Closing Date – 23:00 on Tuesday 28th April 2026
Cheltenham £45,841 (includes £2,758 concessionary payment); London £52,091 (includes £6,250 London Weighting and £2,758 concessionary payment). Additionally, you could qualify for a specialist skills payment starting from £4,420. Skills revalidation is required every three years.
Flexible working
We offer full-time and part-time opportunities with flexible working hours. Remote working may be possible, and there will be opportunities for some home working. It will be structured as 80% office-based and 20% from home, with one day a week dedicated to a combination of learning and working from home.
About us
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.
The role
As a Senior Data Scientist, you’ll leverage data science to advance our mission and inform policy and strategy decisions. While this role is data‑centric, collaboration is at its heart.
In this role, you’ll collaborate with data scientists and mission teams to utilise our services for problem‑solving and discovering new applications. You’ll work with project teams to research and implement both established and novel models, and adapt AI techniques into our microservice architecture. Supporting our Development Operations (DevOps) team, you’ll explore innovative Machine Learning Operations (ML Ops) tools and learn to host large language models across multiple Graphic Processing Units (GPUs). After a year in this role, you’ll have opportunities to manage data scientists and engineers.
You understand the power of data for a business, and at GCHQ, we know how to use it for good. Every bit of data you work on is mission‑critical and not driven by commercial gain, so you can be confident that your work makes a positive impact.
There may be annual opportunities for overseas travel for collaboration, conferences and training.
About you
A Science, Technology, Engineering or Maths (STEM) or computer science‑related degree, or an equivalent qualification, will be beneficial. If you don’t have a degree but possess relevant experience, please apply, as your experience is as valuable as a professional qualification.
Ideally, you’ll have a deep understanding of machine learning, including training deployment, and maintenance. Additionally, you should be proficient in exploratory data analysis, statistical reasoning, and data‑driven decision‑making.
Your experience in data science or software engineering enables you to communicate effectively with experts in both fields. This background has also shaped you into an effective manager, with a history of mentoring and supporting colleagues. Beyond these skills, you’re adept at leading teams and working with internal and external partners, as well as end users.
Training and development
At GCHQ, we’re committed to giving you all the support and guidance you need to build a rewarding career at the heart of national security, and we’ll do this from the very start. From day one, you’ll have a comprehensive introduction to the organisation, plus a buddy on hand to support and mentor you as you get settled in. We understand that everyone learns differently, so we’ll tailor your development to suit your needs – whether that’s through books, studying, courses, or conferences.
Additionally, we offer an internal Data Science learning pathway with a significant taught component. Successfully completing this pathway will open up a variety of other learning opportunities, aligned with ambitions, career direction, and our mission requirements. The programme includes modules on exploratory data analysis, and visualisation, mathematics and statistics, machine learning, algorithms and graph theory, and big data technologies.
Rewards and benefits
You’ll receive a starting salary of £45,841 or £52,091, depending on location. You might also qualify for a skills payment based on your expertise. Plus, you’ll enjoy other benefits, including:
* 25 days 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
* 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 underrepresented in our workforce such as women, those from ethnic minority backgrounds, people with disabilities and those from low socio‑economic backgrounds.
GCHQ is proud to have achieved Leader status within the DWP’s 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. Being Disability Confident, we aim to offer a fair and proportionate number of person‑to‑person interviews to any candidate who self‑identifies as disabled and meets the essential criteria for the role. This is our ‘Offer of Interview’ (OOI).
Eligibility and requirements
To work at GCHQ, you need to be a British citizen or hold dual British nationality. This role requires the highest security clearance, known as Developed Vetting (DV). You must also comply with our strict drug policy, i.e. you must not use recreational drugs once your application starts, and you must declare any previous drug usage at the relevant stage.
The role is based in Cheltenham or London, so you’ll need to live within a commutable distance. Relocation costs are not offered.
#J-18808-Ljbffr