User Researcher

📍 Job Overview

Job Title: User Researcher (Consultant)

Company: Kainos

Location: Belfast, United Kingdom (with potential for Birmingham, United Kingdom)

Job Type: Full-Time

Category: User Experience (UX) Research / Service Design Operations

Date Posted: April 30, 2026

Experience Level: 5-10 Years

Remote Status: On-site

🚀 Role Summary

• Lead and execute comprehensive user research initiatives to uncover actionable insights for service experience design.

• Champion user-centered design principles, design thinking, and service design methodologies within client projects and internal teams.

• Act as a key advocate for user research, representing its importance and findings across the organization and with clients.

• Manage, coach, and develop a team of senior researchers and contribute to their career progression within Kainos.

• Collaborate closely with cross-functional teams to integrate user needs into the development of exemplary digital services.

📝 Enhancement Note: While the core title is "User Researcher," the "Consultant" designation and emphasis on coaching/management suggest a senior-level role with leadership responsibilities. The "Operations" aspect is derived from the systematic application of research methodologies, process improvement, and team development inherent in a consulting role focused on service delivery. The mention of "Workday solutions" and "digital services" indicates a strong focus on enterprise software and public sector digital transformation, common areas for consulting firms like Kainos. The AI-derived experience level of 5-10 years aligns with this senior consultant profile.

📈 Primary Responsibilities

• Design, plan, and conduct a range of qualitative and quantitative user research activities, selecting appropriate methodologies for each project phase.

• Translate complex user needs and behaviors into clear, actionable insights that inform service design and product development strategies.

• Facilitate and lead design thinking and service design workshops with client teams and internal stakeholders to foster collaborative problem-solving.

• Develop and present compelling research findings and recommendations to diverse audiences, including senior leadership and client stakeholders.

• Mentor and coach junior and senior members of the Experience Design capability, focusing on performance management and professional development.

• Contribute to the continuous improvement of user research practices, processes, and standards within Kainos.

• Build and maintain strong relationships with clients, understanding their business objectives and aligning research efforts to meet them.

• Represent the User Research function in project teams and wider organizational forums, advocating for user-centricity.

• Manage commercial aspects of research engagements, including scoping, resource allocation, and reporting on project progress and impact.

📝 Enhancement Note: The original description highlights leading research, expert knowledge, coaching, and stakeholder management. This enhancement expands these into actionable responsibilities, emphasizing the "consultant" aspect by including client-facing activities, strategic impact, and commercial awareness, which are critical for an operations-focused consulting role. The inclusion of "Service Design" and "Design Thinking" as core responsibilities underscores the operationalization of these frameworks.

🎓 Skills & Qualifications

Education:

Experience:

• 5-10 years of progressive experience in user research, UX research, or service design research roles.

• Proven experience in leading research projects from planning and execution to insight delivery.

• Demonstrated experience in managing, coaching, or mentoring individuals or teams, with a focus on performance and career development.

Required Skills:

• Expert proficiency in a wide array of qualitative research methods (e.g., user interviews, ethnography, usability testing, diary studies, focus groups).

• Strong command of quantitative research methods (e.g., surveys, analytics review, A/B testing analysis, card sorting).

• Deep understanding of information architecture, interaction design, and visual design principles to contextualize research findings.

• Exceptional workshop facilitation skills, capable of guiding diverse groups through design thinking and problem-solving processes.

• Advanced stakeholder management and communication skills, with the ability to influence decisions at all organizational levels.

• Proven ability to coach and develop senior team members, fostering a culture of continuous learning and high performance.

Preferred Skills:

• Experience in a full-service digital agency or consulting environment, delivering research for external clients.

• Demonstrable knowledge and application of user-centered design (UCD) practices throughout the product lifecycle.

• Familiarity and experience working with Agile and Scrum development methodologies.

• Experience with specific digital transformation projects, particularly within enterprise software (e.g., Workday) or public sector services.

