Hours of work:
36 hours a week full time MI5, 37 hours a week full time MI6. Office-based, with no remote or flexible working available during the training period. After this, flexible working may be possible, subject to business need.
About Us
MI5 and MI6 are part of the UK's Intelligence Services. We work together to safeguard Britain's people, interests and businesses from various threats at home, overseas and online, including cyber-attacks, espionage, terrorism, and organised crime. Working across our vital missions, you'll deliver impact at the heart of national security, all within a supportive and inclusive environment that allows everyone to thrive.
If you think you know what sort of person works in data, think again. On our Intelligence and Data Analyst Development Programmes, you'll see that you don't need to be a data expert to help protect the UK - just be yourself.
Before you start your application, please note that you'll need to apply for the programme with either MI5 or MI6, depending on which organisation you wish to join. You may not apply for both. The MI5 role is based in London and although the MI6 role is a London role, you will be based in Cheltenham for the first two years.
The Role
Depending on which organisation you pick, the role may differ slightly. But whichever you choose, one thing's for sure - you'll play a vital role as part of an analysis team who turn raw data into the intelligence that helps keep the country safe.
Using skills gained on our varied training programme, you'll discover how to make sense of the information we gather and identify trends that will help solve key questions in our investigations. You'll handle a wide breadth of unique data, use tools you won't find anywhere else, and analyse important information from all kinds of sources. Some days you'll be analysing data and delving into technical information. On others, you'll come up with creative solutions to problems by making connections and spotting trends. You'll be mining for intelligence, seeing the patterns others don't and turning data into valuable insights that'll inform real operations.
And you won't be on your own. You'll work in close partnership with Intelligence Officers, passing on your new-found intelligence and drawing on each other's expertise. Ours is a truly collaborative culture where your input will be valued. Working together, you'll see the impact of your work every day.
Importantly, these are development roles. You'll have plenty of opportunities to learn, grow and expand on your natural talents. And as you develop your technical skills, you'll be gaining the experience you need to support a fulfilling and rewarding career in analysis.
About You
There's no 'type' of person who works in data. We're looking for people who are naturally curious, determined, and have a genuine passion for data. You'll spot things others don't and communicate your ideas with the team. This isn't an isolated role. You'll be joining a friendly, encouraging and welcoming investigations team, working alongside other analysts and Intelligence Officers. As part of that, you'll present your findings to others and help to shape our work. So, you'll need to be able to communicate your findings clearly to both analysts and non-analysts.
Logical, methodical and detail-oriented, you'll approach problems like puzzles you need to solve, and have a desire to constantly learn more. You'll be willing to persevere to find solutions that are useful to our investigations; likewise, you'll know when you've reached a suitable conclusion and move onto the next task.
Whatever your background, we'll value your insights and perspectives because they'll help us make those vital connections. You don't need to have coding or programming skills, but you'll have some experience analysing data and will be keen to develop your abilities further with our support and training. You'll have (or be expecting) a 2:2 degree in any subject, or have work experience where you have demonstrated the key skills required for the role.
Training and Development
If you apply to MI5, you'll be based in London. After an initial four-month training period, the rest of the programme will be spent consolidating your knowledge as part of our analysis teams and using our unique tools and techniques. In your first analysis posting, you'll be given a development partner to advise you and ensure you continue to develop your skills. You'll also be part of a supportive team who can help you develop your ideas. Whether you're experienced in tech or not, you'll learn everything you need to know on the programme - and discover your potential in the process. Once your training is complete, you'll be committed to working as an analyst with MI5 for the next five years. During that time, you'll be deployed into three different analyst postings, the first of which will be delivering analysis as part of an investigations team.
If you apply to MI6, you'll be in a London-based role but operate out of Cheltenham for the first two years. After an initial induction, you'll join a multi-agency analyst team where you'll be directly involved in supporting our core work. For the first six months, you'll carry out a mixture of classroom training as well as on the job training back in your team. You'll join alongside people who share your passion for analysis and although you may be placed in different teams, you'll come together for the classroom training to knowledge share and support each other. Once the training has finished, you'll spend the remainder of your time on the programme enhancing your knowledge and continuing to develop your skills. Throughout the programme you'll also have a mentor to support you and help build upon your skills.
Please note, if you're applying to MI6 and live more than a one-hour commute from Cheltenham we'll provide financial support for accommodation costs. After the programme finishes, you'll have the opportunity to apply for roles in London, Cheltenham or abroad to continue your career using your analysis skills.
Rewards and Benefits
You'll receive a starting salary of £39,704 rising to £42,648 after 2 years. Both organisations offer other benefits including:
* 25 days' annual leave automatically rising to 30 days' annual leave after 5 years' service, and an additional 10.5 days' public and privilege holidays
* Opportunities to be recognised through our employee performance scheme
* Dedicated Development Budget (MI5 only)
* Interest-free season ticket loan
* Excellent pension scheme
* Cycle to work scheme
* Facilities such as a subsidised gym, restaurant and on-site coffee bars
* Paid parental and adoption leave
Equal Opportunities
At MI5 and MI6 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.
We're Disability Confident
MI5 and MI6 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.
What to Expect
Our recruitment process is fair, transparent, and based on merit. Here is a brief overview of each stage, in order:
1. Initial application form - You will be asked to provide your basic personal details and complete a number of yes/no questions to check if you are eligible to apply.
2. Online Cognitive Ability test - Once you have submitted the initial application, you will be asked to complete a short online test which takes around 20 minutes to complete.
3. Full application - You will be asked to provide more information on your background (e.g. education and employment history), answer a couple of questions about your motivation for applying for the role and two competency-based questions.
4. Subject of Interest (SOI) test - You'll then be asked to complete a 90-minute online exercise, which has been designed to give you a better understanding of the Intelligence Analyst role as well as showing us your approach to problem solving.
5. Telephone Interview - You will be asked questions about your motivations for applying and some competency-based questions.
6. Assessment Centre - You'll then attend an online assessment centre involving an interview, two roleplay exercises and one written exercise. This will give you a good idea of a day in the life of an Intelligence and Data Analyst.
7. Final Selection Board Interview - You may be invited to attend a final selection board which will involve a short motivational and competency interview building on your performance at the previous stages.
You will be given more information about what to expect at each stage as you progress through the application process.
Please note, you must successfully pass each stage of the process in order to progress to the next. Your application may take around 9-12 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 or MI6, you need to be a British citizen or hold dual British nationality. You can read our full eligibility criteria here:
These roles also require the highest security clearance, known as Developed Vetting (DV). It's something everyone in the UK Intelligence Community undertakes.
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.
For MI5, this role is based in London, so you'll need to live within a commutable distance. Please consider any financial implications and practicalities before submitting an application. A loan is available to support people relocating to London.
For MI6, this is classed as a London role but you will be based in Cheltenham for the first two years, so you'll need to live within a commutable distance. Please consider any financial implications and practicalities before submitting an application. Financial support for accommodation costs will be provided during your time in Cheltenham if your home is more than an hour commute from Cheltenham itself.
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.
Before you start your application, please remember that you can only apply for either MI5 or MI6 - you may not apply for both.
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