MI5 is a data business. An understanding of the data we use is an essential part of us being able to make the most of what we have in an efficient, and legally compliant way.  We’re looking for students who want to learn more about the way data and data are handled in MI5, working for an 11-week summer placement within a multi-disciplinary team comprising data architects, business analysts, data managers and policy officers.

The Role – Data Architect

We look at data flows through our organisation to better understand what we’ve got, to ensure compliance checks and controls are applied in the right places, and to improve our ability to make the most of the data we have. You will work with experienced data managers and data architects to assess the impact of new technologies on our ability to process and manage data, making recommendations for how to better organise, distribute, protect and control data that supports our national security work.  By the end of your placement, you will have built up an understanding of the data challenges faced by modern intelligence agencies, and how we ensure that we meet all our legal obligations in respect of the data we hold. You will have contributed to the smoother flow of data to our end users.

Key Responsibilities of previous interns have included

• Engage with data users, policy officers, legal advisors and project teams to build a shared understanding of the data management implications of new initiatives
• Write documents or slides to communicate data risks to a variety of audiences (technical and less technical), and ideas about how to mitigate them
• Learn how an architectural approach to planning our data estate helps us better address data management requirements in the long term
• Understand how the way that the organisation structures its data can make it more efficient in how it delivers value and effectiveness to users of the data
• Liaise with software engineers and expert partners to address the data management requirements of new technology
• Gain experience working in a team on a very wide range of matters at the intersection of intelligence work, policy and technology

The Person

For success in this role you’ll be expecting to achieve by Autumn 2024, at least a 2:2 in your degree.

Due to the nature of our organisation, a technical aptitude coupled with an interest in the ethical, sociological and political dimensions of the digital age are essential.  Additionally, some understanding of how a computer system organises data will help you get the most out of the placement.