Both roles may attract a skills payment, for which you will be evaluated during the interview. The criteria for the skills assessment will be provided when you are invited to interview. If you are assessed to qualify for a skills payment, these payments start at £6,552 per annum.
About us
GCHQ is an intelligence, cyber, and security agency with a mission to keep the UK safe. We use cutting-edge technology, ingenuity and partnerships to identify, analyse and disrupt threats. Working with our intelligence partners MI5 and MI6, we protect the UK from terrorism, cyber-attacks and espionage.
At GCHQ you’ll do varied and fascinating work in a supportive and inclusive environment that puts the emphasis on teamwork.
The National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC), part of GCHQ, is the UK Government’s lead authority on cyber security. The organisation is at the heart of the Government’s cyber security strategy and has the aim of making the UK the safest place to live and work online.
The NCSC collaborates with partners across defence, industry and the broader intelligence community to support our work.
We’re currently looking for Lead and Senior Cyber Security Experts to join our team at the NCSC. In this role, you’ll work alongside technical specialists who explore the core security attributes of the UK’s critical systems and technologies. Together, we identify vulnerabilities and create resilient, long term solutions that help protect the nation’s digital infrastructure.
We’re also seeking Lead and Senior Cyber Analysts and Investigators to help us understand and counter threats from technically sophisticated adversaries . You’ll play a key role in analysing who these actors are, how they operate, and what capabilities they bring–building a clear picture of the threat landscape and helping strengthen cyber security across the UK.
The role
Whether you’re stepping into a Lead or Senior position, you’ll be at the centre of meaningful, technical work that drives real-world impact. As a Lead, you’ll work both independently and collaboratively, reporting to a senior colleague while offering expert advice on specific projects. The Senior role builds on this foundation, adding responsibility for mentoring others, engaging with senior leaders and specialists, and providing strategic insight–especially when navigating complex challenges.
Both roles are technically focused and involve working across areas such as system design, software development, security analysis, and testing. You’ll collaborate with partners to deliver effective, real-world solutions that strengthen cyber resilience.
Depending on your expertise, you may focus on one or more areas within cyber and system security. This could include designing secure architectures for IT, Operational Technology, or AI systems; analysing hardware and device-level security features; or researching software vulnerabilities and secure development practices. You might also work with cryptographic protocols or explore the security of networking and telecommunications technologies.
Key areas of focus may include:
• Secure system and device architectures, including AI and chipset-level features
• Software security and vulnerability research
• Cryptographic technologies and secure communications
• Networking and telecommunications protocols, including wireless and radio frequency systems
About you
We’re looking for someone with at least five years of practical experience in cyber security–whether that’s in industry, academia, or a government department. If you’ve built deep expertise in one or more of the technical disciplines that underpin cyber security, we’d love to hear from you too. What’s important is your ability to show the impact of your work and a genuine interest in applying your skills across areas such as Intelligence, Operations, Research, Engineering, Consultancy, Assurance, or Architecture.
A solid foundation of technical expertise and scientific rigour is essential, demonstrated through the ability to solve complex challenges across a variety of cyber security areas. It’s important to understand how technical decisions can impact both individuals and organisations–bringing a thoughtful, responsible approach to developing solutions that minimize harm and deliver meaningful outcomes.
Being part of a multi-disciplinary technical community means teamwork is key. You’ll be expected to share your own expertise while working closely with specialists from a range of backgrounds to develop thoughtful, responsible solutions that minimise harm and deliver meaningful outcomes. Understanding how technical decisions affect both individuals and organisations is central to the way we approach problem-solving.
GCHQ competencies
As part of the selection process, the NCSC will assess you using competencies aligned with those used across the UK Intelligence Community. These are closely based on the Civil Service Behaviours, so if you’re familiar with those, you’re already on the right track.
