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About us

At GCHQ, we unlock the complex world of data and communications to keep the UK and its citizens safe, both in the real world and online. Working closely with our British Intelligence partners in MI5 and MI6, we protect the UK from threats including serious organised crime, terrorism, and cyber-attacks. A role in GCHQ means you’ll have varied and fascinating work in a supportive and encouraging environment that puts the emphasis on teamwork.

The role

Join us in either of these roles and you’ll work hand-in-hand with our mission teams, data scientists and developers to deliver user-centred products and services.

These products and services are designed to enable us to work smarter, achieve positive outcomes to every mission and align with the law. Our priority is to use UX to support our mission in ensuring the safety and security of the UK and UK citizens, and we achieve this by understanding the details of our users’ needs and through the innovative and effective design of every product we produce. Working in an agile environment, as a Lead User Experience Designer you’ll have a number of specific tasks, including the development of design concepts, the rapid creation of prototypes and specifications, and collaboration with developers to deliver the key capabilities our users require.

Our Lead User Researchers’ specific tasks involve working at the forefront of our efforts to deliver compelling insights to mission teams by following a user-centred research approach. Along with a small group of specialists you’ll spend time talking with analysts, developers and other users and build a deep appreciation of their needs and behaviours. User journeys, user definitions and insight presentations are some of the research outputs you’ll be expected to create . You’ll bring your considerable knowledge of analysis and synthesis and turn your research data into clear findings that inform decisions. Using your negotiating and communication skills, you’ll lead and advise Senior User Researchers as well as technical and non-technical customers. You’ll act as a bridge between customers and have an influence outside of your local area, a proven leader with the ability to develop the skills of others, you’ll utilise your knowledge of modern Research Methodology, collaborating with colleagues with varying levels of experience to deliver results.

Both roles will involve enormous variation in your day-to-day work, and revolve around meetings, Agile ceremonies and practitioner tasks. If you’re doing design work, then you’ll be creating wireframes and prototypes and conducting usability testing, while researchers will organise, plan and conduct interviews with users, and analyse data to develop actionable insights.

About you

To be a success as a Lead User Researcher, you’ll have experience of planning, organising and conducting user research and usability testing, a good understanding of Agile ways of working, and the ability to arrive at actionable insights through the analysis of quantitative and qualitative data. You’ll establish best working practises to confidently evaluate customer and business requirement.

Lead User Experience Designers will have these skills too, but also possess the ability to design functional solutions in wireframes and prototypes, knowledge of mainstream design systems and established patterns, and experience of designing for compliance with accessibility standards.

Both roles will require strong problem-solving skills, the ability to handle complex environments and uncertainty or unexpected situations, and superb accuracy and attention to detail. When it comes to communication skills, we’ll expect you to be ready to give and receive feedback, and collaborate successfully with members of your team and colleagues in the wider organisation. A proactive and strategic thinker with effective communication skills you’re passionate about the self-development of yourself and others.

The research tools and techniques we use at GCHQ are varied and constantly growing all the time, as such we don’t expect one candidate to have had experience in all of these role related fields, however there are a number of other interests which would be useful to either role – these include coding, data science, Cloud technology, psychological safety, behavioural psychology, the latest developments in innovative technology, and the importance of equality, diversity and inclusion. You’ll be given the opportunity to demonstrate knowledge and understanding in one or more of these specialisms

Please note that you should also be prepared to travel to UK sites at Cheltenham, Manchester and London, and occasional visits to overseas locations may also be required for staff in senior roles.

Training and Development

We provide a generous budget for training and development and will offer you many opportunities to join courses on professional development, Agile, the Cloud and more. You’ll also get the chance to visit conferences, carry out personal projects, and attend open days and briefings. We also promote volunteering for some of your working time, such as social outreach, and run leadership programmes.

Rewards and Benefits

You’ll receive a starting salary of between £52,524 and £62,477 plus other benefits including:

• 25 Days Annual Leave automatically rising to 30 days after 5 years' service, and an additional 10.5 days public and privilege holidays
• Opportunities to be recognised through our employee performance scheme
• Interest-free season ticket loan
• Excellent pension scheme
• Cycle to work scheme
• Facilities such as a gym, restaurant and on-site coffee bars (at some locations)
• Paid parental and adoption leave.

Equal Opportunities

At GCHQ, diversity and inclusion are critical to our mission. To protect the UK, we need a truly diverse workforce that reflects the society we serve. This includes diversity in every sense of the word: those with different backgrounds, ages, ethnicities, gender identities, sexual orientations, ways of thinking and those with disabilities or neurodivergent conditions. We therefore welcome and encourage applications from everyone, including those from groups that are under-represented in our workforce such as women, those from an ethnic minority background, people with disabilities and those from low socio-economic backgrounds.

Find out more about our culture, working environment and diversity on our website:

https://www.gchq.gov.uk/section/culture/our-values
https://www.gchq.gov.uk/section/culture/life-at-gchq
https://www.gchq-careers.co.uk/life-at-gchq/diversity-inclusion.html

We’re Disability Confident

GCHQ are proud to have achieved Leader status within the DWP’s Disability Confident scheme. This is aimed at encouraging employers to think differently about disability and take action to improve how they recruit, retain and develop disabled people. Being Disability Confident, we aim to offer a person-to-person interview to any candidate who self-identifies as disabled and meets the essential criteria for the role. This is our ‘Offer of Interview’ (OOI). To secure an interview for this vacancy, the essential criteria (in order of application process) are:

• Proficient in planning and carrying out discovery user research with users and stakeholders to identify contextual information, user needs and pain points
• Proficient in analysis of research data
• Comfortable in formulating and presenting user research findings and insights to stakeholders
• Can show evidence of team leadership in setting direction and assuring the quality of design delivery

User Designer Specific

• Proficient in creating functional design solutions using a design or prototyping tool

User Researcher Specific

• Ability to use some different user research and/or usability-testing techniques

What to Expect

Our recruitment process is fair, transparent, and based on merit. Here is a brief overview of each stage, in order:

• Application sift, looking at your skills, experience, expertise and knowledge in relation to the essential criteria
• Interview, looking at your motivation for the role and the organisation and diving deeper into your previous experience and what skills and experience you would bring to the role
• If successful, you will receive a conditional offer of employment, subject to vetting

Please note, you must successfully pass each stage of the process to progress to the next. Your application may take around 6 - 9 months to process including vetting, so we advise you continue any current employment until you have received your final job offer.

Before You Apply

To work at GCHQ, you need to be a British citizen or hold dual British nationality. You can read our full eligibility criteria here.

This role requires the highest security clearance, known as Developed Vetting (DV). It’s something everyone in the UK Intelligence Community undertakes. You can find out more about the vetting process here.

Please note we have a strict drugs policy, so once you start your application, you can’t take any recreational drugs and you’ll need to declare your previous drug usage at the relevant stage.

The role can be based in either Cheltenham, Manchester or London, so you’ll need to live within a commutable distance of one of those locations. Please consider any financial implications and practicalities before submitting an application, as we do not offer relocation costs.

Please note, you should only launch your application from within the UK. If you are based overseas, you should wait until you visit the UK to launch an application. Applying from outside the UK will impact on our ability to progress your application. You should not discuss your application, other than with your partner or a close family member.

Right to Withdraw Statement:

Please be aware that we withhold the right to bring forward the closing date for this role from the original closing date once a certain number of applications have been received. Please be mindful of this and submit your application at your earliest convenience to avoid disappointment.