Software Engineers, British Intelligence Agencies
£42.6-46.2k
Plus £2000 recruitment bonus
More information about location
4-5 days a week in office (Manchester City Centre)
UK's domestic and foreign intelligence services
Be an early applicant
UK's domestic and foreign intelligence services
1001+ employees
Be an early applicant
£42.6-46.2k
Plus £2000 recruitment bonus
More information about location
4-5 days a week in office (Manchester City Centre)
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 bring a real aptitude for learning and problem-solving, with a genuine interest in technology and trying new approaches
- You enjoy developing ideas, exploring technical options and working with others to solve challenges
- You will have practical experience in a software development environment gained through a previous role or an industrial placement
- You’re comfortable using at least one modern programming language or framework and have a good understanding of core software engineering practices
- You’ll be curious about cloud technologies, and any familiarity with AWS, Azure or GCP would be beneficial
- You may have some experience with Agile or DevOps ways of working, CI/CD, automation or infrastructure-as-code, and you’re keen to build confidence in areas like cloud security or vulnerability awareness
- A basic understanding of Linux or Windows is useful, along with a willingness to learn more as part of the role
- You’ll work well in development teams, switching between independent tasks and collaborative work, and you’re happy contributing across teams when needed
- You communicate clearly, enjoy sharing ideas and are comfortable engaging with a range of customers and technical colleagues
- You can prioritise effectively, adapt to change and stay focused when things get challenging
- If you’re enthusiastic about technology, motivated to develop skills and excited by our mission, we encourage you to apply, even if you don’t meet every requirement. Your perspective and potential could be exactly what we’re looking for.
What the job involves
- A typical day as a Software Engineer at GCHQ involves working both collaboratively and independently to develop innovative solutions to complex, real-world mission challenges
- As part of an Agile, multidisciplinary team, you’ll contribute to a culture of continuous learning and adaption
- Teams experiment with new ideas, explore different technical approaches and tackle difficult problems that often require fresh thinking
- Collaboration with analysts and technical specialists across multiple missions is central to shaping solutions that meet operational needs
- Day-to-day work may include team check-ins and planning sessions, reviewing and raising pull requests, and applying a range of engineering practices such as pair programming, mobbing, or focused individual development
- You might also spend time researching and analysing web or mobile technologies, designing, documenting and implementing software solutions, and delivering software for mission requirements
- You’ll also support existing solutions throughout their lifecycle, all contributing to steady progress and well-crafted outcomes
- Depending on the project and your own strengths, you might draw on a variety of specialisms such as server – client-side technologies, object-orientated programming, software design principles, Android development, or Agile/Lean practices
- You’ll use a mix of modern engineering languages and frameworks such as JavaScript, Java, Node, Python, Rust, Go and .NET, depending on the project needs
- Knowledge sharing is also central to the role, whether that’s swapping ideas with peers, discussing approaches across teams, or contributing to the wider engineering community to help strengthen capability and improve technical practice
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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