Associate Infrastructure Engineers

Job title: Associate Infrastructure Engineers

• Location(s): Cheltenham, or London
• Salary: £36,408, plus a London Addition payment of £6,250 for London-based roles. Experienced candidates may be assessed for a £2,000 recruitment bonus during the interview. Candidates can also earn a £4,513 Specialist Role bonus. Those with the necessary skills assessed at interview will receive the Specialist Role payment and/or a recruitment bonus as part of their initial salary.

Flexible working: Due to the nature of the work, this role will be primarily office-based. However, we offer options for compressed and part-time hours, and some home working may be possible, depending on business needs.

Find out more about our working patterns on our Life at GCHQ page.

Discover a career where development is everything.

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.

We rely on our IT teams to keep our infrastructure safe, secure, and mission ready. And now we’re looking for people with a passion for technology to join us. With plenty of support and encouragement, you’ll undertake a rewarding 18-month learning journey on a pathway designed to give you all the skills and experience necessary to develop an exciting career at GCHQ.

Enjoy a combination of classroom, virtual, and on-the-job learning while being exposed to a variety of areas – from Automation, Cloud, and Applications to Data Transfer, Access Management, and Cyber Security. You’ll identify innovative approaches that shape our work and collaborate with others to tackle both specific challenges and broader problems.

And you’ll do it alongside a cohort who are just as enthusiastic about tech as you are, using one-of-a-kind technology for a mission that’s completely unique. After completing your training, you’ll integrate into a team of talented experts and support GCHQ and our intelligence partners. The work involves varied projects to ensure our IT infrastructure remains fit for purpose in a constantly evolving tech landscape.

As well as having a GCSE grade C/4 or above in Maths (or an equivalent qualification), your interest in technology will be as keen as your drive to learn new skills. You’ll be enthusiastic about tech and keep up to date with the latest industry developments. You could be a school leaver, STEM graduate, looking to change careers, or returning to work after a break. Above all, you’ll be eager to expand your knowledge and bring your skills to an environment that values fresh ideas.

With a comprehensive business and departmental induction, you’ll be welcomed into an inclusive workplace where development means everything. You’ll have the opportunity to explore areas that interest you and access a range of funded resources tailored to your needs. This could even include a chance to earn industry-recognised qualifications such as ISC ² CISSO, AWS Solution Architect, or CISCO CCNA.

A Trainee Scheme Lead will provide guidance throughout the 18-month learning pathway, and mentors will support your professional and personal development along the way. Plus, you’ll receive a range of great benefits, including 25 days’ annual leave, an interest-free season ticket loan, paid parental and adoption leave, and access to onsite facilities, including a gym and restaurant. What’s more, you’ll be welcome to join our sports, social, and interest clubs, as well as affinity networks championing equity, diversity, and inclusion across our organisations. From day one, you’ll be empowered to build a career you’re passionate about and make an impact on a national scale.

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: 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.

To find out more and apply, please visit our website.

To be eligible to apply, you must be a British Citizen. If you hold dual nationality, one of which is British, you will still be considered. Candidates must normally have been resident in the UK for seven out of the last ten years. This is particularly important if you were born outside the UK. You can apply at the age of 17 years, if successful you will not be offered a start date before your 18th birthday. Full eligibility details can be found on our website.