❤️ #25 - Jobs at the UK Government!

February 17, 2025

Happy Monday
It’s Sid, back with another round of design jobs!

I've reviewed so many applications that I've lost count and hired a ton of designers along the way. I’ve written a short note on what kind of applications I enjoy going through—check out the article at the end for more details.

Now, let’s get into it. Jobs galore at the UK Government. Ooooh…

Government jobs? Yeah, I get it. They have a boring, “stuck in the past” vibe. But listen—imagine having the power to impact millions of people in an instant. That’s some real influence. Starting in a government role could be the perfect stepping stone for bigger things. All these roles are in the UK and for the UK Government.

Jobs for today - Feb 17th 2025

  1. Interaction Designer, HM Revenue Service - Uk Gov (click link for job posting)

    Summary: HMRC (Her Majesties Revenue Service) seeks an Interaction Designer to create user-friendly, accessible GOV.UK services, ensuring simple and inclusive experiences that support millions of users.

    Salary Estimate: £44,110 - £47,664 (and an enviable civil service pension)

    Location: 1 role across (Belfast, Bradford, Bristol, Cardiff, East Kilbride, Edinburgh, Glasgow, Liverpool, Manchester, Newcastle Upon Tyne, Preston, Washington)

  2. Designer, Dept of Education, UK Gov (click link for job posting)

    Summary: The Department for Education seeks a designer to use visual design, co-design, and innovation methods to improve policymaking and develop impactful policy solutions.

    Salary Estimate: £40,000 - £45,000 (and an enviable civil service pension)

    Location: 2 roles across (Bristol, Leeds , London, Manchester)

  3. Senior Interaction Designer, Ministry of Housing, UK Gov (click for job posting)

    Summary: The Ministry of Housing, Communities & Local Government seeks a Senior Interaction Designer to enhance electoral digital services, ensuring usability, accessibility, and inclusivity for millions of UK voters.

    Salary Estimate: The salary for this role is £59,946 - £70,011 (London) or £54,531 - £64,641 (National)

    Location: 1 role across (Bristol, Leeds, London, Manchester, Wolverhampton)

  4. Junior Designer, Dept. of Education - UK Gov (click link for job posting)

    Summary: The Department for Education seeks a designer to create visual assets, support participatory policymaking, and drive innovation in strategic policy design within the Education Policy Innovation Centre (EPIC).

    Salary Estimate: £30,000 - £35,000 (and an enviable civil service pension)
    Location: 1 role across (Bristol, Leeds , London, Manchester)

  5. Content Designer, Ministry of Housing - UK Gov (click link for job posting)

    Summary: The Ministry of Housing, Communities & Local Government seeks four content designers to manage GOV.UK content, ensure accessibility, and support user-centered design, with one role also leading the department’s consultation process.

    Salary Estimate: £40,000 - £45,000 (and an enviable civil service pension)
    Location: Darlington, Leeds, Manchester, Wolverhampton

  6. Lead Service Design, Dept of Work and Pension - UK Gov (click link for job posting)

    Summary: DWP Digital seeks a Lead Service Designer to drive user-centered service improvements, collaborate across teams, and shape transformative digital experiences for millions.

    Salary Estimate: £70,000 - £77,000 (and an enviable civil service pension)
    Location: 1 role (This role may be based in one of the following locations; Birmingham, Blackpool, Leeds, Manchester, Newcastle-upon-Tyne or Sheffield.)

  7. Junior Designer, RAF Ministry of Defence - UK Gov (click link for job posting)

    Summary: The Royal Air Force's Appivate team seeks a Junior Designer to create user-focused digital services, collaborating with multidisciplinary teams to deliver intuitive software solutions for RAF personnel.

    Salary Estimate: £30,000 (and an enviable civil service pension)
    Location: 1 role (Stokenchurch, South East England or Benson, South East England)

  8. There are some great jobs, with good benefits and pay, so keep checking on their homepage for roles!

  9. And finally, remember to look into past Design Scramble editions I sent out, some roles may still be open

Love,
Sid.
Who am I? —→ Linkedin 

What I learnt from reviewing applications non stop

Alright, let’s cut to the chase. I’ve seen several 100’s (honestly i’ve lost track) design portfolios in the past year. There are patterns I found in the applications that made me look again and also when I couldn’t be bothered to get into sadly. The last role I posted at LEGO got close 300 applicants.

Let me break down what works and doesn’t.

Disclaimer - Some of this is only relevant to jobs at massive companies that will receive anywhere from the high 100s to 1000s.

Website Vs PDF Portfolio:

This one might be a no brainer, make a sleek website, put all your projects on and send it off. PDF’s are booooring. Right?

Wrong! I get excited when the application has a PDF! Especially one that is max 10 pages, and has 1 page per project.

You won’t believe how much time it saves me going through, and also it’s easily decodable. If I can’t find your work within a few seconds of landing on your site then you’re designing a scavenger hunt for me. Don’t design a scavenger hunt for me.

Number of Projects

Stop showcasing every side project and passion project you’ve ever touched. You’re not trying to fill a university application portfolio, you’re trying to sell yourself as the right fit for a job.

Keep it short, sweet and simple, give me 4-6 projects. A title. A summary. Key visuals. And your role in the project if its got many people.

Cover Letter

This is a tricky one, I know companies ask for them, but I honestly dont know the value to them, especially if it’s the 139th generic letter I read. So here’s how I might approach this - if you’re applying to a big corporate then keep it simple, keep it short. Nice intro of 1 paragraph, then your skills your bring to the table (I might even be bold and make it dry with bullet points)

If I apply to a small design agency then I would make it personal, ditch the bullet points and address the hiring person directly.

Siddharth Muthyala

Forwarding this could be the small action that leads someone to their dream job. The impact? Huge!
Where they can sign up too - https://design-scramble.beehiiv.com/ 
Thanks!!