Cyber Research Engineer, British Intelligence Agencies

MI5

£44.2-53k

£44,190 to £52,972, depending on skills and accreditation. This role offers a specialist capability-based pay approach, designed to recognise and reward your cyber technical expertise. Following an assessment of your skills and experience at interview, you may be eligible for an additional skills payment, which could increase your salary to up to £52,972. To maintain a higher salary within this range, you’ll be supported to demonstrate and accredit your skills against our Cyber Technical Framework within your first year. If you’re not able to evidence all the required skills straight away, we’ll provide support and time to help you close any gaps.

Junior and Mid level

London

More information about location

4-5 days a week in office

UK's domestic and foreign intelligence services

Posted today

UK's domestic and foreign intelligence services

1001+ employees

SecurityGovernmentsCyber Security

Posted today

£44.2-53k

Junior and Mid level

London

More information about location

4-5 days a week in office

1001+ employees

SecurityGovernmentsCyber Security

Company mission

MI5, MI6 and GCHQ work together to protect the UK from a range of national security and overseas threats, keeping citizens safe.

Job

Company

Role

Who you are

You have genuine interest in cyber security, developed through study, professional experience or personal projects, and a curiosity for solving complex problems and uncovering practical solutions. You’ll have some experience of programming in at least one higher-level application language for example Python or Java, and preferably some exposure to low-level systems programming languages such as C/C++ or Rust
You’ll have awareness of, and interest in security research, reverse engineering, or operating system internals (including Windows, Linux, Android, iOS, and macOS), combined with a solid understanding of networking fundamentals such as TCP/IP. This understanding may have been gained through a relevant degree, training, or practical experience, and we welcome applications from candidates at different stages of their careers
Effective collaboration skills are essential, as the work relies on teamwork and constructive engagement with others who may have different approaches or perspectives. A genuine motivation to build technically interesting solutions that deliver real value, alongside a willingness to share knowledge with others explaining concepts, contributing ideas or supporting colleagues in different ways, will be important for success in this role. You’ll help maintain professional standards while being considerate of different needs. Self-awareness, flexibility and openness to constructive feedback are important
To work at MI5, you need to be a British citizen or hold dual British nationality

What the job involves

As a Cyber Research Engineer based in MI5’s Cyber Collections team, the work is at the forefront of Cyber Security and contributes to the development of novel capabilities that directly support investigations. Your work focuses on gathering intelligence from computers, networks and devices used by hostile individuals, including terrorists, who pose serious threats to national security
Working within a small, diverse team of security specialists, this role focuses on solving complex and often novel technical challenges. Day-to-day activities involve researching, developing, and testing innovative techniques and capabilities, as well as exploring and analysing systems to identify vulnerabilities and determine effective mitigations. The work spans open-source research and practical testing. Activities range from writing Python and decompiling Java, to conducting network penetration testing. You’ll also develop bespoke tooling to demonstrate findings, alongside building pipeline tools that improve efficiency, repeatability and scalability
This is a project-based operational role with a strong cross-team ethos, focused on applying technical expertise to challenging problems and sharing techniques and approaches across teams. Clear documentation and presentation of findings are a key part of the work, supporting the development of innovative capabilities that are integral to protecting the country
Close engagement with customers across the business is required to understand requirements, with success measured by tangible improvements in security outcomes. Knowledge sharing is a core expectation of the work, including teaching and mentoring colleagues, spreading new ideas, and enabling expertise and workloads to be shared effectively. The role involves writing both code and supporting documentation in equal measure. While there are opportunities to mentor others, this is not a line management position
Collaboration with other UK agencies also forms part of the work. There is potential for infrequent national and overseas travel, including to partner organisations, conferences and workshops, though this is optional rather than mandatory

Application process

An initial online application form including pre-screening questions to ensure you meet our eligibility criteria
Online Situational Judgement Test (SJT) in which you rate the appropriateness of responses to a series of short scenarios
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

Salary benchmarks

Our take

The British Intelligence Agencies - GCHQ, MI5 and MI6 play crucial roles in protecting the nation from a range of security threats. By focusing on counterterrorism, espionage, and cyber threats, the unified force works to safeguard the public and support law enforcement agencies. Its work, largely behind the scenes, is pivotal in ensuring national security.

