Interaction Designer

UKHSA Interaction Designer Jobs – £41,983 to £52,113 + Skilled Worker Sponsorship

Certificate of Sponsorship: Applications from job seekers who require current Skilled Worker sponsorship to work in the UK are welcome and will be considered alongside all other applications.

The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) is recruiting an Interaction Designer to join its core User-Centred Design (UCD) team.

This is a significant opportunity for an experienced interaction designer to work on complex services and help improve user experiences across a major UK public health organisation.

The position offers a salary of £41,983 to £52,113 per year, pro rata, depending on location, and is available on a 14-month fixed-term contract.

The role can be offered on a full-time, part-time, job-share or flexible-working basis and operates under a hybrid working model from one of UKHSA’s Core HQs in London, Leeds, Liverpool or Birmingham.

Job Overview

The Interaction Designer will work within UKHSA’s core User-Centred Design team, which forms part of the Readiness and Surge division.

The team works across UKHSA to help ensure that user needs are properly understood and reflected in the design of services, products and policies.

The successful candidate will work alongside multidisciplinary teams and stakeholders to explore complex problems, develop design solutions and create accessible services that meet user needs.

You will be expected to use appropriate interaction design methods, prototyping techniques and evidence-based approaches to improve services across digital and non-digital channels.

Job Details

Job title: Interaction Designer

Employer: UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA)

Grade: Senior Executive Officer (SEO)

Salary: £41,983–£52,113 per year, pro rata

Contract: Fixed term

Duration: 14 months

Working pattern: Full-time, part-time, job share and flexible working

Locations: London, Leeds, Liverpool and Birmingham

Working arrangement: Hybrid

Reference: 919-TG-633000485-EXT

Date posted: 9 September 2026

Closing date: 27 September 2026

Security requirement: Baseline Personnel Security Standard (BPSS)

DBS check: Required

Visa sponsorship: Skilled Worker sponsorship applicants are welcome and will be considered

About the UK Health Security Agency

The UK Health Security Agency works to protect the nation from infectious diseases and other threats to public health.

Within UKHSA, the Readiness and Surge division focuses on organisational capability and preparedness to respond to a wide range of threats and hazards.

The User-Centred Design team supports this work by ensuring that services and products are designed around the needs of the people who use them.

The team is responsible for embedding user-centred design approaches across UKHSA, providing UCD expertise to projects, advocating for user needs and supporting accessible and equitable outcomes.

It also contributes to Government Service Standard compliance, appropriate design patterns and style guides, professional standards and the development of the wider UCD community.

What the Interaction Designer Will Do

As an Interaction Designer, you will work as part of a multidisciplinary squad and collaborate with teams throughout UKHSA.

Your work will involve helping internal teams understand and address user needs when developing policies, services and products.

You will work with stakeholders and customers to understand existing services and identify opportunities for improvement.

Key responsibilities include:

Delivering effective interaction designs using user-centred design methods and best practice.
Supporting service transformation within large and complex organisations.
Working with stakeholders and customers to understand existing services.
Identifying opportunities to improve services from an end-to-end perspective.
Discovering and analysing user insights, pain points and common themes.
Identifying solutions to complex service problems.
Developing design concepts that balance user, business, operational and technical requirements.
Creating interactive prototypes at an appropriate level of fidelity.
Iterating designs based on evidence and feedback.
Ensuring usability improvements do not compromise accessibility.
Advocating for inclusive, user-centred and evidence-based design.
Planning design activities to support effective and timely project delivery.
Working collaboratively with other professional disciplines.
Exploring alternative design techniques and approaches.
Helping non-specialists develop practical design knowledge.
Participating actively in the UCD community of practice.
Sharing knowledge, insights and good practice across the organisation.
Contributing to the development of UKHSA’s service design capability.

Essential Requirements

Applicants should be able to demonstrate experience and knowledge in interaction design and user-centred design.

The essential criteria include:

Interaction Design Experience

You should have experience applying interaction design and user-centred design methods within complex organisations.

You should be comfortable dealing with complex problems and selecting appropriate design methods to understand and address them.

Stakeholder Management

You must be able to manage relationships with a range of internal and external stakeholders.

This includes gaining support for standards, design solutions, roadmaps and improved ways of working.

Prototyping

Experience using different prototyping tools and methods is required.

You should be able to develop interactive prototypes and demonstrate that your designs are accessible while still meeting project delivery requirements.

