Ofgem works on behalf of energy consumers to ensure that every household and business in the UK can rely on a safe, affordable and environmentally sustainable energy supply.We are playing a vital part in accelerating the transition to Net Zero and a carbon neutral energy system - a goal that everyone wants to achieve. As a User Researcher, you will help ensure our services meet users' needs by leading thorough research on how people interact with our services. You will plan and do research to understand our users' behaviours, needs, and motivations. You will plan and conduct research using different techniques such as usability tests, surveys, diary studies, card sorting, and interviews. You'll work with designers, developers, product managers, and other stakeholders to turn research into actionable insights for product development and innovation. Strong analytical, communication, presentation, and problem-solving skills are essential. You will work independently on projects with guidance from senior designers and researchers. Person specification Key Responsibilities Plan, design and prepare a range of user research activities to support the design, development and continuous improvement of complex government services; Carry out a wide range of user research activities from recruiting participants, preparing discussion guides and moderating research sessions; Lead colleagues to analyse research data and synthesise clear and actionable findings Communicate user research findings to help the wider team and organisation develop a deep understanding of users and their needs; Work closely with product managers, designers and developers to turn user research findings into stories and actions that lead to valuable product and service features; Contribute to UCD strategic planning, to align user research activities with wider plans to inform service propositions; Help build user-centred practices in project teams; Develop and ensure good user research practice, sharing knowledge with other user researchers; Contribute to the wider user research community - including presenting at meetups, writing blog posts and leading on aspects of practice development. Essential Criteria Professional experience as a user researcher, working with other User Centred Design disciplines (lead criteria) Experience advocating for user research and engaging sceptical colleagues and stakeholders The ability to include all kinds of users in appropriate research activities to help teams understand the diversity of users of government services. Ability to select appropriate qualitative and quantitative research methods to meet the needs of the team and project Desirable Criteria Knowledge of current technology and how this impacts user research and design Experience working in projects run in Agile Behaviours We'll assess you against these behaviours during the selection process: Making Effective Decisions Communicating and Influencing Developing Self and Others Delivering at Pace Technical skills We'll assess you against these technical skills during the selection process: Please refer to the Candidate Pack and Role Profile attached for full details. Benefits Alongside your salary of £34,123, OFGEM contributes £9,885 towards you being a member of the Civil Service Defined Benefit Pension scheme. Find out what benefits a Civil Service Pension provides. When you press the 'Apply now' button, you will be asked to complete personal details (not seen by the sift panel), your career history and qualifications. You will then be asked to provide a 1250 word 'personal statement' evidencing how you meet the essential and desirable skills and capabilities listed in the role profile. Please ensure you demonstrate clearly, within your supporting statement, how you meet each of the essential and desirable skills and capabilities. The Civil Service values honesty and integrity and expect all candidates to abide by these principles. Ofgem take any incidences of cheating very seriously. Please ensure all examples provided are of your own experience. Any instances of plagiarism or other forms of cheating will be investigated and, if proven, the relevant applications will be withdrawn from the process. Things you need to know Selection process details This vacancy is using Success Profiles (opens in a new window), and will assess your Behaviours, Experience and Technical skills. When you press the 'Apply now' button, you will be asked to complete personal details (not seen by the sift panel), your career history and qualifications. You will then be asked to provide a 1250 word 'personal statement' evidencing how you meet the essential and desirable skills and capabilities listed in the role profile. Please ensure you demonstrate clearly, within your supporting statement, how you meet each of the essential and desirable skills and capabilities. The Civil Service values honesty and integrity and expect all candidates to abide by these principles. Ofgem take any incidences of cheating very seriously. Please ensure all examples provided are of your own experience. Any instances of plagiarism or other forms of cheating will be investigated and, if proven, the relevant applications will be withdrawn from the process. Feedback will only be provided if you attend an interview or assessment. Security Successful candidates must undergo a criminal record check. People working with government assets must complete baseline personnel security standard (opens in new window) checks. Nationality requirements This job is broadly open to the following groups: UK nationals nationals of the Republic of Ireland nationals of Commonwealth countries who have the right to work in the UK nationals of the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein and family members of those nationalities with settled or pre-settled status under the European Union Settlement Scheme (EUSS) (opens in a new window) nationals of the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein and family members of those nationalities who have made a valid application for settled or pre-settled status under the European Union Settlement Scheme (EUSS) individuals with limited leave to remain or indefinite leave to remain who were eligible to apply for EUSS on or before 31 December 2020 Turkish nationals, and certain family members of Turkish nationals, who have accrued the right to work in the Civil Service Further information on nationality requirements (opens in a new window) Working for the Civil Service The Civil Service Code (opens in a new window) sets out the standards of behaviour expected of civil servants. We recruit by merit on the basis of fair and open competition, as outlined in the Civil Service Commission's recruitment principles (opens in a new window). The Civil Service embraces diversity and promotes equal opportunities. As such, we run a Disability Confident Scheme (DCS) for candidates with disabilities who meet the minimum selection criteria. The Civil Service also offers a Redeployment Interview Scheme to civil servants who are at risk of redundancy, and who meet the minimum requirements for the advertised vacancy. Diversity and Inclusion The Civil Service is committed to attract, retain and invest in talent wherever it is found. To learn more please see the Civil Service People Plan (opens in a new window) and the Civil Service Diversity and Inclusion Strategy (opens in a new window) .