[4] In her early career she was a computer programmer and systems analyst with Rank Xerox,[5][4] after which she took up postgraduate study at the London School of Economics.

Prior to joining the OII in October 2004, she was a Professor in Political Science and Director of the Public Policy Programme at University College London.

[18] Margetts has co-authored a series of books which have helped to define the field of digital-era governance: In July 2019 Helen was elected a Fellow of the British Academy (FBA).

In March-April she held the John F Kluge Senior Chair in Technology and Society at the Library of Congress, Washington DC.

In 2003 Margetts and Patrick Dunleavy were presented with the 'Political Scientists Making a Difference' award by the UK Policy Studies Association, in recognition for their work on a series of policy reports assessing the state of Government on the Internet for the UK National Audit Office.