Working With Developers

The successful candidate should be comfortable communicating with developer colleagues.

Knowledge of front-end languages will help you work effectively with developers and ensure designs are implemented to the required standards and remain accessible.

Agile and Iterative Design

You should understand iterative design principles and be able to apply agile methodologies to your work.

Inclusive and Accessible Design

You should be able to demonstrate the importance of designing services that are:

Inclusive
Equitable
Accessible
Sustainable
Evidence-based
User-centred

Planning and Delivery

The role requires the ability to plan design activities and work with other professional disciplines to ensure work is delivered effectively and on time.

Design Patterns

You should be able to identify new design patterns and components based on evidence.

Desirable Skills

The following experience is desirable but not listed as essential:

HTML and CSS coding.
GOV.UK Prototype Kit.
Associated hosting technologies.
Government service assessments.

Candidates who have experience in these areas may have an advantage, particularly where there is a large number of successful applicants.

Salary Information

The advertised salary range is £41,983 to £52,113 per year, pro rata.

The exact salary range depends on the location of the position.

National

£41,983–£48,128

Outer London

£44,148–£50,121

Inner London

£46,310–£52,113

The employer states that roles are normally offered at the minimum of the applicable pay scale, although exceptional flexibility may be possible where an applicant can demonstrate that they are already receiving a higher salary.

Salary increases are subject to the relevant annual pay award and employment terms.

Working Locations and Hybrid Working

The Interaction Designer position is available at UKHSA Core HQ locations in:

Birmingham
Leeds
Liverpool
London

The position is offered under a hybrid-working arrangement.

UKHSA states that hybrid workers are expected to spend a minimum of 60% of their contractual working hours at one of the Core HQ offices, approximately three days per week pro rata averaged over a month.

The arrangement is intended to provide flexibility while ensuring effective collaboration with colleagues and teams.

Working Pattern

The vacancy provides several working options, including:

Full-time
Part-time
Job share
Flexible working

This makes the opportunity potentially suitable for experienced interaction designers seeking different working arrangements.

However, applicants should ensure that their preferred working pattern can meet the operational requirements of the role.

Skilled Worker Visa Sponsorship

Sponsorship is available for eligible applicants

One of the most important features of this vacancy is that UKHSA explicitly states that applications from job seekers who require current Skilled Worker sponsorship to work in the UK are welcome and will be considered alongside all other applications.

This means applicants who require Skilled Worker sponsorship should not automatically exclude themselves from consideration.

However, being welcome to apply does not guarantee sponsorship or a visa.

Applicants must still:

Meet the role’s eligibility requirements.
Meet the required experience and technical criteria.
Successfully pass the recruitment process.
Meet applicable UK immigration requirements.
Satisfy any sponsorship and security requirements applicable to the appointment.

International applicants should carefully check their individual immigration circumstances before applying.

Application Process

This vacancy uses the Success Profiles recruitment framework.

The selection process will assess applicants against their experience and technical skills.

Stage 1 – Application and Sift

Applicants will need to complete an application form.

The employer states that applicants cannot upload a CV and should therefore provide detailed information within the application form.

A 750-word supporting statement is required.

The supporting statement should explain how your skills, knowledge and experience demonstrate your suitability for the position, with specific reference to the eight essential criteria.

Applicants should pay close attention to the essential criteria because the application and supporting statement will receive a joint score.

The advert specifically states that the supporting statement must not exceed 750 words.

Longlisting

If there is a high number of applications, UKHSA may divide applicants into three groups:

Meets all essential criteria
Meets some essential criteria
Meets no essential criteria

Where this process is used, the applicants who meet all essential criteria may proceed to shortlisting.

Shortlisting

If a large number of candidates meet the requirements, an initial sift may be conducted against the lead criterion.

The lead criterion is:

Experience using various prototyping tools and methods to deliver interactive prototypes while demonstrating the ability to create accessible designs without compromising delivery timelines.

Desirable criteria may also be used if there are large numbers of successful applicants.

Candidates who successfully pass the sift will progress to interview and assessment.

Feedback will not be provided at this stage.

Interview Stage

Successful candidates will be invited to a single remote interview.

The interview will assess technical skills and will include a 15-minute presentation covering the candidate’s understanding of user-centred design and interaction design.

