Mobile Surveillance Officer – Registration of Interest Ref. 3823

As a Mobile Surveillance Officer, you’ll blend into the environment, observe people and places, and report back to MI5’s Intelligence Officers. Surveillance is a key investigative resource we use to protect against threats to the UK, and your key objective will be to observe subjects who’ve been identified as potential threats to national security.

This is a uniquely impactful, one-of-a-kind role, so we don’t expect you to have all the skills when you join. In fact, our Mobile Surveillance Officers come from all sorts of backgrounds including nursing, teaching and customer service. Some are recent graduates, and some have spent years working in another industry.

What matters are your communication skills, ability to develop relationships, and willingness to learn. You’ll need to have a strong sense of camaraderie, with teamwork and people skills that you might have learned from working in a team, playing sports, travelling, or coaching. You’ll also be observant, someone who’s able to accurately remember details of what you’ve seen and heard. And a skilled multi-tasker.

To begin with, you’ll attend an intensive 20-week training programme, where you’ll learn how to turn your existing skills to surveillance. We’ll teach you how to safely observe and blend into your surroundings – and keeping you safe will be our priority. Plus, you’ll get the chance to bond with your fellow officers, which will be important as you’ll be working closely with and always looking out for one another.

Aside from your skills, there are some physical requirements for the job. These are to ensure you can complete surveillance safely and effectively. Any distinguishing features such as tattoos on your face, neck or hands would make you more recognisable to someone who is under surveillance and would therefore make you unsuitable for this role. If you are a man, you will need to be 6’2” or under, and if you are a woman, you must be 5’10” or under. Additionally, you’ll need to undertake a Fitness for Role medical, and your hearing and eyesight will be tested as part of the recruitment process.

The application window for the Mobile Surveillance Officer role will open on Friday 2nd October 2026 at 10am. If you’re a woman, or you’re from an ethnic minority background, we’d be particularly keen to invite you to register your interest for our upcoming events. Please note that we’re confining registrations of interest to these groups only, due to their current under-representation in our workforce.

Before you register
To work for us, you need to be a British citizen or hold dual British nationality. You can read our full eligibility criteria on our website.

These roles require 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 on our website.

If you meet the demographic criteria outlined above, you’ll be invited to an online Insight Event as part of the registration of interest, before the application window opens. During this event you can learn more about the role, our inclusive and supportive culture, hear from real staff, and have the chance to ask questions before applications open (please only attend one Insight Event). These one-hour events are scheduled to take place on:

Insight Event – Wednesday 30th September 2026 – 12.30pm and 5pm

We look forward to seeing you.

Please note that a registration of interest does not constitute a job application, nor will such registration have any bearing upon the recruitment process itself. Any individuals who register their interest and who subsequently decide to apply will need to complete an application form once the window for applications has opened. Once the application window has opened, we’ll welcome applications from all candidates, regardless of their ethnic background, gender, disability, and/or any other characteristic(s). Please check our nationality eligibility criteria requirements.

All applications will be assessed solely on merit.