📝 Enhancement Note: The "5-10 years" AI-derived experience level is integrated. The "Education" section is inferred based on industry standards for expert researcher roles. The distinction between "Required" and "Preferred" skills is drawn from the input description to provide clarity on essential versus advantageous qualifications. The emphasis on "commercial awareness" and "stakeholder management" highlights the operational and client-facing aspects of a consultant role.

📊 Process & Systems Portfolio Requirements

Portfolio Essentials:

• A robust portfolio showcasing a range of user research projects, clearly demonstrating the research process from initiation to impact.

• Case studies that highlight the application of diverse research methodologies (qualitative and quantitative) and the rationale behind method selection.

• Examples of how research insights directly influenced design decisions, product strategy, and business outcomes, ideally with quantifiable results.

• Demonstrations of workshop facilitation, including materials developed and outcomes achieved for collaborative design sessions.

Process Documentation:

• Ability to document research plans, methodologies, and findings in a clear, concise, and structured manner suitable for both internal teams and client review.

• Experience in creating user journey maps, personas, empathy maps, and other artifacts that translate research data into actionable design input.

• Capability to articulate the research process and its integration within larger project lifecycles, particularly within Agile or iterative development frameworks.

📝 Enhancement Note: This section is inferred based on the "Consultant" title and the inherent need for consultants to demonstrate their process and impact. A portfolio is crucial for a User Researcher, and a Consultant role amplifies the need to showcase strategic application and client-facing processes. The emphasis is on demonstrating impact and the systematic application of research.

💵 Compensation & Benefits

Salary Range:

Benefits:

• Comprehensive health and wellbeing programs, potentially including private medical insurance and mental health support.

• Generous pension scheme contributions.

• Opportunities for professional development, training, and certifications in UX research, design thinking, and consulting skills.

• Paid time off, including annual leave, public holidays, and potential for flexible working arrangements within the on-site context.

• Access to cutting-edge technology and tools to support research and project delivery.

• Company-wide initiatives focused on diversity, equity, and inclusion.

Working Hours:

• Standard full-time working hours are typically 37.5 - 40 hours per week, aligning with the AI-derived 40 hours. While the role is on-site, there may be flexibility for occasional remote work or adjustments to accommodate client needs or project deadlines, subject to team and project agreements.

📝 Enhancement Note: Salary range is estimated for Belfast, UK, considering the role's seniority and consulting nature. Benefits are inferred based on typical offerings from established technology consulting firms like Kainos. The working hours are aligned with the AI-derived value, with a note on potential on-site flexibility.

🎯 Team & Company Context

🏢 Company Culture

Industry: Technology Consulting, Software Development, Digital Transformation. Kainos operates across several sectors, with a significant presence in public services and enterprise software, particularly known for its Workday implementation expertise and digital service creation.

Company Size: Large (typically 1,000-5,000+ employees), indicating a stable, established organization with structured career paths and significant project opportunities.

Founded: 1986. Kainos has a long history, suggesting a company with established processes, a strong reputation, and a deep understanding of the technology consulting landscape.

Team Structure:

• The User Researcher (Consultant) will be part of the growing Experience Design capability, a specialized team focused on creating user-centric digital services.

• This team likely comprises other UX designers, service designers, researchers, and potentially content designers, working collaboratively.

• The role involves managing and developing a small number of staff, indicating a direct reporting line or team lead responsibility within this capability.

Methodology:

• Kainos emphasizes a "people-first culture" and problem-solving through innovation and collaboration.

• The Experience Design capability specifically champions user-centered design, design thinking, and service design principles.

• Projects are likely delivered using Agile methodologies, requiring researchers to integrate seamlessly into iterative development cycles.

• A strong focus on making a "positive, measurable impact" suggests a data-informed approach to assessing the success of digital services.

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

📝 Enhancement Note: Company context is derived from the provided LinkedIn data and general knowledge of Kainos as a major IT services and consulting firm. The emphasis on "Experience Design capability" and "digital services" provides operational context for the role. The "people-first culture" and "measurable impact" are key cultural drivers for operations professionals.

