Violence Against Women and Girls Taskforce - User Researcher
| Posting date: | 12 November 2025 |
|---|---|
| Salary: | £46,040 per year, pro rata |
| Hours: | Full time |
| Closing date: | 12 December 2025 |
| Location: | Plymouth, South West England |
| Remote working: | Hybrid - work remotely up to 2 days per week |
| Company: | Ministry of Defence |
| Job type: | Temporary |
| Job reference: |
Summary
This is a Fixed-term Appointment as the Senior User Researcher of the VAWG Prevention Pilot, in the Raising our Standards team in the Conduct, Equity and Justice unit. Your responsibilities will be as described in this job advert. This a fixed term appointment as the pilot is for a fixed period. This post will begin on your appointment date and is scheduled to end on 31 March 2027, with the possibility of extension. You should be aware that when your Fixed-term Appointment at MOD comes to an end, arrangements will be made in line with the FTA policy.
If you are a permanent MoD civil servant and are found successful for an advertised Fixed-term Appointment (FTA) you should move into the post under a Temporary Transfer (for up to a maximum of 23 months). At the end of the posting you will return to your previous MoD Business area. If this posting is at a higher grade, your promotion will be temporary, and you will return to your substantive grade at the end of the Temporary Transfer. If a Temporary Transfer cannot be agreed between all parties then a transfer on an FTA contract is possible, read the FTA and Change of Work Location in the UK policy for further information.
If you are transferring to MoD from another government department (OGD) you should join the MoD on an inward loan. At the end of the loan you will return to your home (OGD) department. If a loan cannot be agreed between all parties then a transfer on an FTA contract is possible, read the FTA policy for further information.
As the user researcher, you’ll build an in-depth understanding of the users (Armed Forces Service Personnel) who will be engaging in VAWG prevention interventions. You will work within a multi-disciplinary team, including Armed Forces and VAWG specialists, to ensure that the interventions we design will address the most problematic attitudes and behaviours. You will maximise our impact through ensuring our users are at the centre of intervention design. You will challenge ways of thinking through working closely with design and delivery teams, applying User Research methodologies to ensure an evidence-based, user-centred approach to policy and process decisions. Through this, you’ll help the team design and deliver a pilot at lower risk and with higher likelihood of impact, while continuously improving our interventions, based on data and evidence.
The role will require attendance on site, and you will need to identify and regularly engage with end users for your research and testing as well as present findings to a range of audiences. This will mean developing strong relationships with single Services subject matter experts as well as VAWG sector experts.
User Research is a relatively new and growing capability within Defence. You will need to be adaptable and comfortable navigating a less traditional environment, where systems and structures are still evolving. This is a chance to bring your expertise and creativity to help define how User Research can best support Defence policy design. You will also be embedded in a profession working and sharing knowledge across Defence.
Defence intends to include User Researcher roles, ranging from SEO to G6, within the Digital Allowance eligibility as part of its alignment with the latest Government Digital and Cyber Pay Framework. This move reflects the critical role User Researchers play in delivering user-centred, digital transformation projects and aims to attract and retain high-calibre talent in these roles.
As a Senior User Researcher, you'll:
Plan, prepare and carry out a range of user research activities to support the design of prevention interventions
Lead colleagues to analyse research data and synthesise clear and actionable findings to inform the most promising approached
Share findings to help people understand users and their needs
Work closely with civil service and Armed Forces colleagues to turn user research findings into action
Include all kinds of users in research to help teams understand the diversity of users
Champion users and their experience, ensuring they are at the centre of our approach
Support evaluation work through continuing to build an understanding of whether interventions are landing with service users and changing perceptions.
Support the iteration of interventions based on feedback from users to improve impact.
Location and Travel
Successful candidates will work closely with Armed Forces personnel at one of the two pilot sites, Catterick Garrison or HMNB Devonport, and should live in proximity to their assigned location (you will be asked for your preference if you are selected at interview). Travel to these sites will be required at least twice a week. You will also work closely with the Army Foundation College Harrogate and HMS Raleigh, alongside other training locations. The role reports into the RoS VAWG team based at MOD Main Building (London), so occasional travel to London may be necessary. Sporadic travel to other Armed Forces locations across the UK may also be required.
