Flexible working:We offer a range of flexible working patterns, including offering full-time, part-time,and compressed hours to support your individual needs. While homeworking isn'tpossible due to the nature of the role, we can offer flexibility, such as variations instart and finish times, where business needs allow.About usGCHQ is an intelligence, cyber, and security agency with a mission to keep the UKsafe. We use cutting-edge technology, ingenuity and partnerships to identify, analyseand disrupt threats. Working with our intelligence partners MI5 and MI6, we protectthe UK from terrorism, cyber-attacks and espionage. At GCHQ you'll do varied andfascinating work in a supportive and inclusive environment that puts the emphasis onteamwork.The roleAs a Senior Electronic Engineer, working alongside other engineers, you will design,test and integrate analogue electronics and hardware that keep our teams at theirbest. The role spans the entire project lifecycle, from design to delivery, focusing onidentifying and addressing challenges. Key responsibilities include designingcomponent-level analogue electronics and hardware systems with ElectromagneticCompatibility (EMC) in mind. You'll also carry out Printed Circuit Board (PCB),hardware, and system-level testing and verification.If successful, you could be producing high-quality design and test documentation,contributing to forward-looking analogue electronics research, developing andmaintaining scripts such as BASH/C wrapper and helper tools, identifying andmitigating risks, and supporting hardware integration across different systems.Depending on your experience, developing and contributing to embedded Linuxsolutions is also possible as part of the role.
About youWe're seeking engineers with experience in component-level analogue electronicdesign and who have taken projects from concept through to delivery.Key skills and experience include: Proficiency in component-level analogue electronic design, including powersupplies and complex discrete electronic circuits Experience with simulation tools such as LTSpice, and schematic capturetools like Mentor, Pulsonix, or Altium Familiarity with a wide range of electronic test equipment and a goodunderstanding of EMC requirements and design principlesYou'll be a proactive and adaptable individual, able to engage with internal andexternal customers, and work effectively with other organisations. You're able to spotopportunities, learn new skills quickly, and drive projects forward.Additionally, experience with scripting and basic coding (BASH, Python, or C onMicrocontrollers), and familiarity with Linux and networking, is desirable but notessential. We'll provide comprehensive training to ensure you have the tools andknowledge you need to succeed.Training and developmentThe first three days of your time with us will be dedicated to a comprehensivedepartment induction, designed to help you understand how things work and whodoes what.At GCHQ, we're committed to your growth and development. You'll have dedicatedtime and space for continuous learning, experimentation, and improvement, with upto 30% of your time available for personal development.We'll support professional development, including opportunities to gain professionalaccreditations if that's the route, you'd like to explore. You'll also be assigned abuddy who'll provide guidance and support throughout your time with us.Your training and ongoing support will be tailored to you, as you'll be working within asmall team where development can be shaped around your needs. While mosttraining is delivered in-house, we also offer regular opportunities to top up yourknowledge through external training providers.You'll have the chance to either mentor a junior colleague or be mentored bysomeone more experienced, depending on what will best support your growth.Your learning will draw on the broad expertise across the team, and you'll also beencouraged to identify additional courses or learning opportunities that help deepenyour knowledge in specific areas.Whether your goal is to deepen technical expertise or broaden your skill set, we'recommitted to giving you everything you need to succeed.Rewards and benefitsWe offer a competitive salary of between £48,782 and £58,194, dependent on yourskills and experience. This includes a concessionary payment of £2,658 and a skillspayment. All successful candidates receive a one-off recruitment bonus of £3,500.Other benefits include: 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 an excellent pension scheme a cycle to work scheme facilities such as a gym, restaurant, and on-site coffee bars (at somelocations) paid parental and adoption leave
Equal opportunitiesAt GCHQ diversity and inclusion are critical to our mission. To protect the UK, weneed a truly diverse workforce that reflects the society we serve. This includesdiversity in every sense of the word: those with different backgrounds, ages,ethnicities, gender identities, sexual orientations, ways of thinking, and those withdisabilities or neurodivergent conditions. We therefore welcome and encourageapplications from everyone, including those from groups that are under-representedin our workforce such as women, those from an ethnic minority background, peoplewith disabilities and those from low socio-economic backgrounds.Find out more about our culture, working environment and diversity on our website:
We're Disability ConfidentGCHQ is proud to have achieved Leader status within the Department for Work andPensions 'Disability Confident scheme. This is aimed at encouraging employers tothink 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 thata fair and proportionate number of disabled applicants who best meet the essentialminimum criteria for this position, will be offered an interview, if it is practical for us todo so. (This is known as the Offer of an Interview.) To secure an interview for thisrole, the minimum criteria (in order of application process) are: evidence of successfully delivering a technical project or piece of work extensive component-level analogue electronic design experience. experience with both a wide range of electronic test equipment and designingto meet electromagnetic compatibility requirements experience engaging with a range of different stakeholders.There is a wide range of extra support available throughout the recruitment processto enable you to do your best; see our website for information on reasonableadjustments (link) we can offer.
What to expectOur recruitment process is fair, transparent, and based on merit. Here is a briefoverview of each stage, in order:
* Application sift
* Online technical and competency based interview, including a presentation
* if successful, you will receive a conditional offer of employment
Please note, you must successfully pass each stage of the process to progress tothe next. Your application may take around 6 to 9 months to process includingvetting, so we advise you continue any current employment until you have receivedyour final job offer.Before you applyTo work at GCHQ, you need to be a British citizen or hold dual British nationality.Read about our eligibility criteria. (PENNA link to appropriate website Eligibilitysections)This role requires the highest security clearance, known as Developed Vetting(DV). It's something everyone in the UK Intelligence Community undertakes. Findout more about the vetting process. (PENNA link to org website vetting page).Please note we have a strict drugs policy, so once you start your application, youcan't take any recreational drugs, and you'll need to declare your previous drugusage at the relevant stage.Before you apply, we advise you to consider setting up a separate email address foryour contact with us, to ensure your personal and application correspondenceremain separate. Try to avoid having identifying features in your email address, suchas your first and/or surname and date of birth. This is good practice and will help youto manage your application with us more securely.The role is based in Cheltenham, so you'll need to live within a commutabledistance. Please consider any financial implications and practicalities beforesubmitting an application, as we do not offer relocation costs.Please note, you should only launch your application from within the UK. If you arebased overseas, you should wait until you visit the UK to launch an application.Applying from outside the UK will impact on our ability to progress your application.You should not discuss your application, other than with your partner or a closefamily member.
Right to withdraw statement:Please be aware that we withhold the right to bring forward the closing date for thisrole from the original closing date once a certain number of applications have beenreceived. Please be mindful of this and submit your application at your earliestconvenience to avoid disappointment.