Mandarin Language Talent Programme Ref. 1240

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Languages
Cheltenham
Students will receive a salary equivalent to £19,519. That works out as £375.37 per week and £4129.02 over the 11 weeks, and your salary will be taxable.

If you are studying Mandarin GCHQ is offering you an exciting opportunity to join their Language Talent Programme. As one of Britain’s intelligence agencies, we unlock the complex world of communications to make a real difference to the safety of the nation. We work closely with our partners in the intelligence community to safeguard Britain’s people, interests and businesses from various threats. Think cyber attacks, espionage, terrorism, and organised crime. This is a challenging opportunity that you simply won’t find anywhere else.

THE ROLE

GCHQ employs highly-skilled Language Analysts in a variety of roles. The Language Talent Programme is an 11-week paid scheme for language students at GCHQ’s headquarters in Cheltenham combining training and work on real-life projects. As a successful candidate, you will work as a fully integrated member of an intelligence analysis team, using your language skills, technical and analytical ability to contribute directly to our work. You will work on a project which will involve conducting research using a variety of tools, and introduce you to the kind of analysis techniques we use. You will see first-hand how our work helps protect the nation.

You may get involved in some, or all, of these activities during the placement: translating and transcribing a variety of foreign language material, assessing data using new analytical tools and techniques, delivering briefings to your team and others, working with people from other teams across the Department, drafting intelligence reports, and maybe even visiting GCHQ’s customers and partners.

At the end of the scheme you will have the opportunity to be tested again at graduate entry level and, if you pass these tests and a competency interview, you will be offered a permanent position as a Language Analyst.

REQUIREMENTS

We are looking for talented, flexible and committed individuals from all backgrounds. You will currently be an undergraduate studying Mandarin. You will have completed your year abroad and have, or are on course to develop, the high-level language skills we need. You will have an interest in using your language in your career and are keen to develop your skills.

TRAINING AND DEVELOPMENT

At GCHQ we’re proud of our inclusive and supportive working environment that’s designed to encourage open minds and attitudes. As an organisation that values and nurtures talent, we are committed to helping you fulfil your potential. Through a comprehensive training and development package that will include classroom-based learning, combined with placements in various teams and hands-on training we will enable you to grow your skills and perform to the best of your abilities. Supported by our collaborative learning environment, you’ll soon be working on projects that help keep Britain safe.

SALARY

£19,861 per annum pro-rated over 11 weeks.

Applicants who pass the graduate entry language tests and core competency interview and choose to take up an offer of employment at GCHQ will receive a starting salary of £25,738. If you choose to take up a permanent appointment, it is expected that you will spend at least one year at GCHQ.

LOCATION

Cheltenham

SELECTION PROCESS

To be eligible to apply for this position you must meet our nationality, residency and security requirements. Full details of these requirements can be found here .

Be prepared to dedicate 60-90 minutes towards completing this application. We are conscious this might be more time than you expected, so our system will allow you to save your application at any time and come back to it later. But remember to submit your full application before the closing date, of 30 October 2017.

If you meet the Minimum Eligibility and Application Sift criteria, the next steps of this selection process will be:

  • Language tests (will be held on Saturday 18 and Sunday 19 November 2017)
  • Assessment Centre, including Interview, Digital Analysis testing, a Preliminary Vetting chat and a Drug test (will be held w/c Mon 04 December 2017)


All will be held in Gloucestershire.

If you successfully complete the above stages, you will receive a job offer, conditional to you completing our developed vetting (DV) process which enables you to obtain the level of security clearance required to undertake this role.


Further details on Language Analysts can be found here.

This Program / Vacancy is closed to applications.