Senior User Researcher

Edinburgh, Hybrid
Contract until March 2027
Rate Outside IR35

We're looking for an experienced Senior User Researcher to support the user-centred design and transformation work of a Scottish public body. This role will lead primary research and sensemaking across Discovery and Develop phases, ensuring user needs shape how services are reviewed, designed and improved.

You'll deliver research for a review of a change of name service, test prototypes and potential solutions with users, and later lead Discovery research for a review of an existing live service. Working closely with the UCD team and the Innovation and Transformation team, you'll bring strong research expertise, sound judgement on methods and the ability to work in line with Scottish Government standards and practice.

The role also involves helping to establish user research standards, good practice and processes for the organisation, and advocating for the inclusion of users in research and design across the portfolio.

Key responsibilities:

- Deliver primary research and sensemaking to support Discovery for a review of the change of name service, helping the team apply a range of methods to analyse data and synthesise findings
- Conduct user testing of prototypes and potential solutions during the Develop stage, ensuring insights from primary research are incorporated
- Support the Innovation and Transformation team to explore existing services and build a backlog of services suitable for digital transformation, assessing readiness for change and availability of secondary information and data
- Support the Lead Content Designer to establish standards, good practice and processes for future user researchers
- Explain to key stakeholders what good user research practice involves, advocating for the inclusion of users in research and design
- Identify appropriate methods and deliver primary research and sensemaking to support Discovery for a review of an existing live service