Job Description

Department

Technology Roles

Location(s)

London

Salary

44,203.

Job description

This role also attracts specialist capability pay. Based on our assessment of your skills and experience at interview, you may be eligible for specialist pay provided you demonstrate and accredit your skills under our Cyber Technical Framework within the first 12 months of your employment. If this is not achieved by the end of your first year you may revert to a lower pay level.

Flexible working:

Due to the nature of this role, you will be based on site 100% of your working week. However, we know how important a good work-life balance is, which is why we offer options for flexitime, part-time and compressed hours.

About Us

MI5 keeps the country safe from serious threats like terrorism and attempts by states to harm the UK, its people and way of life. We carry out investigations by obtaining, analysing, and assessing intelligence, and then work with a range of partners including MI6 and GCHQ to disrupt these threats. Through our protective security arm, we provide advice and guidance to government, businesses and other organisations about how to keep themselves safe. A role in MI5 means you'll do unique and challenging work in a supportive and encouraging environment, making a real difference to UK national security.

The Role

As a Security Engineer based in MI5's Cyber Collections team, you'll contribute to the development of novel capabilities to support our investigations, gathering intelligence from computers and devices used by hostile individuals, such as terrorists, that pose a serious threat to national security. Your work will be critical to our ability to safeguard the UK, both now and in the future.


You'll be part of a small but diverse team of experts and have the opportunity to collaborate with similar teams across the wider intelligence community. Day to day, alongside supporting on existing issues and investigations, you'll research, develop and test cutting-edge techniques and capabilities, giving you exposure to a multitude of different technologies. This is an operational role, working on unique and vital projects that ensure we're able to collect cyber intelligence despite the many threats that seek to undermine our mission.


There is potential for infrequent national and overseas travel, if desired, however this is not mandatory. Travel opportunities will include relevant conferences and workshops.

About You

You'll have a demonstrable interest in cyber security, whether applied or through study, and be an experienced problem solver who relishes uncovering solutions. You'll have experience of programming in at least one higher-level application language (e.g. Python, Java, etc.) and preferably also in low-level systems programming languages (e.g. C/C++, Rust, etc).


We're looking for applicants with an awareness of security research, reverse engineering, or operating system internals (e.g. Windows, Linux, Android, iOS, MacOS, etc.) and a grasp of networking fundamentals. You'll also be familiar with how computers and devices communicate over the internet (e.g. TCP/IP, etc.). The work we do takes strong collaboration, so you'll also be able to demonstrate your teamworking skills.

Training and Development

When you join, you'll get a comprehensive induction to the organisation to help you settle in, as well as an introduction to your team and the wider Cyber Collections teams. We offer an inclusive and supportive working environment, and we're committed to nurturing our colleagues both professionally and personally. From day one, you'll be assigned a dedicated buddy and have access to mentors.


There is a significant amount of public interest in security research, and advancements in protective mitigations move quickly. Our ability to stay ahead of the many threats that seek to undermine our capabilities is of critical importance to us and our investigations. So, we'll support you with your continued professional development, providing a personal training budget to undertake internal courses and external industry training courses.


On top of that, you'll have access to a number of friendly sports, social, and interest clubs as well as a thriving number of affinity networks championing equity, diversity and inclusion across our organisations.


As you develop, grow and maintain your technical skills, you will have the opportunity to progress through a further pay point. You will be able to apply for recognition that your skills have reached a higher level at regular intervals, when you and your line manager deem you are ready.

Rewards and Benefits

You'll receive a starting salary of 44,203 plus other benefits including:

25 Days Annual Leave automatically rising to 30 days after 5 years' service, and an additional 10.5 days' public and privilege holidays. Opportunities to be recognised through our employee performance scheme. Personal Learning Budget. Interest-free season ticket loan. Excellent pension scheme. Cycle to work scheme. Facilities such as a gym, restaurant and on-site coffee bars (at some locations). Paid parental and adoption leave.

Equal Opportunities

At MI5, diversity and inclusion are critical to our mission. To protect the UK, we need a truly diverse workforce that reflects the society we serve. This includes diversity in every sense of the word: those with different backgrounds, ages, ethnicities, gender identities, sexual orientations, ways of thinking and those with disabilities or neurodivergent conditions. We therefore welcome and encourage applications from everyone, including those from groups that are under-represented in our workforce such as women, those from an ethnic minority background, people with disabilities and those from low socio-economic backgrounds.


Find out more about our culture, working environment and diversity on our website:

https://www.MI5.gov.uk/careers/diversity

We're Disability Confident

MI5 are proud to have achieved Leader status within the DWP's Disability Confident scheme. This is aimed at encouraging employers to think differently about disability and take action to improve how they recruit, retain, and develop disabled people. Being Disability Confident, we aim to offer a fair and proportionate number of person-to-person interviews to any candidate who self-identifies as disabled and meets the essential criteria for the role. This is our 'Offer of Interview' (OOI). To secure an interview for this vacancy, the essential criteria, assessed at application sift, (in order of application process) are:

Developed knowledge of programming in high- or low-level languages. Awareness of security research, reverse engineering or operating system internals. Knowledge of networking or internet protocols.

There is a wide range of extra support available throughout the recruitment process to enable you to do your best, see our website for information on reasonable adjustments we can offer.

What to Expect

Our recruitment process is fair, transparent, and based on merit. Here is a brief overview of each stage, in order:

Application sift, looking at your motivation for the role and the organisation. If successful, you'll be invited to an initial online interview where you'll be asked questions relating to your motivation and our core competencies. If successful, you'll be invited to a face-to-face technical skills-based interview, in areas relevant to the role. If successful, you'll receive a conditional offer of employment, subject to vetting.

Please note, you must successfully pass each stage of the process to progress to the next. Your application may take around 6 to 9 months to process including vetting, so we advise you continue any current employment until you have received your final job offer.

Before You Apply

To work at MI5, you need to be a British citizen or hold dual British nationality. Read about our eligibility criteria.


This role requires the highest security clearance, known as Developed Vetting (DV). It's something everyone in the UK Intelligence Community undertakes. Find out more about the vetting process.


Please note we have a strict drugs policy, so once you start your application, you can't take any recreational drugs and you'll need to declare your previous drug usage at the relevant stage.


Before you apply, we advise you to consider setting up a separate email address for your contact with us, to ensure your personal and application correspondence remain separate. Try to avoid having identifying features in your email address, such as your first and/or surname and date of birth. This is good practise and will help you manage your application with us more securely.


The role is based in Central London, so you'll need to live within a commutable distance. Please consider any financial implications and practicalities before submitting an application. An interest-free loan is available to assist with relocating into privately rented accommodation to take up the offer of employment.

Please note, you should only launch your application from within the UK. If you are based overseas, you should wait until you visit the UK to launch an application. Applying from outside the UK will impact on our ability to progress your application. You should not discuss your application, other than with your partner or a close family member.

Right to Withdraw Statement:

Please be aware that we withhold the right to bring forward the closing date for this role from the original closing date once a certain number of applications have been received. Please be mindful of this and submit your application at your earliest convenience to avoid disappointment.