Intelligence and Data Analyst Development Programme Ref. 3712

Job Description

This programme is expected to attract significant interest and may close within a short time frame, so early applications are encouraged.

Flexible working: throughout most of the five-and-a-half-year programme, you’ll be able to benefit from flexitime and compressed hours, subject to business need. However, during the initial four-month training period, you will need to follow fixed full-time hours (36 hours per week, Monday to Friday). Remote, hybrid or home working are not possible in this role.

About us

MI5 keeps the country safe from serious threats like terrorism and attempts by states to harm the UK, its people and way of life. We carry out investigations by obtaining, analysing and assessing intelligence, and then work with a range of partners, including MI6 and GCHQ to disrupt these threats. Through our protective security arm, we provide advice and guidance to government, businesses and other organisations about how to keep themselves safe. A role in MI5 means you’ll do unique and challenging work in a supportive and encouraging environment, making a real difference to UK national security.

The programme

Joining the Intelligence and Data Analyst Development Programme (IDADP) means committing to a five-and-a-half-year structured pathway designed to build the skills, experience and confidence needed to become a fully trained Intelligence and Data Analyst (IDA).

Why does it take five-and-a-half years? Because IDAs play a vital role in protecting the UK. Working with colleagues across MI5, partner agencies and UK allies, they turn complex, incomplete information into insight that shapes investigative decisions. IDAs work with a wide range of data and tools to uncover hard-to-spot patterns, connect activity that appears unrelated, and help investigative teams understand threats, risks and opportunities.

To do this well, IDAs need a strong foundation in analytical tradecraft, sound judgement, growing technical capability and the ability to collaborate effectively in a fast-moving investigative environment. These are not skills you can develop overnight, which is why we’ve created a rigorous programme that builds capability through structured training, guided practice and varied postings. It’s a steep learning curve, but you’ll have dedicated support from managers, development partners and your programme cohort throughout.

We run several development programmes, each leading to different long-term careers. Consider carefully which programme best suits your strengths and interests, as you cannot transfer between pathways once recruited.

Your five and a half-year development pathway

This pathway reflects the structure most people follow, though exact postings may vary depending on business need. While the programme usually includes three postings, some may be extended, meaning you complete two longer placements instead. As MI5’s analytical capability evolves, your pathway may adapt too, but every stage will be designed to build your skills and support your long‑term development. Because postings are aligned to business need, they’re assigned for you rather than chosen, ensuring you gain the right experience at the right time.

Stage 1: intensive analytical training for four months

You’ll begin with a full-time, office-based training period where you’ll learn how to work with multiple types of data, apply structured analytical techniques, use advanced tools, and approach open-ended problems. Training combines classroom learning, hands-on practice and collaborative exercises with your cohort. To help you get the most from this essential training, annual leave cannot be taken during this period.

Stage 2: your first analytical posting for two to two-and-a-half years

After training, you’ll join an analysis delivery team for a posting lasting between two and two-and-a-half years. Here, you’ll refine investigative requirements, work with complex datasets and produce intelligence products that support investigations. As your confidence grows, you’ll operate with increasing autonomy, present findings clearly and collaborate with partners across MI5.

Stage 3: your next postings (for the remainder of your pathway)

You’ll then complete one or two further postings. These may be within other analysis delivery teams working directly on investigations, or within a non-delivery area of analysis, such as training or tradecraft development to help improve our capabilities. These posts will broaden your experience and strengthen your understanding of how analytical capability develops across MI5.

Across these postings, you’ll deepen your technical expertise, including coding and querying, and learn to adapt as analytical tools, technologies and threats evolve. You’ll also contribute to the wider analytical community by sharing knowledge, supporting peers and refining analysis methods.

Postings may be based in either Central or West London, so you must be prepared and able to work at either location.

After the Programme

By the end of the IDADP, you’ll have a strong analytical foundation and a skillset in high demand across the Intelligence community. You’ll be ready to continue your career as an IDA or move into a range of specialist roles across MI5. Many analysts progress into specialist analysis roles, support operational teams, develop analytical tradecraft, mentor others, or contribute to emerging technical capabilities.

About you

To join you must either have:

• at least one year of full-time experience in a role where you have developed and applied the core skills needed for analysis. This should include analysing data to draw conclusions, making evidence-based decisions, identifying patterns, managing competing priorities, communicating insight and collaborating effectively with others.

OR

• a 2:1 degree (or equivalent) in any subject where your studies involved working with or interpreting data in a structured way. This might include analysing data to identify patterns or trends or to draw informed conclusions. What matters is that your degree required you to work with and analyse data to reach sound, reasoned decisions.

You don’t need to be a trained analyst – nobody arrives with the full skillset. What matters is that you can spot patterns, think critically, work with incomplete or ambiguous information and build a clear picture from different sources. Curiosity, a growth mindset and a willingness to learn will be essential to your success.