At Level 3, we’ll be looking at how you demonstrate the following:
• Driving Innovation and Change (Civil Service Behaviour Equivalent: Changing and Improving)
• Communicating and Influencing (Civil Service Behaviour Equivalent: Communicating and Influencing)
• Working Collaboratively (Civil Service Behaviour Equivalent: Working Together)
• Delivering Outcomes (Civil Service Behaviour Equivalent: Delivering at Pace)
Further information on Civil Service Behaviours
Benefits and rewards
At NCSC and GCHQ, we are proud of our inclusive and supportive working environment, which is designed to encourage open minds and attitudes. As an organisation that values and nurtures talent, we are committed to helping you fulfil your potential. With comprehensive training and development opportunities tailored to your needs and the requirements of your work, we will enable you to flourish in your role and perform to the very best of your abilities.
• For the lead role, you’ll receive a starting salary of £44,044.
• For the senior role, you’ll receive a starting salary of £53,496.
For roles based in London, you’ll receive an additional London Allowance of £6,250.
Both roles may attract a skills payment, for which you will be evaluated during the interview. The criteria for the skills assessment will be provided when you are invited to interview. If you are assessed to qualify for a skills payment, these payments start at £6552 per annum.
Other benefits include:
• 25 days’ annual leave automatically rising to 30 days after 5 years' service, plus an additional 10.5 days of public and privilege holidays
• A flexible working environment with various options
• Opportunities for recognition through out employee performance scheme
• Interest-free season ticket loan
• Cycle to work scheme
• On-site facilities such as a gym, restaurant, and on-site coffee bars (available at some locations)
• Paid parental and adoption leave
• Excellent pension scheme - Civil Service pension
Equal opportunities
At GCHQ, 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: people from 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, people from ethnic minority backgrounds, individuals with disabilities, and those from low socio-economic backgrounds.
Find out more about our culture, working environment and diversity on our website
We’re disability confident
GCHQ is proud to have achieved Leader status within the Department for Work and Pensions’ 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.
As a Disability Confident Leader, we aim to ensure that a fair and proportionate number of disabled applicants who best meet the essential minimum criteria for this position, will be offered an interview, if it is practical for us to do so. (This is known as the Offer of an Interview).
To secure an interview for this role, the minimum criterion (in line with the application process) is as follows and will be assessed at the CV sift stage:
1. Demonstrate you have five years of practical experience working in cyber security– specifically in a role within industry, academia or an external Government department
There is a wide range of extra support available throughout the recruitment process to enable you to do your best. See our website for information on reasonable adjustments we can offer.
What to Expect
Our recruitment process is fair, transparent, and based on merit. Here is a brief overview of each stage, in order:
1. Online Application
2. Application sift, assessing your motivation for the role and the organisation
3. Online Interview to include skills assessment
4. If successful, you’ll receive a conditional offer of employment.
Please note, you must successfully pass each stage of the process to progress to the next. The entire process, including vetting, may take around 6 to 9 months. We therefore advise you to continue with any current employment until you have received your final job offer.
Before you apply
To work at NCSC, you must be a British citizen or hold dual British nationality. You can read our full eligibility criteria here.
This role requires the highest security clearance, known as Developed Vetting (DV). It’s something everyone in the UK Intelligence Community undertakes. You can find out more about the vetting process here.
Please note we have a strict drugs policy. Once you begin your application, you must not take any recreational drugs, and you’ll be required to declare any previous drug use at the appropriate stage.
Before you apply, we recommend setting up a separate email address for your correspondence with us. This helps ensure that your personal and application correspondence remain separate. Try to avoid having identifying features in your email address, such as your first and/or last name or date of birth. This is good practice and will help you to manage your application with us more securely.
The role is based in London, Manchester, Cheltenham, so you’ll need to live within a commutable distance. Please consider any financial implications and practicalities before submitting an application, as we do not offer relocation costs.
Please note, you should only launch your application from within the UK. If you are currently overseas, you should wait until you visit the UK to begin your application. Applying from outside the UK will affect our ability to progress your application. You should only discuss your application with your partner or a close family member.
The closing date for this role is: 23/10/2025 at 23:55
Right to withdraw statement:
Please be aware that we reserve the right to bring forward the closing date for this role once a certain number of applications have been received. We encourage you to submit your application at your earliest convenience to avoid disappointment.