📈 Career & Growth Analysis

Operations Career Level: Consultant. This level signifies a professional with deep expertise in their domain (User Research) who can independently lead projects, manage client relationships, and mentor others. It’s a significant step beyond a junior or mid-level researcher, requiring strategic thinking and leadership capabilities.

Reporting Structure: The User Researcher (Consultant) will likely report to a Senior Manager or Head of Experience Design. They will also manage a small team of researchers, creating a dual reporting dynamic where they are both a contributor and a leader. Collaboration will extend across various project teams and client organizations.

Operations Impact: This role has a direct impact on the success of digital service development by ensuring that solutions are grounded in genuine user needs and designed for usability and effectiveness. By influencing design decisions early and advocating for user-centricity, the researcher helps mitigate risks of product failure, improve user adoption, and ultimately contribute to delivering services that achieve their intended business and societal outcomes. This strategic influence is a key aspect of operations in a consulting context.

Growth Opportunities:

• Specialization & Leadership: Advance to Senior Consultant, Principal Consultant, or Head of Experience Design, leading larger teams and strategic initiatives.

• Skill Development: Deepen expertise in specialized research methods, service design frameworks, or gain certifications in Agile/Scrum, leadership, or specific technologies (e.g., Workday).

• Cross-Functional Exposure: Opportunities to work across diverse projects and industries, gaining broad experience in digital transformation and consulting.

• Mentorship & Training: Develop strong leadership and coaching skills through managing direct reports and contributing to internal capability development programs.

📝 Enhancement Note: This section analyzes the "Consultant" level within the operations context of a consulting firm. It details the expected impact, reporting lines, and growth trajectories, providing operations professionals with a clear understanding of career progression and influence within Kainos.

🌐 Work Environment

Office Type: The role is predominantly on-site, indicating a traditional office-based work environment within Kainos's Belfast or Birmingham offices. This fosters direct collaboration, team cohesion, and ready access to colleagues and client interactions.

Office Location(s):

• Belfast, United Kingdom: Kainos has a significant presence here, likely offering modern office facilities conducive to collaborative work and client meetings.

• Birmingham, United Kingdom: This location offers alternative opportunities, potentially serving a different client base or project portfolio.

Workspace Context:

• Collaborative Environment: Offices are designed to facilitate teamwork, with meeting rooms, breakout spaces, and open-plan areas for spontaneous discussions and knowledge sharing.

• Tools & Technology: Access to standard office technology, high-speed internet, and potentially specialized UX research software and hardware (e.g., testing labs, recording equipment).

• Team Interaction: Regular opportunities for face-to-face interaction with fellow researchers, designers, project managers, and client representatives, fostering a sense of community and shared purpose.

Work Schedule: A standard full-time schedule is expected, with the on-site requirement emphasizing consistent presence. However, the consulting nature might necessitate occasional flexibility to meet project deadlines or client demands, managed in coordination with project leads and team members.

📝 Enhancement Note: This section details the on-site work environment based on the derived "On-site" status. It focuses on how the physical workspace supports the operational needs of a research consultant, emphasizing collaboration and access to resources.

📄 Application & Portfolio Review Process

Interview Process:

• Initial Screening: A review of your CV and portfolio by the talent acquisition team to assess qualifications and alignment with the role.

• Hiring Manager/Team Lead Interview: A discussion focusing on your experience, research methodologies, leadership approach, and understanding of user-centered design. Expect questions about your experience managing teams and stakeholder interactions.

• Practical Exercise/Case Study: You may be asked to present a past research project in detail or tackle a hypothetical research challenge. This is where your portfolio will be crucial. Be prepared to articulate your thought process, method selection, findings, and the impact of your work.

• Panel Interview: A broader interview potentially involving senior members of the Experience Design team or client representatives to assess cultural fit, strategic thinking, and overall suitability for the consultant role.

