User Researcher (4078)

Join Social Security Scotland as a User Researcher and play a key role in shaping services that truly work for people. Youll plan and deliver research to understand the needs, experiences, and challenges of those who rely on our services, working closely with multidisciplinary teams to turn insights into practical improvements. Your work will help ensure services are simple, inclusive, and accessible for everyone. Youll take ownership of smaller research projects, contribute to ethical research practices, and champion the voice of the user throughout the design process. This is a great opportunity for a confident, collaborative researcher who can work independently, knows when to seek support, and is keen to learn and grow within a supportive community.

This is a Fixed Term Appointment for 23 months, with the possibility of extension or permanency depending on business needs.

User Researchers conduct research to support the design of policies and services that meet user needs and achieve policy intent. They plan, design, and deliver research activities to build a shared understanding of users and how services are used, working both independently and within multidisciplinary teams. They advocate for inclusive, accessible, and user-centred design, contribute to ethical research practices, and ensure insights inform decision-making. They also engage with the wider research community and seek guidance where needed to maintain high-quality outcomes.

• Plan and carry out user research to understand what people need and how services can work better for them.
• Choose the right research methods and tools for each project, with support where needed.
• Review and analyse research findings to identify key themes and insights, involving others in the team where helpful.
• Share findings clearly through presentations and reports so others can understand and act on them.
• Make sure research includes a wide range of people, especially those who may face barriers or are less represented.
• Champion services that are easy to use, accessible, and fair for everyone, including people who need extra support to use digital services.
• Use research insights to help design services that meet peoples needs and deliver positive outcomes.
• Work flexibly and adapt research as projects change, using an iterative (test-and-learn) approach.
• Collaborate with different professionals across teams to plan and deliver research.
• Adjust research plans to work within time, budget, and other constraints.
• Set clear goals and scope for research activities so they align with project and organisational priorities.
• Contribute to wider user research approaches, balancing user needs with business goals.
• Keep improving your skills by learning from feedback, reflecting on your work, and following good practice.
• Build strong relationships with stakeholders and communicate in a way that meets their needs.
• Support collaboration and decision-making by using evidence to explain recommendations.
• Represent the voice of the user by sharing insights about their needs and behaviours.
• Stay aware of technology, including assistive tools, to support inclusive and effective research.

Success Profiles 

We use an assessment framework called Success Profiles which lists the elements we test and provides detailed descriptions of each. Find out more about the framework here.

For this post, the following Success Profile elements will be assessed:

Experience

1. Experience using research analysis and synthesis methods to produce clear, practical insights that can be shared with colleagues and used to inform decisions.
2. Experience carrying out ethical and inclusive user research with a diverse range of users, and using this to represent user needs and support the design of accessible and inclusive services.
3. Experience selecting and using a range of user research methods, choosing the most appropriate approach for different situations and contexts.

Behaviours

• Communicating and Influencing (Level 3)

You can find out more about Success Profiles Behaviours here.

Technical / Professional Skills: 

This role is aligned to User Researcher within the Government Digital and Data and Profession.

These skills will be tested during the Technical Assessment if you are successful at sift stage. They will be not be assessed at application stage. Please review the following to understand the skill expectations: User researcher - Government Digital and Data Profession Capability Framework