The technical skills assessed include:

Design communication
Designing for everyone
Evidence-based design
Iterative design

Applicants should therefore prepare examples that demonstrate how they have applied these principles in real projects.

UCD Webinars

UKHSA’s User-Centred Design Team planned two webinars for prospective applicants:

13 August at 15:00
20 August at 15:00

The webinars were intended to provide information about the role, the team’s culture, UKHSA and the application process.

Because these dates have already passed relative to the September 2026 closing date, applicants should not rely on the webinar availability and should use the current vacancy information when preparing their application.

Security Clearance

Successful candidates must satisfy the required security conditions before appointment.

The role requires Baseline Personnel Security Standard (BPSS) clearance.

The vacancy is also subject to a Disclosure and Barring Service check.

Applicants should be prepared to provide any information required as part of the relevant security and background-check processes.

Who Can Apply?

The vacancy is open to external applicants, including people outside the Civil Service.

The employer also states that applications are welcome from job seekers who require current Skilled Worker sponsorship.

This makes the position particularly relevant to experienced interaction designers who are already in the UK and may need sponsorship, as well as eligible overseas applicants who meet the relevant requirements.

Important Application Advice

Because the application process places significant emphasis on the eight essential criteria, applicants should avoid submitting a generic supporting statement.

Instead, your 750-word statement should provide concise evidence showing:

What you have done.
How you approached the problem.
Which design methods or tools you used.
How you worked with stakeholders.
How you considered accessibility and inclusion.
How you used evidence to inform decisions.
How you iterated designs.
What outcome your work achieved.

Applicants should also demonstrate their ability to work within complex organisations and multidisciplinary teams.

Why This Role Could Be Attractive

This position combines several areas that are increasingly important across public-sector digital services.

The successful candidate will have the opportunity to work on complex service challenges, collaborate with multidisciplinary professionals and contribute to the development of user-centred design practices within a major UK public health organisation.

The vacancy also offers several working-pattern options and hybrid working from four major UK locations.

For eligible candidates requiring Skilled Worker sponsorship, the explicit statement welcoming sponsorship applicants makes this vacancy particularly worth considering.

How to Apply

Applications must be submitted through the official NHS Jobs vacancy.

Closing date: 27 September 2026

Applicants should complete the application form carefully and provide a supporting statement of no more than 750 words.

Remember that the advert states that a CV cannot be uploaded, so your employment and activity history should be completed in sufficient detail.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does this Interaction Designer job offer Skilled Worker sponsorship?

Yes. The advert explicitly states that applications from job seekers who require current Skilled Worker sponsorship to work in the UK are welcome and will be considered alongside other applications.

Sponsorship is not an automatic guarantee of a visa or appointment.

What is the salary?

The advertised salary is £41,983 to £52,113 per year, pro rata, depending on the location.

Where is the job based?

The role is based at one of UKHSA’s Core HQs in Birmingham, Leeds, Liverpool or London.

Is the role remote?

It is a hybrid position rather than fully remote. UKHSA states that hybrid workers are expected to spend at least 60% of their contractual working hours at a Core HQ, approximately three days per week pro rata averaged over a month.

Is the position permanent?

No. It is a 14-month fixed-term position.

Can I apply part-time?

Yes. The vacancy lists part-time, full-time, job-share and flexible working as available working patterns.

Do I need to submit a CV?

The advert states that applicants will not be able to upload a CV and should complete the application form in as much detail as possible.

How long should the supporting statement be?

The supporting statement must be no more than 750 words.

What are the key skills required?

Key areas include interaction design, user-centred design, prototyping, accessibility, stakeholder management, agile and iterative design, evidence-based design and collaboration with developers.

Is there an interview?

Yes. Successful applicants will be invited to a single remote interview, including a 15-minute presentation.

When is the closing date?

The application deadline is 27 September 2026.

Final Reminder for Applicants

This is a specialist interaction-design opportunity with the UK Health Security Agency offering a salary of up to £52,113, flexible working options and hybrid working across Birmingham, Leeds, Liverpool and London.

Most importantly for international job seekers, the employer explicitly confirms that Skilled Worker sponsorship applicants are welcome to apply and will be considered alongside other applicants.

If your experience matches the essential criteria, particularly interactive prototyping, accessible design and user-centred design in complex organisations, this vacancy could be worth applying for before the deadline.

Apply before 27 September 2026.

Source

UK Health Security Agency / NHS Jobs