SPARCK User Research Academy

About Us

SPARCK is a Strategic Design Consultancy. We are a diverse group of 100+ researchers, strategists, designers and innovators across the UK and we are growing fast.

We are part of BJSS, the UK’s leading privately owned technology and business consultancy. This gives us a unique ability to not only design innovative solutions but deliver them through our award-winning Agile Enterprise approach.

At SPARCK you’ll work with bright, enthusiastic people across all levels of experience and backgrounds, and you’ll learn every day.

Our culture is important, and it is essential that you are keen to contribute to make SPARCK a great place to work.

If you have a curious mind, are fun to work with and have a drive to learn while delivering great outcomes, you will love it here!

Get in touch! We’d love to hear from you!

About the Role

Exciting opportunity for people taking their first career steps in The Digital Design World!

Fancy a career where you can combine practical, hands-on learning with working on some of the UK’s most exciting Design projects? One thing’s for sure at BJSS you’ll always be learning!

Initially you will join the SPARCK Academy foundations course to learn the tools and skills that will shape your future in research and design consultancy. Once you are assigned to a project the support and training opportunities don’t stop. You will be assigned a mentor to support you with your development, you will have access to a wide range of learning resources, and your fellow Academy Alumni.

You will find a typical day on the Academy to be engaging, fun and informative where you will learn the basics of research and methodologies to develop digital products to help real people. It will be filled with interactive sessions, consisting of both theory and practical and aided by our expert tutors who will make sure that you get the most out of your learning experience.

At Sparck we're proactive self-starters who bring ideas to life. This academy programme will focus on the 70% - the opportunity to work on real consultancy challenges that put your knowledge into practice. After the initial 4 weeks you'll be placed on a client project alongside a cross-functional user-centred design team. Here you'll need to get 'comfortable in the squiggle' to scope your own work, lead user interviews, facilitate workshops and present to clients and stakeholders. This is where the real learning starts!

Not just for graduates!

The SPARCK Design Academy is open to everyone, whether you are a graduate, self-taught, or looking to change career. At SPARCK we want to provide an environment that provides the same opportunities and support to all no matter their background. So if you have a passion for research, user-centred design and the skills mentioned below we want to hear from you.

What will you do?

As an Academy Researcher, your role is to understand users’ needs and pain points to help design teams create products that are user centred and accessible for everyone.

You’ll work as part of a multi-disciplinary team, following agile methodologies and delivering technology to a range of clients.

You’ll get to work with some of the brightest and best in the industry in our design practices. Not only will this experience allow you to develop your skills, but you’ll also learn new techniques, drive your own self learning and be given the opportunity to become a t-shaped consultant.

About You

Essential skills/experience needed:

• Research Background (e.g. Psychology, Human Computer Interaction, Research Methods, Behavioural Sciences)
• Transferrable Research experience, such as:
• Experience conducting research to create user centred products and services
• Experience conducting qualitative and quantitative research
• Knowledge of research methodologies
• Experience of project based work
• Passionate about research and user-centred design
• Passionate about learning and trying out new things
• Keen problem solver, taking ownership of work
• People first approach and mindset
• Empathetic and curious
• Proactive and drives ideas forward
• A team player
• Not afraid of ambiguity and adopt a fail fast mentality
• Good presentation skills and confident articulating project work to a team or client

Skills/experience nice to have:

• A relevant undergraduate degree (Research, Design, HCI, Psychology, Behavioural Sciences etc)
• Experience using research tools (e.g., Qualitative and Quantitative tools, Research synthesis tools)
• Knowledge of User-Centred design/ Design thinking processes
• An understanding of accessibility and inclusivity and how to conduct research in this space
• Experience working to a brief / managing stakeholders
• GDS knowledge or experience
• Experience working in an agile multidisciplinary team, e.g., with designers, developers, content designers, product managers
• Experience in another discipline, such as product design, strategy, content design or service design

Applications for our September 2023 Academy will close on the 30th June 2023. 

Once applications close, successful candidates will be invited to a virtual interview between 3rd-14th June. Assessment days for our September 2023 Academy will be held the week commencing the 17th July. 

Some of the Perks

• Flexible benefits allowance – you choose how to spend your allowance (additional pension contributions, healthcare, dental and more)
• Industry leading health and wellbeing plan - we partner with several wellbeing support functions to cater to each individual's need, including 24/7 GP services, mental health support, and other
• Life Assurance (4 x annual salary)
• 25 days annual leave plus bank holidays
• Hybrid working - Our roles are not fully remote as we take pride in the tight knit communities we have created at our local offices. But we offer plenty of flexibility and you can split your time between the office, client site and WFH
• Discounts – we have preferred rates from dozens of retail, lifestyle, and utility brands
• An industry-leading referral scheme with no limits on the number of referrals
• Flexible holiday buy/sell option
• Electric vehicle scheme
• Training opportunities and incentives – we support professional certifications across engineering and non-engineering roles, including unlimited access to O’Reilly
• Giving back – the ability to get involved nationally and regionally with partnerships to get people from diverse backgrounds into tech
• You will become part of a squad with people from different areas within the business who will help you grow at BJSS
• We have a busy social calendar that you can chose to join– quarterly town halls/squad nights out/weekends away with families included/office get togethers
• GymFlex gym membership programme