> Research Questions/Objectives -> Methodology & Rationale -> Key Findings & Insights -> Impact/Recommendations -> Outcomes/Results.

• Visuals: Use slides with minimal text, incorporating user quotes, journey maps, personas, key data visualizations, and photos/videos from research where appropriate and anonymized.

• Narrative: Tell a compelling story about the user, the problem, and how your research provided the solution or critical understanding.

• Audience Awareness: Be prepared to adapt your presentation and answer questions from both research-focused and non-research-focused individuals.

• Preparation: Practice your presentation to ensure it fits within the allotted time and flows logically. Be ready to dive deeper into specific aspects of your process or findings.

📝 Enhancement Note: Interview preparation for a Senior User Researcher should focus on demonstrating not just research skills but also strategic thinking, leadership potential, and a deep understanding of how research drives impact, especially within the public sector context. The portfolio presentation is a critical opportunity to showcase this.

📌 Application Steps

To apply for this Senior User Researcher position:

• Submit your application through the provided link on Made Tech's careers portal.

• Portfolio Customization: Ensure your resume and portfolio are tailored to highlight your experience with user-centered, lean, and agile research methodologies, particularly within complex environments or the public sector. Select case studies that showcase your end-to-end research process and demonstrable impact.

• Resume Optimization: Clearly articulate your years of experience, specific methodologies used, and key achievements. Use keywords from the job description such as "user research," "qualitative," "quantitative," "usability testing," "stakeholder management," and "agile."

• Interview Preparation: Practice presenting your portfolio case studies, focusing on your process, insights, and the impact of your research. Prepare to answer behavioral and situational questions related to research strategy, stakeholder management, and working in multidisciplinary teams.

• Company Research: Familiarize yourself with Made Tech's mission, values, and their work in the public sector. Understand their commitment to a design-led approach and how you can contribute to their UCD community. Be prepared to discuss your understanding of the challenges and opportunities in public sector 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.