UX ResearcherFull Time | 12 Month Fixed Term Contract | £35,010.00 - £40,845.00 (dependent on experience) Hybrid | SouthamptonWho we areWe are Ordnance Survey, Great Britain's national mapping service and a pioneer in geospatial technology. With over 230 years of trusted data, we empower better decisions, deeper understanding, and meaningful connections to the places we live, move through, and care for.About the roleWe are looking for a UX Researcher to support a new discovery phase for a government and commercial-focused digital application. This is an opportunity to play a key role in shaping the direction of a complex, high-impact service by ensuring that user needs are clearly understood and evidenced from the outset.You will work directly within a multidisciplinary product team, alongside a UX Designer, Product Owner, engineers and stakeholders, helping to define and validate the direction of the service through high-quality research and insight. The role is research-focused, with design collaboration forming an important part of how your work informs and shapes the product.About YouThis is an excellent opportunity for someone who is self-motivated and inquisitive, who is comfortable working in discovery, bringing structure to ambiguity and translating complex problem spaces into clear user understanding.What we're looking forWe're seeking a UX Researcher with proven experience planning and delivering user research within digital product or service environments. You will lead on research activity to better understand user needs, behaviours and pain points across a range of user groups, helping the team make informed, evidence-based decisions.As a UX Researcher, you will be responsible for generating clear, actionable insights that inform service and product direction. Your work will focus on answering the "desirability" question-ensuring that what is being proposed meets genuine user needs-while working closely with the wider team who will collaboratively assess feasibility and viability.The role will require you to translate high-level questions into structured, practical research plans, balancing methodological rigour with real-world constraints such as time, access and policy. You will conduct research across diverse user groups and contexts, ensuring that findings are inclusive, ethical and grounded in real user needs.You will work closely with a UX Designer to test concepts, validate ideas and iterate designs, ensuring that research insight is embedded throughout the discovery and early delivery phases. The role balances strong analytical and research skills with hands-on project involvement, stakeholder collaboration, and clear communication of insight.Main Responsibilities of a UX ResearcherYour responsibilities will include:Planning and conducting user research during the discovery phaseTranslating high-level questions into clear, structured research plansConducting qualitative research including user interviews and usability testing on concepts and prototypesWorking closely with the UX Designer to test ideas, validate assumptions and iterate designsRecruiting participants and ensuring research is conducted ethically, inclusively and accessiblyAnalysing research data to identify user needs, behaviours and pain pointsSynthesising findings into clear, evidence-based insights and recommendationsProducing research outputs such as insight summaries, personas, journey maps and problem statementsPresenting findings through read-outs, presentations and written documentation to a range of stakeholdersCollaborating effectively within a multidisciplinary agile teamFeeding research insights into sprint planning and design iterationsSupporting service assessments by providing evidence of user-centred decision makingMaintaining research documentation and contributing to shared insight repositoriesAdvocating for user needs and ensuring they are represented in product and service decisionsCommunicating the value and limitations of research to non-research specialistsEssential SkillsProven experience conducting and delivering user research in a digital product or service environmentStrong qualitative research skills, particularly in user interviews and usability testingAbility to analyse research findings and translate them into clear, actionable insightsExperience working collaboratively within multidisciplinary agile teamsExcellent communication skills with the ability to present complex findings clearly to a range of audiencesAbility to advocate for user needs using evidence-based approachesUnderstanding of how research informs design and service decisionsAwareness of working in complex, regulated or public sector environmentsFamiliarity with inclusive and accessible research practicesUnderstanding of data protection, consent and ethical research standardsAwareness of GOV.UK Service Standard and GDS research principles is desirableA proactive, curious mindset with strong attention to detailAbility to balance rigour with delivery constraints in a fast-paced environmentHow to ApplyPlease apply with your CV and Cover LetterClosing date: Wednesday 20th May 2026 at 23:59pmInclusion at OSResearch shows that people from underrepresented groups often hesitate to apply unless they meet every requirement. At Ordnance Survey, we're committed to building a diverse, inclusive and welcoming workplace.If this role excites you but your experience doesn't match every point, we encourage you to apply. You may be the right person for this role or another opportunity at OS.We are happy to consider any reasonable adjustments that people may need during the recruitment process, and you will be asked whether you require any during the application process.
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