Infrastructure Engineer (Telephony) Ref. 3734

Job Description

Flexible working: This role is primarily office-based due to the sensitive nature of the work. However, flexible working arrangements are supported, including flexitime with flexible start and finish times, as well as the option to work full-time, part-time, or compressed hours.

About us
At GCHQ, we unlock the complex world of data and communications to help keep the UK and its citizens safe, both in the real world and online. Working closely with our British Intelligence partners in MI5 and MI6, we protect the UK from threats including serious organised crime, terrorism, and cyber-attacks. A role at GCHQ means you’ll have varied and fascinating work in a supportive and encouraging environment, that puts the emphasis on teamwork.

The role
As a Telephony Infrastructure Engineer at GCHQ, you’ll play a vital part in keeping the UK Government connected when it matters most. From critical conversations across the UK Intelligence Community (UKIC) and Whitehall to high-stakes, time-sensitive communications, the work ensures every call gets through securely, reliably and without compromise.

Working across a range of classified telephony platforms – including call gateways, enterprise media, and transcription services – you’ll ensure these services remain resilient, compliant, and ready for anything. Whether engineering improvements, resolving complex cross-domain issues, or collaborating closely with partners and suppliers, you’ll play a central role in shaping and strengthening our communication capabilities.

And you won’t be working alone. You’ll be part of a team of experts who share the same dedication, working in a collaborative environment built on mutual support and shared success. As capability develops, a skill payment is available on reaching Infrastructure Engineering Level 1 or above. Once all relevant training is complete, there is an opportunity to join the on-call rota, which offers additional pay and is entirely optional. From time to time, the role may also involve occasional overseas travel.

About you
While no specific qualifications are required for this role, you’ll have experience in telephony infrastructure, with a solid understanding of networking and the support and maintenance of voice and unified communications (UC) systems. However that experience has been gained through formal training, classroom learning, or practical experience in the field, what matters most is the ability to apply it.

Experience with Cisco technologies is highly beneficial, as these are widely used in our environment. A clear focus on customer experience is essential, supported by sound judgement and the ability to assess information and deliver solutions that are timely, well-reasoned and reliable.

You'll have good administration skills and some general Windows and Linux experience, and you'll be ready to build on both. Curious by nature, you approach problems with a proactive mindset, and the people around you know they can count on you to work independently and deliver consistent results.

Clear and confident communication is essential, with the ability to influence effectively and work collaboratively with stakeholders and colleagues to achieve shared goals. Equally comfortable contributing as part of a team or working independently, there is a genuine willingness to share knowledge and support others to succeed.

Training and development
When you join the team, you’ll be joining a community that takes professional development seriously and invests in helping people grow their skills. From day one, you'll be welcomed through departmental induction days and supported by a defined training pathway, along with a mentor to help you settle in with confidence.

From there, the development doesn't stop. There are three skill gateways to progress through within the grade, each building on the last, with the expectation that you'll be working towards the next level within your first 12 months. Over a 2 to 3-year placement, you'll develop steadily towards Infrastructure Engineering Level 2, growing your expertise and your impact along the way.

The pathway is both internal and external: as well as incorporating GCHQ’s own Internal Development Pathway, you'll have access to external industry accreditation and the opportunity to work towards Cisco qualifications and other certifications that will support your career long-term.

Rewards and benefits
You’ll receive a starting salary of £37,892 plus other benefits including:

• 25 days of annual leave, automatically rising to 30 days after 5 years' service, and an additional 10.5 days of public and privilege holidays
• opportunities to be recognised through our employee performance scheme
• an interest-free season ticket loan
• an excellent pension scheme
• a cycle to work scheme
• facilities such as a gym, restaurant and on-site coffee bars (at some locations)
• paid parental and adoption leave

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: 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, people 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.

We’re disability confident
GCHQ is proud to have achieved Leader status within the Department for Work and Pensions’ Disability Confident scheme. This scheme aims to encourage 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 are offered an interview, where practical (This is known as the Offer of an Interview.)

To secure an interview for this role, the minimum criteria (in order of application process) are:

1. Meet the eligibility criteria: complete an initial application form, including pre-screening questions, to ensure you meet our eligibility criteria
2. You’ll be required to reach the minimum pass mark for the Online Situational Judgement Test (SJT), which assesses your ability to problem-solve
3. Meet the minimum pass mark in motivational and technical questions
4. Demonstrate analytical and problem-solving skills
5. Demonstrate an awareness of up-and-coming technologies

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 the 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:

• Online Situational Judgement Test (SJT) rating the appropriateness of your responses to a series of short scenarios. The SJT tests criteria important for all roles in our organisation
• Application sift, looking at your motivation for the role and the organisation and essential skills
• Interview, including competency and technical questions
• If successful, you will receive a conditional offer of employment

Please note, you must successfully pass each stage of the process to progress to the next. Your application may take around 6 to 9 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 GCHQ, you need to be a British citizen or hold dual British nationality. Read about our eligibility criteria.

This role requires the highest security clearance, known as Developed Vetting (DV). This is something everyone in the UK Intelligence Community undertakes. Find out more about the vetting process.

Please note we have a strict drugs policy. 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.

Before applying, we advise you to consider setting up a separate email address for your contact with us, to ensure your personal and application correspondence remains separate. Try to avoid having identifying features in your email address, such as your first and/or surname and date of birth. This is good practice and will help you to manage your application with us more securely.

The role is based in 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.

We offer reasonable reimbursement of travel costs for candidates attending in-person appointments during the recruitment and vetting process. Full details will be provided with your interview or assessment invitation.

Reimbursement is discretionary and will only be made in line with the Candidate Expenses Policy, as amended from time to time. Candidates must book their own travel, using the most economical option and provide original hard-copy receipts for reimbursement.

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 apply. Applying from outside the UK will impact on our ability to progress your application. You should not discuss your application with anyone other than your partner or a close family member.

Right to withdraw statement:
Please be aware that we reserve 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 submit your application as early as possible to avoid disappointment.