Equally essential are adaptability and resilience. Postings are assigned based on business need and may evolve as our tools, technologies and analytical approaches adapt to a constantly shifting threat landscape. Being comfortable applying your skills in new and unfamiliar situations – and collaborating closely with analysts, Intelligence Officers and operational teams – is essential. The role also involves listening to and analysing audio information, so you may be required to pass a hearing test if needed for your post. If you wear hearing aids, you’ll be able to complete the test using them.

Learning and development

Your development combines classroom learning, hands-on analytical work and continuous upskilling. During the initial training period, you’ll learn how to handle data, apply structured analytical methods, use advanced tools and solve complex problems.

In your postings, you’ll apply these skills to real investigative work – organising datasets, identifying patterns, prioritising tasks, collaborating with colleagues and communicating insight clearly. You’ll also build strengths in problem-solving, communication, collaboration and decision-making.

Each year, you’ll have 12 protected learning and development days, as well as access to technical upskilling and internal training, with your skills validated through an accreditation process. Throughout, you’ll be supported by your development partner, line manager, cohort and experienced analysts.

Your work-life balance

We recognise the importance of a healthy work-life balance. Throughout the majority of the programme, you’ll be able to benefit from flexitime and compressed hours are available through most of the programme, subject to business need. During the initial four-month training period, fixed, full-time hours apply and annual leave cannot be taken. Across the programme, you may need to work longer hours, but you will receive time off in lieu. Remote or home working is not possible in this role. Find out more on our work-life balance page.

Some of our benefits

You will enjoy 25 days’ annual leave, rising to 30 days after 5 years' service, alongside 8 bank holidays and 2.5 additional leave days (set dates through the year). We also offer an excellent pension scheme, an interest-free season ticket loan and lots more. Discover more about our full range of benefits.

Equal opportunities

To protect the UK, we need a truly diverse workforce that reflects the society we serve. We welcome and encourage applications from all individuals, particularly those who are currently under-represented in our workforce, such as:

• those from an ethnic minority background
• women
• people with disabilities or neurodivergent conditions
• those from low socio-economic backgrounds

This is part of our commitment to building a culture that is welcoming and inclusive of people with different identities, lived experiences, and perspectives, and where everyone has the confidence to bring their whole self to work. Find out more about our commitment to diversity and inclusion.

Offer of Interview

We’re also proud to have achieved Leader status within the Department of Work and Pension’s Disability Confident scheme. Being Disability Confident, we aim to ensure that a fair and proportionate number of disabled applicants that best meet the minimum essential criteria for this position will be offered an interview where practicable; this is known as the ‘Offer of 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 will be required to reach the minimum pass mark for the Online Situational Judgement Test which looks at your ability to problem solve.
3. Pass the online cognitive ability test: reach the pass mark
4. Submit a full application: completing all required sections
5. Pass the subject of interest test: reach the pass mark

As part of your application, you can declare if you have a disability or long-term health condition and would like to be considered for an ‘Offer of Interview’. If you opt into the Disability Confident scheme and successfully complete these stages, you’ll be offered an online interview; this is our ‘Offer of Interview’. Please be aware that in some situations where we receive a high volume of applications, we may not be able to interview all candidates, including those with disabilities, who meet the minimum criteria.

If you have a disability, are neurodivergent, have a long-term health condition or require reasonable adjustments for any other reason, please let us know so we can support you. To learn more about how we can support you, read our read our reasonable adjustments brochure or you can find out more information on our application process page.

Application process

Our selection process is fair, transparent, and based on merit. You will need to pass each stage of the process to progress. The IDADP recruitment process consists of:

1. An initial online application form including pre-screening questions to ensure you meet our eligibility criteria
2. 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
3. Online cognitive ability test
4. Full online application form
5. Subject of interest test
6. An online interview
7. An online assessment centre
8. Conditional offer of employment
9. Obtain Developed Vetting

The whole process takes approximately 9 to 12 months, so if you are currently employed, we recommend staying in your existing role until you receive a final offer. Find out more about each step on our IDADP page.

Before you apply

Due to the sensitive nature of our work, there are some eligibility criteria you’ll need to meet (as well as our recommendations to aid your application). You will need to:

• be a British citizen or hold dual British nationality. Read more on our eligibility criteria
• go through vetting and comply with our no drugs policy. Learn more about the vetting process
• familiarise yourself with our guidance on the use of AI in applications, on our application process page
• complete your application and all subsequent recruitment processes from within the UK

This programme is based in London, so you’ll need to live within a commutable distance. You must be willing and able to work across two London locations (one in Central London and one in West London, both Zones 1-2) at different points in the programme. Please consider the financial and practical implications before applying. A relocation loan is available to support those moving to London. Remote or home working is not possible due to the secure nature of our work.

We’d recommend using a different email address (with no identifying features e.g. first and/or surnames and date of birth) for your contact with us. This will help keep your personal and application correspondence separate, and more secure.

You should not discuss your application, other than with your partner or a close family member.

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 hardcopy receipts for reimbursement.

Right to withdraw statement:

Please be aware that we withhold 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 be mindful of this and submit your application at your earliest convenience to avoid disappointment.