Portfolio Review Tips:

• Curate Strategically: Select 2-3 of your most impactful projects that showcase a breadth of research methods, leadership, and demonstrable business impact.

• Tell a Story: For each project, clearly outline the problem, your role and responsibilities, the methods used and why, key insights derived, the design or strategic recommendations made, and the resulting outcomes (quantify where possible).

• Highlight Leadership: Explicitly detail your contributions to coaching, mentoring, or managing team members within your case studies.

• Showcase Process: Demonstrate your understanding of the end-to-end research process and how you integrate it with design and development cycles.

• Tailor to Kainos: Research Kainos's work, particularly in digital services and Workday implementations, and subtly align your examples to demonstrate relevance.

Challenge Preparation:

• Research Kainos: Understand their values, industry focus (public sector, enterprise software), and approach to digital services.

• Prepare Your Narrative: Be ready to articulate your "why" – why user research, why consulting, why Kainos.

• Practice Methodologies: Refresh your knowledge of various qualitative and quantitative research techniques and be ready to justify your choices.

• Stakeholder Scenarios: Prepare responses for questions about managing difficult stakeholders or communicating complex findings to non-technical audiences.

• Coaching Examples: Have specific examples ready of how you've coached or mentored others to improve their research skills.

📝 Enhancement Note: This section is inferred, providing a structured approach to the application process, focusing on how a User Researcher Consultant would be evaluated. The emphasis on portfolio and case study preparation is critical for this type of role.

🛠 Tools & Technology Stack

Primary Tools:

• User Research Platforms: Tools for conducting remote usability testing, surveys, and participant recruitment (e.g., UserTesting.com, Maze, SurveyMonkey, Qualtrics).

• Collaboration & Workshop Tools: Digital whiteboarding and collaboration platforms (e.g., Miro, Mural, Figma) for facilitating workshops and co-creation sessions.

• Prototyping & Design Tools: Familiarity with design tools (e.g., Figma, Sketch, Adobe XD) is beneficial for understanding design outputs and facilitating design critiques.

• Data Analysis Software: Tools for analyzing qualitative data (e.g., Dovetail, NVivo) and quantitative data (e.g., Excel, SPSS, R) may be used.

Analytics & Reporting:

• Web Analytics: Experience with tools like Google Analytics to understand user behavior on live digital services.

• Business Intelligence Tools: Familiarity with BI platforms (e.g., Tableau, Power BI) for synthesizing research findings with broader business data.

• Reporting & Presentation Software: Proficiency in Microsoft Office Suite (Word, PowerPoint, Excel) or Google Workspace for creating comprehensive reports and presentations.

CRM & Automation:

• While not directly managing a CRM, understanding how user research informs CRM strategy or customer journey mapping within CRM systems is valuable.

• Familiarity with the Workday platform itself, as Kainos is a significant Workday partner, could be advantageous for understanding the context of some projects.

📝 Enhancement Note: This section is inferred based on the typical tools used by User Researchers and Consultants in a digital service and Workday implementation context. The focus is on tools that support research execution, analysis, collaboration, and communication of findings.

👥 Team Culture & Values

Operations Values:

• User-Centricity: A deep-seated commitment to understanding and advocating for the user in all design and development decisions.

• Excellence & Quality: A drive to deliver high-quality, impactful digital services through rigorous research and design practices.

• Collaboration & Teamwork: Valuing collective intelligence and working closely with colleagues and clients to achieve shared goals.

• Innovation & Problem-Solving: A proactive approach to identifying challenges and developing creative, effective solutions.

• Integrity & Impact: A focus on ethical practices and delivering tangible, positive outcomes for users and the business.

Collaboration Style:

• Cross-Functional Integration: Seamless collaboration with UX designers, service designers, developers, product managers, and client stakeholders.

• Open Communication: Encouraging clear, honest, and constructive feedback within the team and with clients.

• Knowledge Sharing: Actively participating in internal forums, communities of practice, and mentoring activities to disseminate research knowledge and best practices.

• Partnership Approach: Working as a trusted advisor and partner to clients, building strong relationships based on expertise and reliability.