Please note, candidates will be redirected to the Civil Service Jobs website where you will need to submit your application form. Please note the closing date above is incorrect and cannot be amended so please check the closing date on Civil Service Jobs and allow enough time to submit your application form.
If you are a permanent MoD civil servant and are found successful for an advertised Fixed-term Appointment (FTA) you should move into the post under a Temporary Transfer (for up to a maximum of 23 months). At the end of the posting you will return to your previous MoD Business area. If this posting is at a higher grade, your promotion will be temporary, and you will return to your substantive grade at the end of the Temporary Transfer. If a Temporary Transfer cannot be agreed between all parties then a transfer on an FTA contract is possible, read the FTA and Change of Work Location in the UK policy for further information.
If you are transferring to MoD from another government department (OGD) you should join the MoD on an inward loan. At the end of the loan you will return to your home (OGD) department. If a loan cannot be agreed between all parties then a transfer on an FTA contract is possible, read the FTA policy for further information.
As the user researcher, you’ll build an in-depth understanding of the users (Armed Forces Service Personnel) who will be engaging in VAWG prevention interventions. You will work within a multi-disciplinary team, including Armed Forces and VAWG specialists, to ensure that the interventions we design will address the most problematic attitudes and behaviours. You will maximise our impact through ensuring our users are at the centre of intervention design. You will challenge ways of thinking through working closely with design and delivery teams, applying User Research methodologies to ensure an evidence-based, user-centred approach to policy and process decisions. Through this, you’ll help the team design and deliver a pilot at lower risk and with higher likelihood of impact, while continuously improving our interventions, based on data and evidence.
The role will require attendance on site, and you will need to identify and regularly engage with end users for your research and testing as well as present findings to a range of audiences. This will mean developing strong relationships with single Services subject matter experts as well as VAWG sector experts.
User Research is a relatively new and growing capability within Defence. You will need to be adaptable and comfortable navigating a less traditional environment, where systems and structures are still evolving. This is a chance to bring your expertise and creativity to help define how User Research can best support Defence policy design. You will also be embedded in a profession working and sharing knowledge across Defence.
Defence intends to include User Researcher roles, ranging from SEO to G6, within the Digital Allowance eligibility as part of its alignment with the latest Government Digital and Cyber Pay Framework. This move reflects the critical role User Researchers play in delivering user-centred, digital transformation projects and aims to attract and retain high-calibre talent in these roles.
As a Senior User Researcher, you'll:
Plan, prepare and carry out a range of user research activities to support the design of prevention interventions
Lead colleagues to analyse research data and synthesise clear and actionable findings to inform the most promising approached
Share findings to help people understand users and their needs
Work closely with civil service and Armed Forces colleagues to turn user research findings into action
Include all kinds of users in research to help teams understand the diversity of users
Champion users and their experience, ensuring they are at the centre of our approach
Support evaluation work through continuing to build an understanding of whether interventions are landing with service users and changing perceptions.
Support the iteration of interventions based on feedback from users to improve impact.
Location and Travel
Successful candidates will work closely with Armed Forces personnel at one of the two pilot sites, Catterick Garrison or HMNB Devonport, and should live in proximity to their assigned location (you will be asked for your preference if you are selected at interview). Travel to these sites will be required at least twice a week. You will also work closely with the Army Foundation College Harrogate and HMS Raleigh, alongside other training locations. The role reports into the RoS VAWG team based at MOD Main Building (London), so occasional travel to London may be necessary. Sporadic travel to other Armed Forces locations across the UK may also be required.
Please note, candidates will be redirected to the Civil Service Jobs website where you will need to submit your application form. Please note the closing date above is incorrect and cannot be amended so please check the closing date on Civil Service Jobs and allow enough time to submit your application form.