Salary: £29,605 to £30,487 with progression to £32,982 per annumNewcastle University is a great place to work, with excellent . We have a generous holiday package; plus the opportunity to buy more, great pension schemes and a number of health and wellbeing initiatives to support you.Closing Date: 10 July 2024The RoleThank you for your interest in joining the UK’s National Innovation Centre for Ageing (NICA).We are looking for a User Researcher to join our team.You will have a passion for, and proven experience of, delivering innovation projects to support businesses in harnessing new opportunities. You will be curious with a growth mindset and inspire others around you with fresh ideas. You will have an understanding of and experience in applying human-centred design methods and processes in practice – ideally with older adults - and enjoy working in a collaborative, multidisciplinary team.Reporting to a Senior Innovation Consultant, the User Researcher will be an integral part of the NICA team, supporting the successful delivery of projects. You will achieve this by working closely with our citizens insight network, , to gain a deep understanding of the needs, wants, desires and motivations of older adults and the people in their lives, helping to translate these insights into engaging, high-quality outputs for client delivery.Our mission is to create a world in which we all live better, for longer. We work with Innovation and commercialisation experts, industry, academics, research and technology organisations and citizens, to develop solutions that enhance life as we age, promoting a positive impact on society at scale.You will find us at the heart of the Newcastle Helix development, in the award winning building.To learn more about us and what we doThe UK’s National Innovation Centre for Ageing at Newcastle University has been funded by Government and the University. We are committed to the professional career development of all our colleagues. You will benefit from a range of excellent development opportunities including internal and external training, access to specialist networking groups and opportunities to gain experience in the wider space of ageing longevity innovation and commercialisation. We provide a great range of benefits and discounts for all colleagues at Newcastle University, including the opportunity for blended working and flexible hours. You can learn more about what is available on our .Interviews to be held on Tuesday 16th July.The post is full time, permanent.For informal enquiries, please contact Lauren Zayya .Key Accountabilities
- Attend and contribute to scoping and discovery sessions with clients to capture findings to inform proposals
- Work with Senior Innovation Consultants to plan the approach and build the design toolkit to successfully deliver projects
- Structure your work in line with project plans to deliver on key metrics and milestones
- Attend and contribute to client progress meetings
- Assist with the planning and facilitation of interviews, workshops and panels to gather citizen insights that communicate the wants, needs and desires of potential users
- Carry out desk-based research and analysis, drawing on a wide range of resources
- Contribute to the production of detailed outputs, reports and case studies that collate information from a variety of sources and present key findings to a range of audiences
- Provide content for marketing and communications staff in the preparation of media and press releases
- Contribute to and help further develop our processes and methodologies
- Be curious and work towards becoming an expert in the areas of ageing and longevity
- Any other duties as specified commensurate with the grade
- Experience of working with commercial clients - preferably in a consultancy-type role
- Experience of working as part of a multidisciplinary, creative team to deliver engaging, high-quality outputs
- High level of organisational and time management skills with the ability to manage a range of tasks simultaneously
- Experience of applying human-centred design methods and processes in practice – ideally with older adults - through a variety of design methods such as interviews, workshops and citizen panels
- Experience of presenting to audiences, both in person and remotely
- Excellent teamworking with a positive attitude and willingness to share ideas and learn from others
- Proven experience of a range of IT programmes, especially Microsoft Office and Adobe Creative Suite
- Willingness to travel nationally and internationally, if required
- Experience or understanding of the opportunities and challenges of working in healthy ageing and longevity
- Experience of conducting trend analysis and developing future forecasts
- Experience of running prototype and product testing with end users
- Experience working with survey software, video software and graphic design tools to translate data into compelling insights that tell a story
- Projects a positive attitude through personal confidence and enthusiasm to achieve organisational success. Inspires the trust and confidence of others
- Manages time and resources by prioritising and organising effectively. Monitors and controls the workflow of the team
- Draws on experience and creative thinking to generate a range of viable options and decide on the most appropriate course of action to problem-solve and achieve objectives
- Seeks out fresh ideas and emerging innovations from a wide range of sources to build knowledge and inspire others. Connects the dots and understands the implications for ageing and longevity
- Works collaboratively with others, plays a positive role in teams and establishes and grows relationships across the organisation where different skills, expertise and opinions are valued
- Educated to degree standard in an innovation, design, social sciences, trend forecasting or technology discipline and/or significant work experience