With origins dating back to the 19th century, each of the British Intelligence Agencies plays a specific role within the security services. GCHQ focuses on signal intelligence gathering and information assurance, MI5 on counterterrorism and national security, whilst MI6 is focused on foreign intelligence and overseas security. This evolution into three specific organisations reflects the agency's ability to stay ahead of emerging security challenges, adjusting its strategy and operations as needed.

As technology and global threats change, the British Intelligence Agencies' approaches continue to evolve, ensuring the UK's security remains a top priority. With its deep expertise and ongoing adaptation, they are major key players in protecting national and international interests, whilst responding to complex security dynamics.

Kirsty

Company Specialist at Welcome to the Jungle

Company

Company benefits

Merit awards – we have a merit award system to recognise exceptional contributions by individuals or team
Flexible working – opportunities to work part-time, compressed hours or as a job share are available, dependent on the role and business needs
Pension – we understand the importance of saving for retirement and offer a desirable pension scheme, which gives you a guaranteed pension based on career average earnings
Annual leave – our employees are entitled to 25 days annual leave, rising to 30 days after five years’ service. In addition to this, employees are entitled to public and privilege holidays. Part-time employees receive the same entitlement calculated on a pro-rata basis
Maternity and paternity leave – we offer maternity and paternity leave over and above the statutory entitlements
Voluntary service leave – we offer special leave for our employees who wish to undertake voluntary work
Rented accommodation loan – moving house to take up an offer of employment can be expensive. We offer new joiners the opportunity to take out an interest-free loan of up to £2,500, via our benevolent fund, to assist with the financial burden of relocating into privately rented accommodation. You will be sent an application for the loan at the point of receiving a final offer of employment
Season ticket loan – we recognise that travel expenses from your home to the office can be significant, so we offer an interest-free season ticket loan which can be used for travel, car park costs or the purchase of a bicycle
On-site facilities – there is a gym, restaurant, and coffee bar at some locations
Clubs and societies – we offer a range of sports clubs, fitness classes, societies, and language training facilities
Childcare Vouchers – we offer two childcare voucher schemes which provide a simple and cost-effective way for employees to receive help towards the cost of childcare
Eye Voucher Scheme – we offer eye care vouchers and a financial contribution towards prescription glasses
Physiotherapy – we offer subsidised in-house physiotherapy
Personal learning – all our staff can undertake professional development to improve their skills and performance in the workplace

Company HQ

Manchester, UK

Articles

GCHQ chief opens £5.8m cyber and digital centre

MI5: Official Secrets Exhibition Shortlisted For National Award

Speech by Blaise Metreweli, Chief of MI6, 15 December 2025

Leadership

Ken McCallum

(Director General)

An MI5 Officer with over 25 years of experience in national security and intelligence. Their career has spanned roles in counterterrorism, cyber security, and leading MI5's strategic response to major incidents. They were appointed Director General in 2020 and previously served as Deputy Director General and Director General of Strategy.

Blaise Metreweli

(Chief)

Blaise joined the Service in 1999 and has had a range of roles, most recently Director General Technology & Innovation (Q). She has spent most of her career operationally in the Middle East & Europe.

Anne Keast-Butler

(Director)

Became the first female Director of GCHQ in May 2023. Previously served as Deputy Director General at MI5, where they led operational and investigative work, including responding to the Russian invasion of Ukraine. With over 30 years in national security, they have held key roles in MI5, GCHQ, and Whitehall, including launching the National Security Programme.

Diversity, Equity & Inclusion at British Intelligence Agencies

At the Intelligence Agencies, 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 underrepresented in our workforce, such as women, those from ethnic minority backgrounds, 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.gchq-careers.co.uk/life-at-gchq/diversity-inclusion.html

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