The BJSS Academy is our Early Careers pathway into technology, business consulting, and user research and design roles. On the programme you’ll be helping our clients conceive, design, build, and support business solutions for the digital age.
Primarily we are looking for individuals with passion, empathy, proactivity, and teamwork. What we do ask is that individuals come from a research background (Psychology, Human Computer Interaction, Research Methods, Behavioural Science etc.). We are also looking for individuals with an understanding of conducting research, whether qualitative or quantitative, and a knowledge of various methodologies.
Well, firstly you join as an employee from day one. We don’t operate a “golden handcuffs” policy where you must pay back an amount of money for your training if you leave inside some arbitrary period. We believe people do their best work when they are trusted and empowered – so that’s exactly what we’ll give you.
As an employee, you’ll be subject to the same probation period of six months as everyone else, and get annual reviews and remuneration updates.
Where do you want to be based is the question? We’ve had people join the Academy from Leeds, London, Bristol, Sheffield, Manchester, and Nottingham. You will join the central function to start with, and we’ll deliver your first two weeks of training from our Leeds office so we can get you together to begin with. After the four weeks, you’ll join your local office, wherever that may be.
Our Academy is an initial four-week intensive training programme to set you up for success as a User Researcher as part of our SPARCK team. These four weeks will set you up for success, ready for shadow deployment. The three months' shadowing will ensure you have all the tools you need to hit the ground running on your own project. After the inital four weeks, you’ll be hands on, learning from the best, and progressing your career with mentors and senior User Researchers!
We’ve got four weeks to teach you a foundation in all thinks SPARCK and User Research Design. We’ll go through presentations, scenarios, and group work, and cover the following main topics:
You will go through an initial four weeks of training at the beginning of your career at BJSS. Once the four weeks is up, you’ll join a project as a shadow resource for three months with one of our more experienced User Researchers.
We’ll ensure you’re supported and mentored throughout. Once we feel you’re ready, we’ll place you on a billable full-time project, leading work and growing your career. We’ll also ensure you’re fully supported through our mentoring programme and have access to learning material for your continuous development.
You will have many people to support you through your journey as a SPARCKie. You’ll work closely with our Academy Co-ordinator for the first four weeks, who will ensure you’re all prepared to join project.
You’ll have a Squad Lead and they will be your ‘go-to-person’. They will be there to support with your career, as well as approve holidays and enable your project preference. You’ll have regular one-to-ones with your Squad Lead to discuss your personal development and career. Your Research Buddy is there as a friendly face to support you with anything you may need in your first month. They will help you with any research-related questions, especially when you join your first project. Your Academy buddy will be one of the first people you’re introduced to. They will have already been through the User Research Academy so ask them anything, they will be able to help.
The Research Practice is our research community at SPARCK. The Practice Lead will assist you in teaching you the skills you need to become a great researcher. The SPARCKie Connect Partnership will introduce you to your mentor. They will be there for you to learn from in whatever way you wish.
Finally, the SPARCK Leadership Team champions the SPARCK culture, delivers excellent products and grows our business. You will meet them during week one and they will be on hand to check in with you.
There isn’t really a ‘normal day’ at SPARCK, it’ll depend on project, and what pieces of work need to be done. However, as a quick overview you’ll be working alongside designers and a multidisciplinary team to understand the goals of a project, script writing, research planning, interviewing users to gather needs and pain points, and testing early designs with users in order to amend them. You’ll be testing live products for iterative testing and evolution of a product, workshopping with stakeholders, and problem solving.
You’ll experience working with content designers to ensure the content is suitable, working in line with GDS guidelines and principles to ensure products are suitable for everyone, accessibility research and testing, presenting user need insights back to the team and stakeholders, feeding into the long-term user-centred design strategy, and collaborating with internal researchers and the research community.
SPARCK offers multiple career opportunities through the User Research Academy, which include:
We’ve tried to keep the interview process as simple as possible. After you apply with your CV it will be reviewed, and if you are successful one of our friendly Talent Team will give you a call to discuss your application further and answer any questions you might have.
Once we decide to move forward with your application you will prepare a presentation based on a megatrend you’re particularly interested in. The aim of this is to make the presentation as creative as possible, slides are not always necessary. You’ll need to be prepared to discuss your ideas and thoughts around:
The final interview is a culture fit interview with a member of the SPARCK Leadership Team in the office you have chosen. Here you can ask any questions about the office itself, the clients, projects etc., so please come prepared.