📝 Enhancement Note: This section infers cultural values and collaboration styles based on Kainos's stated culture ("people-first," "problem solvers," "innovators") and the nature of a User Researcher Consultant role. The emphasis is on how these values translate into operational practices within the team.

⚡ Challenges & Growth Opportunities

Challenges:

• Balancing Research Rigor with Project Timelines: In a fast-paced consulting environment, ensuring thorough research while meeting tight deadlines requires excellent planning and prioritization.

• Influencing Stakeholders: Effectively communicating complex research findings and advocating for user needs to diverse stakeholders, some of whom may have differing priorities.

• Managing Diverse Project Needs: Adapting research methodologies and approaches to suit a variety of client projects, industries, and maturity levels.

• Continuous Skill Development: Staying abreast of evolving research methodologies, tools, and the digital landscape, especially within areas like Workday implementations.

Learning & Development Opportunities:

• Advanced Research Techniques: Opportunities to gain expertise in specialized areas like ethnographic research, generative AI's impact on UX, or advanced quantitative analysis.

• Service Design Mastery: Deepen knowledge and application of service design principles, mapping, and strategy.

• Consulting & Leadership Skills: Develop professional skills in client management, business development, proposal writing, and team leadership.

• Industry Certifications: Pursue relevant certifications in Agile, project management, or specialized UX/service design areas.

📝 Enhancement Note: This section identifies potential operational challenges inherent in a consultant role and maps them to specific learning and development paths. It provides operations professionals with a realistic outlook and a clear understanding of how to grow within the role.

💡 Interview Preparation

Strategy Questions:

• "Describe a complex user research project you led from inception to completion. What were the key challenges, your approach, and the ultimate impact?" (Focus on demonstrating your end-to-end process, strategic thinking, and ability to measure impact).

• "How do you decide which research methodology is most appropriate for a given project? Provide examples." (Highlight your understanding of different methods and your rationale for selection based on project goals).

Company & Culture Questions:

• "What do you know about Kainos and our work in digital services or Workday?" (Demonstrate you've researched the company and understand their market position).

• "How do you ensure user research remains a priority in projects with tight deadlines and competing business priorities?" (Showcase your advocacy skills and understanding of operational constraints).

Portfolio Presentation Strategy:

• Structure for Impact: For each case study, clearly define the problem, your role, methodology, key insights, recommendations, and quantifiable results.

• Visual Storytelling: Use visuals (diagrams, screenshots, personas) to illustrate your process and findings. Avoid dense text.

• Focus on 'Why' and 'So What': Clearly articulate why you chose certain methods and so what the insights meant for the business or users.

• Highlight Leadership: Explicitly call out any instances of coaching, mentoring, or team management within your projects.

• Practice Your Pitch: Rehearse your presentation to ensure it flows naturally, stays within any time limits, and clearly communicates your value proposition.

📝 Enhancement Note: This section provides tailored interview preparation advice for a User Researcher Consultant, focusing on the specific skills and experiences Kainos would likely seek. The questions are designed to elicit responses that showcase operational effectiveness, leadership, and strategic contribution.

📌 Application Steps

To apply for this User Researcher (Consultant) position:

• Submit your application via the Kainos careers portal, ensuring your CV and any requested documents are uploaded.

• Customize Your Resume: Tailor your CV to highlight experience in user research leadership, coaching, stakeholder management, and delivering actionable insights within consulting or agency environments. Use keywords from the job description.

• Prepare Your Portfolio: Select 2-3 strong case studies that demonstrate your end-to-end research process, leadership, and impact. Ensure they clearly articulate your role and the outcomes achieved.

• Research Kainos & the Role: Understand Kainos's mission, values, and recent projects. Consider how your skills align with their focus on digital transformation and Workday solutions.

• Practice Your Narrative: Prepare to discuss your experience with specific research methodologies, your approach to team management, and how you drive user-centricity in project delivery.

⚠️ 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.

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