Video Systems Technician Ref. 3766

Job Description

Salary: £44,190, rising to £47,773 after completion of a 12-month probationary period.

The role also attracts frequent overtime opportunities and a 6% disturbance allowance. There is also the opportunity to apply for the relevant technical framework and on-call allowances once training is complete. As a fully trained specialist, your earnings could reach up to £52,000 in the second year, excluding overtime, on-call, and disturbance allowance payments.

Flexible working: This is a full-time role, with home or remote working not currently available. Once fully qualified, there may be opportunities for greater flexibility, including compressed hours, subject to business needs.

About us:
MI5 keeps the country safe from serious threats such as terrorism and attempts by states to harm the UK, its people, and its 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 on how to keep themselves safe. A role in MI5 means undertaking unique and challenging work in a supportive and encouraging environment, making a real difference to UK national security.

The role:
Our Video Systems Installation team specialises in unconventional video systems. This is an excellent opportunity for an enthusiastic and motivated individual to develop into a Video Systems Technician as part of a highly skilled team.

As a Video Systems Technician, you’ll play a key role in designing, testing and installing unconventional video systems. This includes preparing, and testing technical equipment, as well as taking responsibility for its maintenance and eventual decommissioning. The role offers you the opportunity to apply a wide range of technical skills, innovative techniques and novel approaches in a truly unique environment.

Working as a Video Systems Technician at MI5 can differ significantly from standard technical roles. Protecting national security is a 24/7 responsibility, so flexibility is key. The role involves regular travel across the country in response to business needs and the ability to respond at short notice, including outside normal working hours.

This is a highly varied role, combining desk-based work, meetings, and practical workshop tasks. It involves travel and field-based activity, including both short trips and extended periods away from the office. Travel may be required a couple of times a week, depending on operational needs.

You’ll work closely with immediate colleagues and operational teams to deliver safe and successful outcomes. While the role does not involve line management responsibilities, it does include working in operational and field environments and collaborating with external clients, partners and agencies as required. As your experience develops, there will also be opportunities to contribute to project work.

The role requires someone who works well as part of a team, is proactive, and can also operate autonomously. Resilience is essential, along with the ability to perform effectively under pressure and respond to changing challenges and priorities.

Work will take place both in the office and in challenging environments, which may include working at height. This requires an adaptable approach, along with the confidence to work safely and effectively in varied conditions. You’ll also be supported to maintain the required level of physical fitness for the role, including up to two hours per week allocated within your contracted working hours.

A full UK driving licence is required, as regular travel to a range of locations forms a key part of the role.

Following the initial training period, standard office hours will apply. However, there may be occasions where short periods of work are required outside normal hours, including nights and weekends, sometimes at short notice. You will also join an on-call rota.

Once fully trained, you may have the opportunity to benefit from greater flexibility in your working pattern, including compressed hours, subject to business needs.

About You:
Although full training will be provided, candidates must demonstrate sustained experience in at least one of the following areas:

• Domestic electrical installation and testing
• CCTV system design and installation
• IP Networking, communications technology, or broadcasting

Candidate should also hold a Level 3 qualification (or higher) in IT, Engineering, or Applied Science, (such as a BTEC, ONC, HNC, NVQ, or foundation degree), or have equivalent relevant practical experience. A full UK driving licence is essential for this role.

The role requires well-developed problem-solving skills, along with the ability to work both independently and as part of a team, and experience in delivering end-to-end projects. It also calls for practical technical capability, including the use of power tools, supported by effective organisational, administrative, and written reporting skills.

Training and Development:
We invest in our people and will actively support you to develop your career. Our roles are unique, highly specialised, and technical, so we provide comprehensive, role-specific, in-house training designed to build on the qualifications and experience you already have.

Your initial training period will typically last around 18 months and is supported by a structured skills framework, enabling you to develop the technical knowledge and practical capability required to succeed in the role.

There is a clear emphasis on building long-term capability, equipping you not only for the role itself but also for future progression.

Depending on your existing qualifications, there may also be opportunities for you to gain further skills and recognised qualifications, for example, in Electrical Installations, Regulations, and Testing.

Technology evolves rapidly, and it is essential to stay current. We’re committed to your ongoing professional development through dedicated training and by ensuring you remain aware of emerging technologies and evolving industry standards. You’ll be supported throughout to develop your expertise and continue your professional growth.

The role has the potential to lead to a range of future opportunities across MI5 and with partner organisations. If you’re interested in developing a varied career and building unique, highly valued skills, we’ll support you in making that happen.

Rewards and benefits:
You’ll receive a starting salary of £44,190, rising to £47,773 after completion of a 12-month probationary period.

Other benefits include:

• 25 days’ annual leave, increasing to 30 days after 5 years' service, plus 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
• a dedicated development budget
• an excellent pension scheme
• a cycle-to-work scheme
• facilities such as a gym, restaurant, and on-site coffee bars
• paid parental and adoption leave

Equal opportunities:
At MI5,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 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, 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:
MI5 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 employer, we aim to offer a fair and proportionate number of person-to-person interviews to candidates who self-identify as disabled and meet the essential criteria for the role. This is known as our ‘Offer of Interview’ (OOI). To secure an interview for this vacancy, you’ll need to meet the following essential criteria (in order of application process):

• You’ll be required to reach the minimum pass mark for the online Situational Judgement Test (SJT), which assesses criteria important for all roles in our organisation
• Meeting the minimum pass mark on how you have demonstrated your motivation for the role and the organisation - assessed at application sift
• Demonstrate developed working knowledge of electrical installation and technical functions - to be assessed at an in-person assessment centre
• Holding a full UK driving licence

There is a wide range of additional support available throughout the recruitment process to help you perform at your best. Please visit our application process page for information on the reasonable adjustments we can offer.

What to expect:
Our recruitment process is fair, transparent, and based on merit. Below is an overview of each stage, in order:

• Online Situational Judgement Test (SJT) in which you rate the appropriateness of responses to a series of short scenarios
• Application sift, looking at your motivation for the role and the organisation
• Assessment centre, comprised of a competency-based interview, technical interview, and practical assessment. Due to take place around mid-August.
• If successful, you’ll receive a conditional offer of employment, subject to vetting

You’ll also need to complete and pass our standard Operational Fitness Assessment

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 complete, including vetting, so we advise you to continue any current employment until you’ve received your final job offer.

Before you apply:
To work at MI5, 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 need to declare your previous drug usage at the relevant stage.

Before applying, we recommend setting up a separate email address for your contact with us to help keep personal and application correspondence separate. It is advisable to avoid including your name or date of birth. This will help you manage your application more discreetly.

This role is based in Central London, so you must live within a commutable distance. Please consider any financial implications and practicalities before submitting an application. A loan is available to support people relocating to London.

We offer reasonable reimbursement of travel costs for candidates attending in-person interviews or assessments 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 submit your application from within the UK. If you are based overseas, you should wait until you visit the UK before applying. Submissions made from outside the UK may impact 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 be mindful of this and submit your application at your earliest convenience to avoid disappointment.