User Researcher
Job summary
This is an exciting opportunity for an experienced User Researcher to join the Cyber Improvement Programme (CIP) within the Cyber Operations Directorate. CIP is a nationally significant initiative focused on strengthening cyber resilience across the health and social care sector, helping to create a system that is resilient to cyber attack and improves safety for patients and service users through effective cyber security by 2030.
You will bring a user-centred and inclusive approach to understanding user needs and shaping services that deliver meaningful outcomes. You will work effectively in a fast-paced environment, adapting to new challenges and supporting multidisciplinary teams to make evidence-based decisions. While based in CIP, you will also contribute to a broader portfolio of cyber-related work across the Cyber Operations Directorate, requiring flexibility and the ability to manage competing priorities across multiple teams and programmes.
You will join a collaborative user research community, working closely with colleagues across NHS England. Your work will have visible, real-world impact, with insights directly informing national cyber security improvements, supporting frontline staff, protecting critical services, and ultimately contributing to safer care for patients and service users across England.
Main duties of the job
The User Researcher will...
- Conduct end-to-end quantitative and qualitative user research, translating research objectives into robust study designs and delivering the full research lifecycle, including planning, sampling, survey scripting, develop discussion guide, sampling, recruitment, moderation of interviews and workshops, analysis, and insight triangulation.
- Provide specialist user research expertise to support the design, delivery and continuous improvement of digital and non-digital services, working within multidisciplinary teams to lead end-to-end research activities that generate actionable insight for product strategy, service improvement and operational decision-making.
- Engage with a wide range of stakeholders, including senior clinical, operational and policy colleagues, balancing complex and sometimes competing requirements, and demonstrating professionalism, empathy and clear communication in challenging or sensitive contexts, including research with vulnerable participants.
- Work with a high degree of autonomy, managing competing priorities and occasionally undertaking travel to conduct user research and attend stakeholder, team and programme meetings, seeking appropriate guidance from line managers and senior colleagues where required.
- Maintain accuracy, attention to detail and sustained concentration when reviewing complex documentation, analysing research data, and producing high-quality outputs and reports.
About us
NHS England has a wide range of statutory functions, responsibilities and regulatory powers. These are focused on supporting the wider NHS to deliver high quality care, as well as doing those things that are best done once for the whole NHS.
Our staff bring expertise across clinical, operational, commissioning, technology, data science, cyber security, software engineering, education, and commercial specialisms -- enabling us to design and deliver high-quality NHS services.
In March 2025, the Government announced that NHS England and the Department of Health and Social Care will increasingly merge functions, ultimately leading to NHS England being fully integrated into the department.
If you currently work within the NHS and if successful at interview, we will initiate an Inter Authority Transfer (IAT) via the Electronic Staff Record (ESR).This retrieves key data from your current or previous NHS employer to support onboarding, including competency status, Continuous Service Dates (CSD), and annual leave entitlement. You may opt out at any stage of the process.
Colleagues with a contractual office base are expected to spend, on average, at least 40% of their time working in our offices.
Staff recruited from outside the NHS will usually be appointed at the bottom of the pay band.
We cannot offer visa sponsorship for any vacancies.
Job description
Job responsibilities
Please ensure your supporting statement provides demonstrable evidence, supported by specific examples, of how you meet each of the key skills criteria. This should include evidence against the essential requirements of the role, with examples of your experience in both qualitative and quantitative user research. Your response should also demonstrate your ability to independently design and deliver end-to-end research, and to communicate findings in a way that informs decision-making.
This will be used in both the shortlisting and interview processes.
The interview process will consist of two stages, the second stage will include a technical task.Stage 1 interviews are likely to commence from 24/08/2026, with Stage 2 to follow.
Important: Please be aware there are residency requirements you need to meet:
All NHS England Cyber Security personnel must hold Security Clearance level as a minimum. To meet National Security Vetting requirements, SC clearances require 5 years continuous UK residency. In certain cases, this can be reduced to three years continuous UK residency, with additional overseas checks for the previous two years. Candidates who were posted abroad for service with HM Government, Armed Forces or within a UK government role - will still be considered.
Please make sure you meet these requirements before applying for this role. You dont need to have SC already, however, failure to achieve the requirements for SC after offer will result in the job offer being withdrawn. For further advice please check https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/united-kingdom-security-vetting-clearance-levels/national-security-vetting-clearance-levels#security-check-sc or contact england.securityvetting@nhs.net.
Please be aware that should you be successful in this position, you will be hired to the job title of User Researcher and this job title is advertised to attract the right skills needed for the role.
If you like what you have read and think you have the skills and experience, we need then don't delay, apply today! We get lots of applications for our roles and so we sometimes have to close our posts early. Don't miss out!
You can find further details about the role, including key responsibilities and accountabilities, alongside the organisational structure and person specification in the attached Job Description and other supporting documents.
Person Specification
Experience
- Proven experience of using a variety of qualitative and quantitative research techniques and an understanding of how the two approaches complement each other .
- Experience of conducting research with diverse populations, including vulnerable people.
- Evidence of setting standards for design tools and techniques, advice on their application and ensuring compliance.
- Experience of managing external research suppliers to ensure successful delivery of products and services.
Qualifications
- Educated to master's level (or equivalent qualification / experience).
Skills
- Experience of implementing the full research lifecycle from designing research, to planning, implementation, recruitment, conducting research, analysing data, eliciting findings and communicating recommendations.
Disclosure and Barring Service Check
This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (Exceptions Order) 1975 and as such it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service (formerly known as CRB) to check for any previous criminal convictions.
Employer details
Employer name
NHS England
Address
Wellington Place
Leeds
LS1 4AP
United Kingdom
Employer's website
https://www.england.nhs.uk/about/working-for/