Network Engineer, British Intelligence Agencies
GCHQ
£37.9k
£37,892, including a concessionary payment of £2,758. There is also the opportunity to qualify for a £2,000 recruitment bonus and an additional £4,513 skills payment, depending on experience and capability. Skills and eligibility for additional payments will be assessed during the interview process.
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
Posted today
£37.9k
£37,892, including a concessionary payment of £2,758. There is also the opportunity to qualify for a £2,000 recruitment bonus and an additional £4,513 skills payment, depending on experience and capability. Skills and eligibility for additional payments will be assessed during the interview process.
More information about location
4-5 days a week in office
1001+ employees
Company mission
MI5, MI6 and GCHQ work together to protect the UK from a range of national security and overseas threats, keeping citizens safe.
Role
Who you are
- You’ll have GCSEs (or equivalent) in Maths and English at Grade 4/C or above, along with a solid foundation in network engineering. This may come from a dedicated networking role or a broader IT position, but you’ll be confident in building, testing and maintaining network infrastructure, as well as diagnosing issues and supporting live environments. Experience with Cisco or similar networking technologies is essential
- A good understanding in configuring and supporting network technologies is expected, alongside knowledge of systems such as Linux or Windows. You may also have experience across areas such as automation, cloud platforms or core services like DNS and DHCP
- A practical approach to problem-solving is key, together with an interest in working with live systems, identifying faults and maintaining reliable services. The ability to work effectively within a team, communicate clearly with both technical and non-technical colleagues, and take a proactive approach to resolving issues is essential. A genuine interest in networking and emerging technologies will help you get the most out of the role, and you’ll be motivated to continue developing your technical skills and expanding your knowledge
- To work at GCHQ, you need to be a British citizen or hold dual British nationality
What the job involves
- As a Network Engineer within the Network Capability Centre (NCC), you’ll design, implement and maintain secure, scalable network infrastructure that underpins critical organisational systems. Working in a large, multidisciplinary environment, there is a shared contribution to the delivery and ongoing reliability of network services supporting national security outcomes
- Your work may include activities across a full lifecycle of network delivery. This includes designing and building solutions, supporting deployments, and monitoring and troubleshooting live environments to maintain availability, performance and security. There is also involvement in ongoing operations, including updates, patching and optimisation, alongside contributions to disaster recovery and business continuity activities
- Day-to-day, work is a mix of independent tasks and collaboration, working closely with internal teams, customers and external organisations to resolve issues and strengthen network capability. Continuous improvement is a key part of the role, helping to evolve network services and supporting the adoption of technologies that enhance resilience and security
- Operating within a large team, initial work sits within a smaller specialist area, with opportunities to broaden your experience as you develop. This role is particularly well suited to early-career or developing engineers looking to build their technical capability, gain exposure to a wide range of networking technologies and progress into a more senior engineering role
Application process
- An initial online application form, including pre-screening questions, to ensure you meet our eligibility criteria
- An online Situational Judgement Test (SJT), in which you rate the appropriateness of responses to a series of short scenarios
- A full online application form
- An Interview, including competency and technical questions
- If successful, you’ll receive a conditional offer of employment
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
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.
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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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