User Researcher Industrial Placement

This is an exciting opportunity to join the Met Office on a 12-month Year in Industry placement, commencing at the start of July 2027. You will develop your skills and knowledge and gain the most value possible from your experience with us.

You will have the opportunity to network with our cohort of Industrial Placements all over the Met Office and understand what career opportunities are on offer after you graduate.

About the Placement

As our User Researcher Industrial Placement, the job may be suitable for hybrid working. The location advertised will be your contractual place of work. As an Industrial Placement, we would expect you to attend the office once a week as a minimum.

This is a full-time role, 37 hours per week.

Your Role

The Industrial Placement for user research will work closely with the user researchers in the User-Centred Design (UCD) team to provide support in gathering evidence about our users and their needs.

You will be involved in activities to enable our user researchers and user-centred design team, including:

• Maintaining guidance documentation and research insights.
• Providing support with user recruitment and testing.
• Advocating user-centred design across the business.

Your Key Duties

• Provide support for user-centred design teams including user recruitment, note taking, presenting research findings, creating research reports, and maintaining guidance documentation and templates.
• Be supported to work collaboratively with teams, understanding the importance of team dynamics, collaboration and feedback.
• Be aware of the need for careful analysis of research data to produce clear findings.
• Support in conducting basic user research methods.
• Work to a user research plan and follow standards for user research.
• Work in an open-minded and iterative way.
• Follow the Government Digital Service Standards and user-centred design best practice guidelines.
• Communicate effectively with technical and non-technical colleagues, supporting multidisciplinary discussions.
• Be an advocate for the UCD team within the Met Office and be able to explain why user research and user-centred design is important.
• Be part of the UCD community of practice and champion user-centred design.

Essential Criteria, Skills and Experience

• Knowledge of user research: You understand the need for user research to drive good product decisions and can bring this knowledge to the role. You can explain some basic user research methods and are passionate about putting these into practice.
• Analysis and synthesis: You have an awareness of the need for careful analysis of research data to produce clear findings.
• User focus and advocacy: You can explain how user-centred practices can be used to build products that adapt to changing user behaviour and needs. You are willing to champion a user-focused approach with your colleagues.
• Better together: You are able to communicate effectively with stakeholders and team members and present user evidence that is relevant to them. You can be an active member and advocate of the user-centred design community.
• Agile thinking: You understand the benefits of agile working and the different roles in a multidisciplinary team. You are willing to evolve and iterate in your work.

How to Apply

Click apply to begin your application. Please complete your career history and provide evidence against each of the essential criteria in the supporting statement questionnaire. We recommend candidates use the CARL method (Context, Action, Result and Learning) for presenting evidence of experience and skills.

Closing Date

23:59 on 8th November 2026.

Interviews

Interviews will be completed by 16th December 2026.

Benefits

• Your salary will be £27,170
• Annual Leave starting at 27.5 days
• Access to discounted shopping, inclusive of retail, leisure and lifestyle brands

Whilst this is a temporary position until July 2028, there may be an opportunity to apply for our Graduate Development scheme upon completion of your university studies. However, this is not guaranteed and would be subject to programme availability and a successful application.